Letters

Featured Letter: Town required ‘restaurant’ for permit

(Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)
The former Galley Ho across the street from Legends and Summer Girl boutique on First Street’s New Suffolk Waterfront Fund land. Plans to move and expand the restaurant have run into resistance from nearby business owners and residents. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

To the editor:

In speaking with many people since the May 17 New Suffolk Waterfront Fund public information meeting, the one thing that has come up every time is concern about another restaurant in New Suffolk. When applying for a permit to renovate the Galley Ho, we were told that the word “restaurant” had to be used. We could not say “cafe.” We could not say “snack bar.”

The town requires the word “restaurant” for any establishment that sells any type of food product! The New Suffolk Waterfront Fund is cognizant of the importance in protecting the image of the waterfront here. We are not demolishing buildings on the site. We are preserving and protecting the structures.

The final usage and intensity is yet to be determined. As a member of the board of directors, I appreciate the input received at the May 17 meeting and look forward to answering the questions received that day and at another community meeting to be held in July.

Lauren Grant, New Suffolk

Ms. Grant serves on the New Suffolk Waterfront Fund Inc. board of directors, is a past president of the New Suffolk Civic Association and a past president of the Cutchogue-New Suffolk Chamber of Commerce.