Residents split on Sag Harbor ferry

A public hearing on allowing a new ferry service to use the docks in Sag Harbor brought out village residents on both sides of the issue Tuesday night, with some saying the idea is worth trying and others expressing concerns about traffic on congested streets.

The pilot program proposed by Hampton Jitney would run this summer between Sag Harbor on the South Fork and Greenport on the North Fork, with a preliminary schedule of seven round-trips on weekdays and nine on weekend days. Estimated costs would be $20 round-trip and $11 one-way, with free shuttle service from a nearby school parking area, according to Hampton Jitney owner Geoffrey Lynch. Other bus routes from points on the East End are also under consideration.

Some residents shared concerns expressed by zoning board of appeals member Anthony Hagan that a required change in zoning, even if temporary, was not being presented for review and decision to the ZBA.

But others praised the experiment, saying that connecting the two forks could bring more visitors and money to businesses.

The village would likely pass a temporary zoning change to see if the ferry service is workable and a benefit for Sag Harbor, Mayor Brian Gilbride said.

"Could this be a good thing for the village?" Gilbride said. "I think it could be."

The ferry must be approved by the Suffolk County Legislature, which is scheduled to hold a public hearing April 24. Department of Environmental Conservation permits will almost certainly be needed since the dock will need to be reconfigured, Lynch said.

The village held the public hearing open until its next regular meeting May 8.