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West Hampton Dunes, New York

West Hampton Dunes, New York
Village
Village of West Hampton Dunes
New houses on the ocean in West Hampton Dunes
New houses on the ocean in West Hampton Dunes
West-hampton-dunes-map.gif
West Hampton Dunes is located in New York
West Hampton Dunes
West Hampton Dunes
Coordinates: 40°46′30″N 72°43′3″W / 40.77500°N 72.71750°W / 40.77500; -72.71750Coordinates: 40°46′30″N 72°43′3″W / 40.77500°N 72.71750°W / 40.77500; -72.71750
Country United States
State New York
County Suffolk
Area
 • Total 0.4 sq mi (1.1 km2)
 • Land 0.3 sq mi (0.9 km2)
 • Water 0.08 sq mi (0.2 km2)
Elevation 7 ft (2 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 55
 • Density 130/sq mi (50/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 11978
Area code(s) 631
FIPS code 36-80186
GNIS feature ID 0979943
Website whdunes.org

West Hampton Dunes is an incorporated village in Suffolk County, New York, United States, on the South Shore of Long Island. The population was 55 at the 2010 census.

West Hampton Dunes is located on a barrier island in the Town of Southampton. The barrier island was part of Fire Island until a nor'easter in 1931 split the island creating Moriches Inlet. The inlet created a geographic oddity whereby the town of Brookhaven actually has jurisdiction on land immediately west of West Hampton Dunes although Brookhaven land access to it involves a nearly 20-mile (32 km) drive through Southampton.

The village incorporated in 1993 in attempt to have more control over its precarious state since it was obliterated in the Great Hurricane of 1938, 1991 Halloween Nor'easter ("The Perfect Storm") and again in a 1992 nor'easter. Specifically, the village wanted to have a say in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers handling of the barrier beach—particularly in response to a series of groynes at Shinnecock Inlet that have created major beach erosion "downstream" in the longshore drift. Almost immediately after incorporation, Gary Vegliante, the village's first and to date only mayor, sued the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for $200 million. The Corps settled the suit and began replenishing the beach leading to a building boom on what had been a devastated empty section of beach.


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