East Hampton to host special meeting on helicopter noise
The hundreds of East End residents planning to protest helicopter noise during the East Hampton Town Board’s next regular meeting on Thursday are being asked to wait another week to voice their concerns.
Following several heated public meetings last week regarding helicopter noise over the North and the South forks, the East Hampton Town Board has decided to host a special meeting for residents to speak out against the growing impact of noise, “especially from increased traffic of helicopters landing and departing at the East Hampton Airport,” according to a statement from East Hampton Supervisor Larry Cantwell.
The meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 27 at 6:30 p.m., is being held at LTV Studios, located at 75 Industrial Road in Wainscott, instead of Town Hall in order to accommodate the large number of expected protestors.
“Based on the turnout of citizens attending recent meetings on this issue in Southold and Southampton Towns, we would anticipate an overflow crowd on the night of Aug. 21 when the Town Board already has 13 public hearings scheduled,” Mr. Cantwell said in a statement. “Such a turnout will leave many people without seating, standing in the entryway and outdoors. In order to adequately host the number of people who wish to address the Town Board, we are inviting residents of the North and South Fork to attend the special meeting on Aug. 27. We welcome comments from East Hampton residents and from our neighbors on the East End concerning the impact of aircraft noise and urge their attendance at the Aug. 27 meeting.”
Last week more than 500 East Enders attended three public forums to voice their opposition to low flying helicopters buzzing overhead. Much of the focus of those meetings was on the East Hampton Airport, where the majority of the traffic to and from New York City occurs.
