The Village of Manorhaven Board of Trustees met for its monthly meeting on Aug. 30 to pass three local laws it had previously discussed at the Aug. 9 work session.
Local Law 10 of 2018 designates new stop sign locations at the intersection of Cambridge Avenue and Inwood Road for traffic traveling both east and west, Cambridge Avenue and Kirkwood Road for traffic traveling both east and west, Cambridge Avenue and Marwood Road North for traffic traveling both east and west and Sagamore Hill Drive and Nesaquake Avenue for traffic traveling both north and south. Local Law 11 of 2018 designates a reserved parking space for handicapped parking on the west side of Juniper Road in front of house number 41.
Local Law 12 of 2018 enacts a noise ordinance within the village. The law prohibits the use of residential non-commercial landscaping with mechanical, electrical or battery-powered equipment before 8 a.m. or after 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or before 9:30 a.m. or after 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays. Commercial landscaping is prohibited before 8 a.m. and after 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and before 9:30 a.m. and after 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays and at any time on legal holidays.
“What this local law does, in part, is it creates a working definition of unreasonable noise as seen in section 97-2,” said village attorney Johnathan Fielding. “That was what the board felt would strike a balance between letting people get their yard work done after they get home from work and having some peace and quiet.”
The board also accepted a resolution to amend the rental registration permit fees. After 11 years of no increase, the permit fees were increased from $250 to $350 per dwelling unit for absentee landlords, or landlords who do not reside in the rental dwelling. For record owners who reside in the rental dwelling, the permit fee is $50 and $25 for owners age 65 and over or an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. armed forces who resides in the rental dwelling.
During public comment, Steve Ressa of Ressa Real Estate spoke out against the increased fees.
“While this does not have an effect on the general public, it has a particular effect on my family and myself personally as we probably have the largest number of rental units here in the village,” said Ressa, who asked the board to take another look at the resolution. “I feel slightly slighted in that I wasn’t consulted on this. I think that the board owed me that obligation and courtesy.”
Mayor of Manorhaven Jim Avena explained that the board had discussed the resolution at the public work session on Aug. 9. The trustees explained that the village’s fees have increased during those 11 years for services such as sanitation, patrolling for the rental units and building department inspections and consultants.
“We feel that it’s been 11 years since the last increase,” said Avena. “We feel that the services provided by the staff have increased dramatically.”
What did you think of the fee increase? Share your thoughts with me by email at cclaus@antonmediagroup.com.
