The seventh season debut of Summer House, a Bravo series about a group of friends spending the summer in the Hamptons together, aired on Monday and revealed a big snag in their preparations. There was less room for everyone after the hidden bedrooms were uncovered.
Southampton Municipal officials discovered the Water Mill property had more bedrooms than permitted just days before production began during the 2022 summer season. One cast member narrates as he and his wife Amanda Batula tour their summer home, the same $5 million mansion from the previous season: “The Hamptons: Renowned for old money, and ancient laws.”
The zoning on our property only allows building five bedrooms, not nine. Cooke claims he was informed a day earlier that four of the bedrooms were inaccessible through phone call. “Hello, and welcome to camp!”
Behind The Hedges was explained by Ryan J. Murphy, the Town Code Compliance & Emergency Management Administrator, and he assured everyone that it has nothing to do with antiquated regulations in the Hamptons.
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Hamptons Summer House Rules
Reviewing the film permit application, his team noticed “characteristics that were contradictory with some of our other data,” leading to an examination of the 6,500-square-foot home on the gated five-acre lot at 2136 Deerfield Road.
According to the property tax records, “we identified nine bedrooms established in the residence, but the rental permit and certificate(s) of occupancy only allowed for five bedrooms.” The limited liability company listed as the property owner was notified by his office of the infractions and given a deadline by which to comply.
As soon as the “planned violations/conditions existing in violation” were discovered, a halt and desist order was issued, according to Murphy. “The property owner and the production company were quite attentive to that, and we then engaged in productive dialogues to address the difficulties and concerns,” he adds.
When asked what they were intended to be, he said he didn’t know, but pointed out that the floor drawings included with the rental application indicated there was just one bedroom on the ground level.
I know this GameStop stuff is funny, but you have to remember this is hurting real people who may be forced to sell their summer house in the Hamptons.
— Ramp Capital (@RampCapitalLLC) January 28, 2021
He speculated that the two rooms labeled “offices” on the floor might have been intended for use as bedrooms all along. This time around, Murphy went back to the beginning of the show to see the parts that dealt with the bedroom problems. When I saw them enter, I could tell they were taken aback to find a gym and possibly another lounge on the ground floor.
He speculated that those were the areas marked as offices on the proposed layout. Plans for the upper level display four bedrooms, a theatre, and an additional office. He speculated that the office was meant to be converted into an unauthorized bedroom because it includes a closet and a bathroom. What other room was turned into a bedroom is unknown.
Murphy said, “When considering the increase, you also have to consider what the septic intended to handle.” I can’t say for sure, but it could be related to the bedroom count that was found in the paperwork: “I don’t know the answer to that query.”
Even yet, as Cooke and his wife observe on their tour of the property, the owner and production staff made accommodations for everyone by adding beds to larger rooms. Throughout the course of the summer, as many as 13 individuals would occasionally share the home on the weekends.
Summer House Summer Parties
Since the house is situated in a residential area, in a forested region between Sag Harbor and Water Mill, with limited entry, egress, and on-site parking, certain summer parties planned for the show had to be rescheduled, said Murphy. He stated the production company was “extremely accommodating” in trying to solve the problems before filming began.
At the end of the day, our discussions helped them have a good season, and as far as I know, no complaints or problems arose from the local community. More bedrooms were used for the filming of the show’s sixth season, which premiered in February 2022 and was shot at 2136 Deerfield Drive.
Murphy speculated that the filming application “may have disclosed information regarding the intended use of the house that had not before come to our attention.” Although the town’s records and laws for the property did not change from one year to the next, I believe our understanding of the requirements shifted.
“The prior rental permit from 2021 when the house was under different ownership was likewise given for five beds.” Murphy is pleased with how things turned out on his end, even if his co-stars were caught off guard and didn’t find out until the first day of filming.
Thoughts and prayers to those who don’t have a summer house in the Hamptons 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/gu6kcya9FX
— Ramp Capital (@RampCapitalLLC) July 22, 2021
“I’m delighted we were all able to work together to make sure the house was running within the correct occupancy limitations and in such a way as to cause little damage to the neighborhood,” he said, referring to the safety of the occupants and participants. The absence of beds perhaps has something to do with the fact that the show’s seventh season will put friendships to the ultimate test.
What happens next in the season remains to be seen. The new episode of Summer House airs on Bravo every Monday night at 9 p.m. and can be viewed on Peacock the following day.
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