The dispute between Amagansett/Napeague homeowners who claim to own the beach in front of their houses and residents who say that the beach is public and they can drive on it is going to be fought out in State Supreme Court in Riverhead. Various entities representing the homeowners are suing the East Hampton Trustees and the town. The lawsuit, filed in 2009, states that the various homeowners purchased the land in question at various times.
One side, the homeowners, say that many trucks and four-wheel-drive vehicles are on the beach during the summer, causing a hazardous condition. The group representing them is called SAFE. The other side, the town, the Trustees, and concerned citizens (represented by Citizens for Access Rights) say that the issue is that the homeowners are trying to privatize a public beach.
SAFE has been circulating a petition that states "I Support SAFE's Effort to Make Our Beaches Safer--Yes, I support SAFE’s effort to improve and protect East Hampton beaches and move vehicles from a Napeague (Amagansett) beach to a nearby uninhabited beach." According to members of CfAR, SAFE has been hiring teenagers from Queens to walk the streets getting signatures for the petition, which doesn't mention the lawsuit. One person was told they could use a fake name on the petition.
- Safe Beach [Official]
- Citizens for Access Rights [Official]
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