After blowback from residents, plan for South Jamesport Beach is dead in the water

A proposal to offer food, alcoholic beverages and live music at the town beach in South Jamesport on weekends this summer is dead in the water.

After blowback from residents, town board members today agreed to nix the idea. Board members reported receiving calls and emails from dozens of constituents upset about the plan.

Councilwoman Catherine Kent, who attended a meeting of the Greater Jamesport Civic Association on Saturday said more than 60 people came to the meeting to speak out against the idea – only one person supported it, she said.

“They spoke passionately that they had concerns about alcohol,” Kent said.

“Also the beach is close to residential and they don’t like the idea as well,” she said. “It’s kind of a cool idea but I thought from the beginning it wouldn’t work at any of our beaches. None of the communities [near the beaches] would want it,” Kent said.

Councilman Tim Hubbard, who as liaison to the recreation department originally brought the idea to the board, said the intention was to provide an incentive for a concessionaire at the site, who will need to make a significant investment to bring the concession building up to code so that it will pass muster with the Suffolk County health department. The cost of renovations could be as high as $100,000, he said.

“It started with the concession stand,” Hubbard said. “We want to get it up and running and thought this might entice it to make it a little more profitable if we could get people to come back onFriday and Saturday nights for food, some music and a glass of wine.”

Hubbard said the idea originated with the boaters at the town-operated East Creek Marina and other residents who enjoy the beach in the evenings.

Board members were split on whether to cancel the April 30 forum, which was to allow residents a chance to speak out on the proposal.

“The plug is pulled,” Hubbard said. “I don’t see the need to have the forum.” Council members James Wooten and Jodi Giglio agreed, but Kent and Supervisor Laura Jens-Smith thought the board should have the forum even though there’s no support on the board for moving forward with the proposal.

“It’s wasting people’s time,” Hubbard said.

“The April 30 forum was set up as a public meeting,” Jens-Smith said. “I think it’s an opportunity to hear from the community.”

“We’ve been hearing from the community,” Wooten said. “My email’s been blowing up.”

Giglio said holding the forum after the board has decided against the proposal “might be misleading.”

Wooten agreed. “We’re not going to have a forum on not doing this,” he said.