Patchogue sets hearing date on proposal to ban single-use plastic bags in the village
A grocery store owner has scoffed at the idea of a plastic-bag ban in the Village of Patchogue. Credit: AP / Rich Pedroncelli
A Patchogue grocery store owner has come out against a village-wide ban on single-use plastic bags, fearing residents will shop at the stores of competitors in nearby hamlets where the bags will be available.
The village board set a May 11 public hearing on the proposed ban.
Brookhaven hamlet resident Jim Datri spoke on behalf of his friend, Bravo Super Market owner Jose Bonilla, during public comment at Monday's Patchogue meeting.
Bonilla "favors a more even playing field" and would agree with a ban only if Brookhaven Town as well as the villages adopted similar laws, Datri said.
"He doesn't support just having it in the village because the competitors in bordering communities would be on a different playing field," Datri said.
He added Bonilla would also face increased paper bag costs if plastic bags were banned. He said village officials should persuade Brookhaven Town to consider passing a similar ban.
Village trustee Joseph Keyes, who proposed the plastic bag ban for retailers and restaurants, said, "Our main goal now is just to get something started." He added that he would "love to see" Brookhaven Town adopt similar legislation.
But, he said, residents are better suited to persuade Brookhaven to propose a ban.
Meanwhile, Village Mayor Paul Pontieri apologized at the meeting because the agenda mistakenly stated that the trustees would vote whether to ban plastic bags at retail stores and restaurants rather than set a public hearing on the matter.
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