Southold says Bah Humbug! to Christmas tree farm's charity event
Santa's Christmas Tree Farm in Cutchogue, shown here in December 2018, had sought a permit for a weekend event to benefit charity that Southold Town rejected. Credit: Randee Daddona
A Christmas tree farm in Cutchogue that had planned a holiday fireworks show for this weekend — with proceeds going to charity — instead got an unexpected lump of coal in its stocking when Southold officials denied an event permit.
The Southold Town Board voted 6 to 0 at its Tuesday meeting to deny the permit application of Santa’s Christmas Tree Farm for the proposed Dec. 17 “Fireworks and Holiday Fun” event.
Stacey Soloviev, whose family owns Santa’s Christmas Tree Farm and filed for a permit Nov. 28, told Newsday in a statement Thursday she was “disappointed” the town rejected the event.
Proceeds would have gone towards a scholarship foundation the family of Dylan Newman, an 18-year-old Southold High School graduate who died of cancer in September, recently started.
Soloviev’s friend Randy Frankel, co-owner of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Devil Rays, was going to donate the fireworks. Frankel was moved after hearing of Dylan’s story and his passion for baseball, according to Soloviev.
“We had an exceptional event planned, everything from Cake Boss Buddy Valastro donating 1,000 slices of cake for children to Randy donating a fantastic holiday fireworks show,” Soloviev said. "…This event was 100% for charity and the community.”
The tree farm owner said event proceeds also were going to be donated to Johanna's Hope, a nonprofit that provides people with different abilities with access to gardening and farms, and to the Pediatric Rehabilitation Program at St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson.
The town board listed several reasons for the rejection in a resolution denying the permit, including noise, traffic and safety concerns, as well as potential disruptions the event could cause to nearby residents of the Main Road business.
Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell reiterated those concerns in a Newsday interview Wednesday.
“The operation itself is nestled within a pretty dense residential community,” Russell said. “The disruption or the impacts, we felt, of an event that was going to have fireworks and everything else was a little bit more than that location could bear.”
A fireworks show also posed fire safety concerns and the town's Special Events Committee had recommended denying the tree farm’s permit application, according to the town supervisor.
“The goal of special events is to have a nexus between the activity of the event and the sale of the agricultural product. It would be very difficult to establish that nexus with a fireworks show,” Russell said, adding: “With a Christmas tree farm at night with a fireworks show, there’s no compulsion to buy a tree or anything else.”
While the fundraising event won’t happen, Frankel still is donating $25,000 to the Newman's foundation and has offered to help the family in ways that may include building a baseball field in Dylan’s memory, according to Soloviev.
She said the tree farm plans to reapply for a permit next year, with perhaps less Grinchy results.
“My hope is that the town will support this event next year when we apply,” Soloviev said. “Working together as one will benefit the community and our wonderful neighborhood.”
A Christmas tree farm in Cutchogue that had planned a holiday fireworks show for this weekend — with proceeds going to charity — instead got an unexpected lump of coal in its stocking when Southold officials denied an event permit.
The Southold Town Board voted 6 to 0 at its Tuesday meeting to deny the permit application of Santa’s Christmas Tree Farm for the proposed Dec. 17 “Fireworks and Holiday Fun” event.
Stacey Soloviev, whose family owns Santa’s Christmas Tree Farm and filed for a permit Nov. 28, told Newsday in a statement Thursday she was “disappointed” the town rejected the event.
Proceeds would have gone towards a scholarship foundation the family of Dylan Newman, an 18-year-old Southold High School graduate who died of cancer in September, recently started.
Soloviev’s friend Randy Frankel, co-owner of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Devil Rays, was going to donate the fireworks. Frankel was moved after hearing of Dylan’s story and his passion for baseball, according to Soloviev.
“We had an exceptional event planned, everything from Cake Boss Buddy Valastro donating 1,000 slices of cake for children to Randy donating a fantastic holiday fireworks show,” Soloviev said. "…This event was 100% for charity and the community.”
The tree farm owner said event proceeds also were going to be donated to Johanna's Hope, a nonprofit that provides people with different abilities with access to gardening and farms, and to the Pediatric Rehabilitation Program at St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson.
People visiting Santa's Christmas Tree Farm, shown here in November 2021, in Cutchogue. Credit: Corey Sipkin
The town board listed several reasons for the rejection in a resolution denying the permit, including noise, traffic and safety concerns, as well as potential disruptions the event could cause to nearby residents of the Main Road business.
Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell reiterated those concerns in a Newsday interview Wednesday.
“The operation itself is nestled within a pretty dense residential community,” Russell said. “The disruption or the impacts, we felt, of an event that was going to have fireworks and everything else was a little bit more than that location could bear.”
A fireworks show also posed fire safety concerns and the town's Special Events Committee had recommended denying the tree farm’s permit application, according to the town supervisor.
“The goal of special events is to have a nexus between the activity of the event and the sale of the agricultural product. It would be very difficult to establish that nexus with a fireworks show,” Russell said, adding: “With a Christmas tree farm at night with a fireworks show, there’s no compulsion to buy a tree or anything else.”
While the fundraising event won’t happen, Frankel still is donating $25,000 to the Newman's foundation and has offered to help the family in ways that may include building a baseball field in Dylan’s memory, according to Soloviev.
She said the tree farm plans to reapply for a permit next year, with perhaps less Grinchy results.
“My hope is that the town will support this event next year when we apply,” Soloviev said. “Working together as one will benefit the community and our wonderful neighborhood.”
