Jul 17, 2019 10:46 AM

Southampton Village residents who live near the handful of nightclubs between Post Crossing and the northern end of Elm Street made their annual appeal to the Village Board last week, with repeated complaints about noise, garbage and traffic that results in endless sleepless nights.

With new faces on the Village Board, including Mayor Jesse Warren, residents hoped that their complaints would not fall on deaf ears, as they suggested had happened under the past two mayors, Mark Epley and Michael Irving.

“Two previous mayors and trustees—yet here we are again,” village resident Jay Fitzpatrick said at the meeting.

Mr. Fitzpatrick said hundreds of partygoers and clubbers are lured to the village from points all over the island, by way of social media and the bass that pulsates through the speakers. Alcohol fuels the parties, and the result is yelling and screaming outside from people who are not permitted to enter the establishments. Once rejected, they head to the next club, he said, leaving behind trash, empty whiskey bottles, condoms, undergarments and urine.

“Do I sound pissed off?” he asked the board.

Another resident, Susan Hovdesven, targeted the owner of Blu Mar, Zach Erdem, and his opening of AM Southampton—a nightclub that was once located along County Road 39 near Tuckahoe Lane—at Blu Mar.

Ms. Hovdesven said Mr. Erdem has made no effort to disguise the activity that comes as a result of his nightclub. If he did, she said, he would do his best to clean up solo cups, beer cans, bottles, vomit and left behind cocktails that get scattered throughout the village.

Mr. Fitzpatrick showed a video of the activity at the social club, which included numerous vehicles dropping off or picking up passengers, and a club being raided.

“Unfortunately, I’ve seen this before,” Mr. Warren said. “It’s not good. I have to clean up the mess in front of my own store.”

Linda Stabler-Talty, another village resident, spoke on behalf of many of the residents who deal with the late-night shenanigans. When she and other residents hear the noise after 11 p.m., they often call the police to complain. Once the police arrive, the noise level lowers, and Ms. Stabler-Talty said she is able to go to sleep. But around 2 a.m., she is awakened by the noise again.

“Why are the clubs that exist in that area … allowed to flaunt village codes?” she asked the board. “It’s not fair.”

Ms. Stabler-Talty also said the music can easily be heard from 50 feet away, and multiple complaints about the noise have been reported to the Village Police. Village code prohibits the use of amplifiers and speakers on the outside of commercial buildings because it results in noise pollution.

“Those are some valid points, and we will be taking them very seriously,” Mr. Warren told the residents.

As the new mayor listened to residents, he asked if they had any suggestions on how to address the issue with the nightclub owners. Other than enforcing the code, the recommendations came up short.

On Tuesday, Mr. Warren said he has followed up with the residents and plans to keep an eye on the situation. He also said he wants to try to get the club owners and residents in a room together to communicate.

“I think this personally comes down to good communication,” he said. “I think a lot of the residents are exhausted as far as this process, but, hopefully, again, because there is a new administration, we can bring everyone together and try to communicate first before taking any measures.”

He added that the Village Police Department is in the process of reaching out to the clubs and is also constantly monitoring the situation.

Still, residents hope something is done to address the noise.

“A nightclub is so inappropriate for this community,” village resident Bob Coffey told the board. “It’s wildly inappropriate.”