New Winery Special Events Legislation Up For Public Hearing

The public will be able to weigh in Tuesday on controversial legislation that has some seeing red.

A public hearing will be held on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. at Southold Town Hall regarding a local law in relation to special events held at wineries.

The legislation, said Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell, for the most part, codifies the review process for special events held at wineries. It also broadens the special event law in that the original law permitted special events at wineries only.

"This revision would allow any bonafide agricultural operation the right  to apply for a special event permit. The law seeks to give all agricultural operations the right to supplement their ag operation income with special events. However, those special events must be directly tied to the sale of the agricultural product. For instance, a wedding is allowed at a winery but the purpose of the wedding is to sell the winery's wine, etc. This is legislation that has been a work product long in the making and the current version that is subject to public hearing tomorrow has been supported by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets."

Some, however, are not pleased with the draft code, especially the permitted use language, which is found to be unacceptable in its current form, according to Steve Bate, executive director of the Long Island Wine Council.

Added James Silver, general manager of the Peconic Bay Winery, "The proposed legislation more than triples our fees as the state reduces them, adds intrusive paperwork when the state is reducing it, and places impossible conditions on otherwise normal and natural business practices granted to us by our state licenses."

Russell said the legislation is meant to provide guidance for special events held at wineries, a burgeoning business. "I suspect anyone who said it would be 'bad for business' has obviously not read the proposed changes," he said.