The local advocacy group working to preserve the character of our treasured, historic area.
Our all-volunteer organization was founded to promote awareness of and advocate for a good quality of life for all Bridgehampton residents and neighbors.
What has drawn so many people to reside in our beloved hamlet of Bridgehampton is its rural character: one that is filled with the beautiful vistas and open space of farmland, fields, ocean beaches, bays, and ponds, as well as the historic buildings that line our Main Street and old back roads.
But the very qualities that brought us here are under threat, and if we wish to preserve the place we love, we must join together, and help advocate for what is important to us. The Bridgehampton Civic Association does just that, through social, educational, and governmental interaction. The more people we represent and who assist us in signing petitions and letters, attending public hearings, and meeting with public officials, the greater will be our voice and influence.
Our Issues: Overdevelopment & Land Use
Development is a natural progression in a vital hamlet, especially one as desirable as Bridgehampton. At the same time, the rampant overdevelopment we have seen in recent years has led to burdens on our infrastructure, resources, and quality of life. What were once modest, and sometimes historic, affordable homes continue to be torn down and replaced by outsized homes with over-extensive lot coverage. Variances are too often approved that decrease setbacks, increase lot coverage and alter pyramid height restrictions. Overdevelopment has brought less open space and privacy, and more congestion, noise, and traffic. It has also negatively impacted our protected wetlands, greenways, and aquifer.
As an unincorporated hamlet, Bridgehampton residents do not have local control of our land use, and must instead rely upon the Southampton Town Board and its Planning Department, Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals, on which Bridgehampton representation is lacking. That is why we advocate with elected officials and appointed Boards to maintain our building codes (including required setbacks as well as over-clearing in the Aquifer Protection Overlay District and Wetland areas), and consistency with the Town's comprehensive plans and with the Bridgehampton hamlet plan.
Our Issues: Quality of Life
Traffic & Pedestrian Safety, Noise, Illegal Rentals, Litter, Obstrusive Signage and other Code Enforcement Issues
At the top of the list of issues brought to our attention by residents is that of pedestrian and traffic safety, the almost 24/7 barrage of noise from outdoor events, amplified music, landscaping equipment and construction, and other quality of life concerns. We provide residents with contact information for appropriate Town officials with whom to communicate, and often reach out to the larger community by writing letters to the editor of the Southampton Press. We work with Code Enforcement and other Southampton Town officials to find solutions to address these quality of life concerns. As members of the former Bridgehampton Citizens Advisory Committee (who became the first board of directors of the Bridgehampton Civic Association), we worked with our New York State Assemblyman and the Town’s Department of Municipal Works to install new sidewalks [and crosswalks with enhanced safety features], and to plant new height-appropriate and mostly native variety trees along Bridgehampton Main Street. In addition to safety and noise, we continue to work to address dark skies law compliance, illegal rentals, litter, and obtrusive signage, among other issues. We are also working with the Town of Southampton to establish a town-wide comprehensive tree planting and maintenance program.
Our Issues: Historic Preservation and other Local and Regional Issues
Historic Preservation, a new Historic District, Workforce Housing, and Other Local & Regional Issues
Historic Preservation and New Historic District: Our directors worked with the Town’s Landmarks and Historic Districts Board, attending every meeting, to urge our elected officials to create a Bridgehampton Historic District. BridgeCivic co-sponsored an application and in December 2023 changes to the Town Code were adopted finally making the Bridgehampton Main Street Historic District, stretching from Snake Hollow Road to Ocean Road, a reality!
Other Local & Regional Issues: As local and regional issues arise that can impact Bridgehampton, we meet them head on and work with officials to find solutions. Currently, we are monitoring updates with the proposed commercial center for Wainscott and the East Hampton airport, and how they may impact our residents and community. We are also working more locally on the newly proposed renovations to the Bridgehampton Senior Center on the Bridgehampton Sag Harbor Turnpike, which will add affordable workforce and senior housing, the first of its kind in our hamlet.
Our Issues: Environmental Advocacy
Preservation of Open Space, Agricultural Reserves, Woodlands, Wetlands, Aquifer Protection Overlay Districts and Greenways
We are staunch supporters of maintaining the legal covenants between the Town of Southampton and the property owners that dictate the kinds of activities and development that can take place on our agricultural and other reserves and greenways. We also work to protect our Aquifer Protection Overlay Districts and Wetlands by advocating that Town officials enforce the codes concerning over-clearing and improper revegetation on these parcels.
“A Gold Star for the Bridgehampton Civic Association, for taking matters into their own hands.”
—The Southampton Press
