The Village of Massapequa Park’s board meeting turned into a discussion about whether the village’s ordinances are in order.
William Luther stood before the board during the public comment period at its Monday, July 15, meeting to complain about how he is consistently woken up by delivery trucks and businesses that open early in the morning.
Luther said he lives in the vicinity of Park Boulevard, where several businesses operate. He said he frequently hears trucks unloading in the early morning hours and that the board needs to do a better job of enforcing its laws.
“I just want something to change,” he said.
The village code states that no businesses are permitted to open before 6 a.m. and that no trucks should be loaded or unloaded before 7 a.m. within the village.
Luther said he has spoken to the village’s administrator and deputy clerk several times about this, but he said he felt the village has not taken his complaints seriously.
“I’m looking for some aggressive action because so far we’ve been doing it very politely and gently,” he said.
Luther said he had submitted surveillance footage from his home of these instances occurring during the early morning hours. Linda Tuminello, the village administrator, said the time stamps in the videos were not consistent with what he had reported.
Luther asked the board if there was a way to alert local police about this, but Kevin Walsh, the village attorney, said the police department would likely turn their findings over to the village.
Walsh added that the village hadn’t heard noise complaints from other residents in the area and that there should be a balance between appeasing residents and businesses.
“There is a need to keep businesses functioning,” Walsh said.
He warned that having trucks unload products for businesses during the middle of the day would create traffic and would make it more difficult for them to operate, which he said could lead to businesses leaving the village.
Walsh said the board will need to review the current laws and may need to make adjustments.
Luther asked when he could expect a follow-up from the board, to which Walsh said the board can only make decisions in public meetings. The next board meeting is currently scheduled for Aug. 11.
Mayor Daniel Pearl was absent from Monday’s meeting.
