Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Traffic Signs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Southampton board delays action on stop-sign code changes pending county, state review
Summary
After listing multiple traffic-related code amendments for public hearings, the Town Board said it will defer action on stop-sign and no-stopping proposals until staff confirms whether the signs were installed under county or state authority.
At a regular session the Southampton Town Board reviewed a slate of proposed amendments to Town Code chapter 312 dealing with stop signs and no-stopping regulations but agreed to delay any formal hearing or adoption until staff can confirm whether the installations fall under county or state jurisdiction.
Supervisor Moore led the discussion, noting that several stop signs and no-stopping installations have been in place "for over a year" but are not yet codified in the town code. Board members asked the town engineer to determine whether the signs were installed under state or county authority before the town schedules a public hearing or pursues a code change.
The board specifically identified three resolutions tied to stop-sign or no-stopping proposals: an amendment to section 312-20 addressing stopping prohibited in designated locations (Hampton Bay), a proposal to add stop-intersection regulations at Sunrise Highway parking areas (Hampton Bays), and a separate notice concerning County Road 79 in Bridgehampton. Council members debated whether the town should bear the cost of scheduling public hearings if the signs are under another jurisdiction's authority.
"They may be installed under state authority which means we don't need to amend our code," one member said, urging consultation with the town engineer. Another board member suggested tabling the hearing until staff has had that conversation; the board reached informal consensus to hold the matter over to the next meeting while staff reports back.
Board members also discussed how enforcement currently works: state troopers and county DPW were mentioned as parties that may have requested the installations, and members flagged questions about which agency would collect fines if violations were issued. The board asked staff to clarify if local police can write tickets under town code or whether enforcement would rely on state or county statutes.
The decision to delay was procedural: the resolutions remain on the agenda as notices of public hearing, but the board will not schedule testimony or finalize code amendments until the town engineer and relevant officials confirm jurisdictional authority. The board did not take a formal vote on the code changes at the meeting; the matter will return to the agenda once staff provides clarity.
