Town Working to Address 'Crisis' With Lavender Farm Parking, Create Long-Term Plan: Supervisor

EAST MARION, NY - After the worst gridlock some North Forkers say they have ever experienced over the July 4 weekend in East Marion, Southold Town officials are working with a popular lavender farm on solutions.

On Sunday, cars were backed up for miles, with traffic heading east on Main Road in East Marion at an absolute standstill. Many took to social media to express their frustration and say they believe the popularity of Lavender by the Bay could have sparked the traffic woes.

"We are reaching out to the owner to discuss it with him," Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell said Tuesday. "There are two goals. The first is to address the immediate crisis — and it is a crisis — and the second is to identify a long-term plan so this doesn’t keep happening each year."

Russell called a meeting Tuesday with key staff to develop a plan for the coming weekend, he said.

Southold Town Police Chief Martin Flatley, he said, "outlined some actions he will be taking to alleviate some of the congestion there and the town attorney will be contacted the operator to develop a long-term plan."

Although some have said on social media that a nearby farm could be used for paid parking, Russell said he was unaware of any proposed use of alternate locations as a solution.

The supervisor also said that he does not believe that "restrictions" are what is keeping the operator from developing a parking plan. "There are options available regardless of other restrictions," he said.

In recent years, the farm has seen an explosion of popularity, largely due to an influx of Asian customers who flock to the farm after a 2001 movie, "Lavender", a romance film. Hundreds of tourists and cars converge upon the business and guests eager to smell the lavender cross Main Road freely.

To help address concerns, a traffic control officer has been assigned to the spot by Southold Town Police during peak hours of business.

Susan and Serge Rozenbaum have said in the past that they try to mitigate the problem by only advertising locally. Serge Rozenbaum has also maintained he's been unable to expand his farm due to restrictions that will not allow for increased parking solutions. The couple has also said for years that the lavender's peak season is short, so the huge crowds are not a year round concern.

However, Saturday's level of traffic reached new levels and residents are furious and looking for answers.
"It was awful," wrote one resident on social media.

Others said the traffic was the worst they have ever seen on the North Fork, triggering significant delays and missed ferries in Orient.

It took more than 30 minutes to drive from Cutchogue to Orient on Saturday, with the traffic at a complete standstill, for some who were were attempting to attend the Heritage Day festivities in Orient where Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor was a surprise guest, another event that could have triggered a heavier than usual amount of traffic.

Chanan Rozenbaum, son of Susan and Serge, spoke to Patch about the heavy traffic. "I think it's a result of the bloom coinciding with the holiday weekend and it being a Sunday," he said.

In addition, the farm has had some increased coverage in the news in recent weeks. "As a result, people want to see the beauty of or bloom. We have one of the only lavender farms in the northeast and this is the prettiest time. People want to come and experience it for themselves. Unfortunately, the bloom coinicded with one of the busiest holiday weeekends of the year," he said.

When the business first launched, Rozenbaum said, "We never would have imagince the response to be what it is."

While the town has let the business expand its parking to some extent in recent years, Rozenbaum said the sheer volume of visitors who head to the farm during bloom periods continues present a parking challenge nonetheless.

On the plus side, Rozenbaum said he and his parents constantly promote other businesses, including restaurants and shops, on the North Fork.

As for Sunday's traffic, Rozenbaum said the police were onhand to help.

The bloom has been taking place for the past three weekend, Rozenbaum said; with the harvest already begun, the fields will continue to get smaller, meaning the crowds coming to soak in the beauty will soon decrease. "It's not a yearly issue," he said. "It's four to six weeks of blooming each year and two weekends of traffic due to holidays."

Russell said, after Saturday's traffic issues, "The planning board has been working to resolve parking issues with the owners. This is an example, at least in part, of a failure of a development rights program."

He added, "We purchase development rights under the premise that we have to buy as much as possible to ensure the preservation farmland to keep it in farming. The problem with that premise is that we really haven't planned for 'success in farming'. Because we bought the development rights on most of that property, there are very few parking options."

Flatley said Sunday there was conversation last year about options such as off-site parking but there are not many options in that area.

"I went through there yesterday and it was bad, but most of the delay was caused by visitors trying to find parking. I'm sure the town will be looking at it again after this weekend and talking to the owners. Unfortunately, the bloom this year is occurring on our busiest weekend," Flatley said.

Others, however, don't mind the traffic woes and say Lavender By the Bay is the highlight of their visit to the North Fork.

"It's just beautiful," said one woman who was visiting with her family from Norway and made a special visit out to the farm.

Others have said that one business alone cannot be blamed for traffic on a holiday weekend, and reminded that the pumpkin season brings gridlock traffic to bucolic North Fork roads.