'Summer House' Kicks Off Filming In Southampton: 'So Far, So Good', Supe Says

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — The popular Bravo TV show "Summer House" has begun filming in Southampton Town, and according to Supervisor Jay Schneiderman, there've been no complaints.

"So far, so good," Schneiderman said Thursday.

According to the supervisor, he and town officials have been in contact with the attorney and producers for the show.

"So far, they've been complying with all of our laws. Nobody's sleeping at this house. I was concerned it was actually going to be a share house but it's not, it's a set for a group, just pretending," Schneiderman said.

Representatives for the show have been made aware of the town's rules and "they're telling us they are going to comply. I'm hoping it can be managed," Schneiderman said.

Leslie Oren, president of BabyGrande PR, which handles publicity for the production company behind Summer House, responded to a request for comment and said, “We will be filming this summer and, as always, will be compliant with all local laws and regulations.”

"Summer House," which airs Mondays at 10 p.m. on Bravo, has already garnered an audience. But last season some locals, who said the show was an unfair representation of the Montauk they know and love, were fighting mad when the show filmed in East Hampton Town.

The move to Southampton Town from Montauk came after East Hampton Town denied an application to film in May, following a public outcry from residents.

A Southampton Town commercial/educational filming permit was issued to Truly Original by the office of Southampton Town Chief Fire Marshal Cheryl Kraft, stating that filming will be allowed from June 21 to September 6, at a home located on Deerfield Road in Water Mill, according to the permit.

The permit was approved with conditions, including that no more than 40 people per day are allowed for filming, onsite personnel must be provided to facilitate safe and orderly parking, emergency access to the site must be available at all times, and noise must not exceed parameters set forth in the town code.

But initially, Schneiderman said the permit was approved without any town board discussion and voiced his concerns.

Schneiderman said the company received a permit to film but the company still has to comply with the town's rental laws.

"If it's actually a share house, and not pretend, it's illegal," the supervisor said earlier in the month. "You can pretend anything you want, like 'Breaking Bad,' and cooking meth; you can make believe whatever you want, because it's a film set. But if it's an actual share house — share houses are not legal in Southampton Town. Just because they have a permit to film doesn't mean they can sleep there."

Schneiderman said no one has violated any laws yet but he's having the town attorney assess the situation.

"We want to make sure they understand that a share house there would violate the code," he said.

The nature of the show itself, he said, means "they're promoting an activity that is not legal in the Town of Southampton."

If the show violates town code the town will enforce its laws, Schneiderman said.

Initially, Schneiderman said he was not pleased with the prospect of the filming: "I would like them not to be here," he said. "I'm not convinced this permit should have been issued in the first place because of potential community impacts. However, if it's well-managed it's possible there won't be community impacts. It's a large, gated lot."

The supervisor said he was concerned about the neighbors being disturbed.

And, he said, "I'm still not happy about it, because the culture of having a group share house, and getting drunk, it's a bad image for the area. It's promoting something that's not legally permitted. I'm not delighted to have them. I wish they weren't here, and we're going to make sure they conform with all the laws."

Southampton Town, he said, does not have a permit review committee that would have allowed for the town board to see the application before it was approved.

This year, East Hampton Town, after a public outcry from residents, put the brakes on filming when they denied a permit to the show to film in May.

According to East Hampton Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell, when he took office, he created a permit review committee, which includes not only two town board members but the chief of police, the town clerk, and the fire marshal, to review all filming, photography and special event permits.

In May, that board denied the application and informed the company that their application for a permit was denied, Cantwell said.

"We denied their permit because the duration of their filming at that house was over the course of the entire summer and we didn't feel it was an appropriate use in a single family home," the supervisor said.

The decision came after steamy hot tub scenes and a beach house crowded with nine friends sparked pushback from locals who said the show cast a negative light on Montauk.

Here's how Bravo has described the show:

"For years this group of friends has spent their weekends from Memorial Day through Labor Day in one of the most exclusive beach areas on the East Coast. These professionals may keep it together during the week, but as soon as they hit the beach on the weekend, they let loose in a big, aspirational way that is exclusive to this high-end lifestyle."

Some felt the show promoted the issue of share houses in East Hampton, too.

Some were thrilled with the show and the filming.

Fernando Torres, manager of the Amagansett IGA, confirmed that the crew filmed at the store last year. "It was exciting. It was great," he said.