For as long as Saltaire Mayor Scott Rosenblum can remember, the village has been a no-grill zone. No outdoor cooking of any kind has ever been allowed in the village.
Until now.
Thanks to a resolution passed by the board of trustees this fall, Saltarians with a permit are now free to fire up their Hibachis, don goofy chef hats, and let the BBQ sauce flow like wine. After consenting to an onsite inspection by the fire marshal and ponying up an annual fee of $75, village residents can operate one grill and store a single 80-pound spare propane tank. Keeping your soiree pest free will also cost you: every mosquito control device is $50 per year, with up to three allowed per household.
Among other restrictions, residents cannot store tanks at home between Nov. 30 and April 1; grills can only be operated between noon and 9 p.m.
A fire extinguisher must be kept within ten feet of any propane tank and outdoor cooking can’t happen closer than 15 feet from any “inhabited structure in an adjoining property” (Chapter 25, Section 13.5.2b). For a full listing of the fire safety mandates in town, go to www.saltaire.org.
Outdoor cooking had been illegal in the town—violators could face $250 fines and/or 15 days’ imprisonment—under the local fire prevention code.
For some, the arrival of backdoor barbecuing was a foregone conclusion, said Village Administrator Mario Posillico. “This has been going on for at least 10 years. A lot of people were opposed to it, but when the board made its decision it was much less of a controversy,” he said. But with the unanimously passed regulations, the board is confident that the anti-grillers will have their fears allayed
When the issue was finally put to an up-or-down vote in November in New York City, it passed quickly and with little fanfare, but, according to board member Hugh O’Brien, “It really was the most heated issue in town.” O’Brien, a long-time resident, can recall a time when, in the late 90s, town meetings were interrupted by the shouting of pro-grilling factions who demanded the issue be addressed in a public forum.
The rule of thumb had always been to follow the recommendations of the fire department, since they’re the ones who would be responding to any local emergencies. Said O’Brien: “There were people who felt that as long as the fire department was against it then they should adopt the same position.” And so, the issue languished and outdoor barbecuing remained illegal, just as it had always been.
Then, in 1997, O’Brien, who was on the board at the time, recommended new legislation, knowing it wouldn’t go anywhere but hoping to revive the debate and address the interests of the community. It didn’t pass, but the distinctive flavor of grilled meat was too tempting for some. Saltaire has just a small security force and no police, so enforcing existing regulations became a logistical nightmare; underground grilling proliferated. Renegades grilled in their fireplaces, risking tragic grease fires; one resident was cited for grilling on his second floor and letting the smoke vent into a neighbor’s bedroom 20 feet away.
According to board member John Zacarro, the board felt compelled to make this popular summer pastime mainstream—and safe. “We thought it would be better to regulate it than to let it go on unregulated,” he said.
Two years ago the board began with Ocean Beach regulations and went from there. After a series of meetings with the fire department—of which O’Brien is one—and debate-filled public forums the law was sent up to Albany and made official in December.
Local businesses’ reaction to the legislation is mixed.
Plesser’s, an appliance retailer in Babylon that supplies half the outdoor grills on Fire Island has seen a definite uptick in interest—if not quite in sales, according to vice president Alan Howard. “A lot of people have been in; interest has definitely piqued, and we’ve sold maybe a half-dozen,” said Howard. He’s heard the buzz about the lifted ban and believes it should translate into good business once the season picks up.
A Fire Island real estate agent speaking under the condition of anonymity is less sanguine. Although the grilling-unfriendly atmosphere had turned off prospective renters, she fears that instead of seeing this as an opportunity, they’ll be nonplussed by the fees and red tape. “It’s going to be a nightmare,” she said.
For many, the BBQ scene isn’t a major attraction of life in Saltaire. Said long-time resident Nancy Wait: “It won’t effect us too much. I know people have been wanting to do this for a long time—I just hope they do it sensibly.”