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Village Board may clarify code on mass assemblies

Greenport Village Trustee Mary Bess Phillips said the board needs to review the 42-year-old section of the village code pertaining to mass assemblies, such as concerts, in light of a Dec. 18 pop-up concert at the North Fork Art Collective building on Front Street. The concert resulted in a notice of violation imposed by the village because no permits had been secured.

That concert was organized by a company that hosts shows at secret locations where performers aren’t identified until they take the stage.

“I don’t think of a small group of people inside of a building that meets occupancy as being a mass assembly, so I think we need to clarify that,” Ms. Phillips said.

The mass assembly section of the code is intended more for public parks and outdoor events, rather than a small concert in an art gallery, she said.

Village administrator Paul Pallas agreed that the code needs to be clarified, but said an inspection by the fire marshal still is needed to ensure safety.

Mayor George Hubbard Jr. said once the village fire marshal completes his inspection of all the businesses in the village, this should be clarified to an extent because people will know what they can and can’t do in their spaces.

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