Village Finally Agrees To Discuss Supermarket Proposal

After over a year of being denied an open discussion on a proposal to bring a new supermarket to Old Riverhead Road in Westhampton Beach, developer Andrew Mendelson will finally be heard.

Last week, village board members agreed to discuss, at their April 17 work session, the village's Master Plan as it relates to the village's B3 and industrial zones — Those are the two zones that Mendelson's 4.2 acres of vacant land. They do not allow for a supermarket use under current zoning.

Mendelson has long petitioned the village to add the words, "grocery store," to those districts, which he said would allow him to build a 40,000-square-foot supermarket; however, Village Attorney Richard Haefeli, has argued that it isn't as easy of just adding words to the village's zoning code — a master plan update would be necessary.

Haefeli has also stated that an update to the master plan is not something that village trustees are required by law to undertake, but instead, they can do so at their discretion.

On Thursday evening, Trustee Patricia DiBenedetto, told Mendelson that village trustees have re-read the master plan and that they are ready to have an open discussion.

Mendelson said he is looking forward to the meeting.

"I believe that the village trustee's want to do the right thing for the people of Westhampton Beach. The Master Plan is a fluid document that needs to be updated on a continuous basis, otherwise our Village will become stale and obsolete."

Related Reading: 

• Developer Calls for Resignation of Westhampton Beach Trustee
• Supermarket Developer: 'Give the Public a Chance to Weigh In'

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