Russian Orthodox monastery sues Head of the Harbor, citing delays with church project

Owners of a Russian Orthodox monastery are suing Head of the Harbor, alleging the village has delayed their effort to build a small church, court filings show.

The Monastery of the Glorious Ascension filed the lawsuit against the village in state Supreme Court in Suffolk County. The monastery — also known as Monastery of Saint Dionysios the Areopagite — has sought to build a 3,341-square-foot house of worship on its 4.6-acre campus, which includes the historic 19th-century Timothy House.

The proposal has generated opposition from some members of the village. In April 2024, seven residents sued the village after the board of trustees approved a special use permit for the house of worship. State Supreme Court Justice Maureen T. Liccione dismissed the lawsuit earlier this year, citing, among other factors, the “long-standing protection of religious land uses in New York law.”

The church application won a key approval in August when the village planning board authorized the site plan. That left only the village’s architectural review board to give final approvals before the monastery could seek construction permits.

The monastery highlights several factors that led to its decision to sue, including its view that the village was delaying final approvals.

The lawsuit cites the village's request to have a consultant enter and “inspect the interior” of the monastery, where the monks live. The monastery argued that the village should not be allowed inside the building.

“The monastery is entitled to a fair and impartial review of its application. Given the history of this matter, the monastery is not going to get that from the respondents,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit asks a judge to direct village officials to process the monastery's building permit application and issue permits to build the church. It also asks a judge to direct the village to "cease and desist" from any actions that would delay the permitting process.

Joseph Buzzell, the monastery's attorney, said his clients believe the village has prolonged the process.

“It became pretty clear that given everything that’s happened to date and what we’re hearing now, that this is just going to get dragged out ad nauseam, and we had to take action,” Buzzell said in an interview. “Procedurally, we feel the village owes us a building permit.”

In a "quiet title" complaint, the monastery has asked the court to declare that the village has no right to enter the property.

Michael Utevsky, mayor of Head of the Harbor, said in a statement that a hearing on the plan was scheduled for Wednesday. The board of trustees cannot move forward because of the lawsuit, he said.

“This latest tactic seems designed to delay our consideration, not speed it up,” Utevsky said in the statement.