Southold Supervisor To Suggest A Moratorium on All New Wineries, Distilleries and Breweries

SOUTHOLD, NY — With an eye toward putting the brakes on a rapidly changing landscape on the North Fork, Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell plans to ask the town board whether they would support a moratorium on all new wineries, breweries and distilleries in town.

Russell said he discussed the concept with the Long Island Wine Council and the Long Island Farm Bureau, and plans to speak to the town board at its work session Tuesday.

"I believe that we have needed a moratorium to update a very outdated insufficient code for some time. I have been raising these issues since the State of the Town address," Russell said. "Southold really needs to take charge of our future and adopt code that ensure we stay on that path. These industries are growing and there are new applications seemingly every day. We need to plan for them and make sure that such growth doesn't erode the quality of life this community is entitled to."

Russell said he plans to speak to the board about the need to make significant revisions to the town code, and to draft new code, as it pertains to land use, specifically, to fermentation, or distilling. That would include wineries, breweries and distilleries, as well as places where cider is created.

"Basically, the town code was meant to address the growing wine industry in the late 70s and early 80s," Russell said. "There's not a lot to the code, it's ambiguous."

The definition of a winery needs clarity in the town code. As it stands, the town code, refers to a dictionary definition of "winery," with no clear definition of issues such as "tasting rooms, and processing facilities," he said, adding that certain questions need to be asked, including whether agricultural retailing is the same as retailing.

"We need some clarity. And we need to stop and factor in the growth of new industries such as breweries and distilleries," he said.

Current code, Russell add, doesn't allow for such uses in agricultural zones and a discussion needs to be had regarding whether or not they should be allowed, and what zoning is most appropriate.

When asked about the proposal, Ali Tuthill, executive director of the Long Island Wine Council, said, "At this point we don't have enough information to make an official statement."

Russell added, "I look forward to having the Wine Council as partners as we draft new code. I have already asked them for suggestions on what they would like to see addressed."

The Long Island Farm Bureau responded Friday: "We at Long Island Farm Bureau are very concerned at the possibility of a moratorium on craft beverage businesses. We plan to work with Southold Town to explore proactive and educational approaches to address some of the concerns regarding wineries, breweries, distilleries and cideries. The craft beverage industry is an area of agriculture that has a lot of interest and has received enormous support from New York State. It would be disappointing to see the growing sector stunted by a moratorium," said Jessica Anson, public policy director, Long Island Farm Bureau

Russell said there's a need to look at the industry and how it impacts the entire community, including such concerns as traffic. "I think we can promote and support the industry and at the same time make sure we develop good code that balances the needs of the industry with the overriding concerns of the community."

Some of the discussion might ultimately prove beneficial to the wine industry, Russell said. For example, currently, there is no definition for tasting room in the code; they are not allowed in agricultural zones. "Maybe we need to revisit that," Russell said.

Russell said he asked the Long Island Wine Council and the Long Island Farm Bureau to come up with some ideas as part of a comprehensive review.

The supervisor plans to have a general discussion about the issue with the town board Tuesday, and see if they believe substantial revisions or modest revisions to the code are needed, or if a moratorium would be necessary.

Personally, Russell supports the idea of a brief moratorium. "We need to take a step back and put a short term moratorium in place, get the stakeholders in the room, and get this resolved as part of one comprehensive plan."

There would be no action taken Tuesday, with no public hearing even scheduled on the issue until at least the next board meeting two weeks later, Russell said.