Community Corner

Organizers Ask to Move Music Festival to East Hampton Airport

The town-owned airport might offer noise and traffic solutions to the festival's site in Amagansett, but would need FAA approval.

If the town board and the Federal Aviation Administration approves, the location of the Music to Know Festival could be switched from in Amagansett to the .

Chris Jones, who along with Bill Collage has conceived of the two-day music festival for this August, said that they have looked for other options, such as the Maidstone Gun Club and various locations in Montauk, because of the .

The best alternative, Jones said on Friday, is the town-owned airport.  On Monday, they filed a commercial mass gathering permit application at the airport for the same amount of people they received approval for Ocean View Farm.

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“In the event that the application is approved for the airport, in all likelihood, we will switch sites to the airport,"Jones said. However, he said, if they are denied at the airport, the festival will take place at Ocean View Farm.

The FAA would also have to sign-off on the festival because the airport is federally regulated, Supervisor Bill Wilkinson said. While he has not seen the permit application yet, he said, “I am not going to approve it until the FAA.” He does not think it will be a lengthy process, and expects the town board to discuss the permit in the coming weeks. Wilkinson said the airport is a more viable location for the festival given the outcry.

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“We've heard from what is realistically a small minority but what is still an important minority,” Jones said. The alternative site, he said, would address noise and traffic concerns.

A site plan for the airport has been submitted with the application, which includes a 50 page safety plan and plans for a kids tent. “It’s incredibly well thought out,” Jones said. Twenty bands will play on stages set up on Runway 4, which is currently not in use.

The $100,000 donation to a local charity would sill stand. The agreement with the town board has been formalized that in a legal commitment, according to Jones.  

“From a noise abatement standpoint, it’s a fabulous circumstance,” he said. The airport is borded by the Long Island Rail Road train tracks, and  “You physically cannot see another house from the airport,” which is on Daniels Hole Road. While he said someone is always inconvenienced, “Hopefully, that person is someone used to living with a level of inconvenience by virtue of the fact that it is an airport.”

With regard to traffic, “There are multiple ways in and out,” he said, adding that traffic coming from Sag Harbor, East Hampton, and points west would all have several roads, such as Montauk Highway, Industrial Road, Daniels Hole Road, Stephen Hands Path and Route 114 to get to the venue.

The organizers have already vetted the site out with the fire marshal’s office and the East Hampton Town police department. “Chief [Eddie] Ecker thinks its a good site. There's obviously ample parking. We still have all of our options as far as the train and Hampton Jitney are concerned.”

Jones said that despite some protest, the support from the community has been overwhelming. “We have some great acts lined up and a number of sponsors for the event. We’re ready to go.”

An early version said the festival was for three days. It is only for two.


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