Southampton, L.I., NY – the ZBA has been conducting hearings since 2004 on an application by the small Shul at 214 Hill Street (one of three small home-based synagogues in the vicinity facing community opposition and zoning struggles) for a special-use permit.
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The house is outside the village’s business district, where Village code is more stringent for religious institutions than private homes, requiring more off-street parking and greater setbacks from yards.
Fearing noise, traffic and parking problems on weekends, a half-dozen neighbors on Hill Street hired a law firm to represent a claim that the Shul house fails to meet provisions of the code.
Last fall, the Shul withdrew its application, and some members since have purchased a property behind the building to give it more land to help meet village requirements.
Privately, village officials say the matter is likely to end up in court – no matter what the ZBA decides.