Court date pushed to January in case of Montauk eatery facing noise citations

A Jan. 4 deadline has been set for motions to be filed in East Hampton Town Justice Court in connection with five noise violations issued to The Surf Lodge in Montauk as part of a crackdown on disruptive partying in the hamlet during the summer.

East Hampton Town officials have said that the bar, restaurant and hotel on Edgemere Street, as well as the Sloppy Tuna bar, restaurant and nightclub on South Emerson Avenue, are among the Montauk establishments that received the most noise violations from June through August. The Sloppy Tuna case was not on the court docket Monday, and a date for that matter to proceed had not been set.

Both establishments are popular with young summertime visitors.

Tina K. Piette, an Amagansett attorney who represents Surf Lodge defendant and director of operations Julien Bizalion, said she had no comment as she left court.

The defendants face fines and possible imprisonment if found guilty of the violations.

Assistant Town Attorney Michael Sendlenski said punishment for a first offense carries a fine of up to $1,000; a second offense carries a fine of $1,000 to $2,500; and a third offense carries a fine of $2,500 to $10,000. First, second and third offenses are also punishable by up to 15 days in jail.

East Hampton Town police and code enforcement officials began their crackdown on loud music and other disruptive behaviors after a record number of calls were made to police following what some locals described as "chaos" that ensued in Montauk over the July Fourth weekend.