News

Hearings scheduled on noise and deer laws

Southold is taking aim at noise, deer and parking in three proposed laws that are scheduled for public hearing on Oct. 5.

KEEPING THE NOISE DOWN

Southold is the only town left on Long Island that has not adopted a noise ordinance. One proposal would exempt a large number of noises, including outdoor residential equipment, construction noise, agricultural equipment, church bells, snowblowers, nonamplified noise from athletic events, fire engines responding to calls and legal fireworks displays.

The proposed law would limit noise to 65 decibels at the noise-producer’s property line between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Noise outside those hours would be limited to 50 decibels.

Violators would pay a fine of $500 after conviction on a first offense, and $5,000 after conviction for a third violation within 18 months. The proposed law makes clear that the town would have the authority to bring an injunction to enforce the new regulations.

Keeping the Deer Out

As the deer population has exploded in recent years, residents have been clamoring for a way to protect property from their voracious appetite for vegetation. Though the town currently allows deer fences on agricultural property, residential and commercial properties cannot have deer fences.

The new proposal would allow deer fences up to eight feet high along the side and rear yards of properties. Fences would be permitted across the side yards at the rear of houses to create backyard enclosures. The fences would have to be made of high-tensile woven wire fence fabric.

KEEPING THE Congestion LOW

After a summer plagued by congestion at the end of Mill Lane alongside Goldsmith Inlet in Peconic, the town is considering limiting parking along the last several blocks of Mill Lane. If adopted, the new regulations would require town permits for cars parked between the road end at the beach and Second Avenue. No parking would be allowed between Second Avenue and Miami Avenue.

Public hearings on the three laws were set by the Town Board at its regular meeting Tuesday night. Hearings will begin at 7:34 p.m. on October 5 in the Town Hall meeting room. The hearing on parking restrictions will be heard first, followed by the deer fences and then the noise ordinance.

Six Retirees

Also on Tuesday night, the board accepted the resignations of six town employees who have taken advantage of a new state early retirement incentive.

Four of the retirees are in the highway department. Automotive equipment operator James D. Roach, highway labor crew leader Michael Gaydosik, auto mechanic Terry Pace and maintenance mechanic Joseph Blados will be leaving, as will Andrew Lutkowski, a maintenance mechanic for the building and grounds department, and Denise Ross, a senior assessment clerk in the assessor’s office.

“It does reduce your payroll, but you lose good men and women in the process,” said Town Supervisor Scott Russell. “We certainly take these retirements with regret, but we understand.”

Mr. Russell said that he anticipated another retirement from the highway department, which had lost two employees through an early retirement incentive last year. He plans to meet with highway superintendent Pete Harris this Friday to discuss which vacant positions will need to be filled and whether employees from other departments could be shifted into the positions to ensure that the early retirement program actually saves the town money.

Okay for Inlet Plan

The Town Board voted unanimously on Tuesday night to send a letter of support for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ current plan to dredge Mattituck Inlet. It calls for the removal of 10,000 cubic yards of sand from Breakwater Beach on the west side of the inlet, which will be placed on Bailie’s Beach on the east side of the inlet. Bailie’s Beach has been affected by severe erosion for years.

“This has been going on for too long. Action needs to be taken now,” said Mr. Russell.

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