Shrill noises from buses

While the May 28 Bellport Village Board meeting postponed the vote again to change term limits for the mayor and trustees to the next meeting, Herman Miller, of George Court, was the first resident to speak publicly, bringing to the board’s attention the insistent backup noise from the nearby school bus yard off Kreamer Street.

Miller played a recording of the piercing noise residents are subjected to.

It was loud.

He outlined the dilemma to the board and later to the Advance.

“There are 50 to 60 buses in the yard, and they start with the backup noise from a little before 7 a.m.,” Miller said. “It lessens after 9 or 10 a.m. But buses come in and out and at around 2 p.m., it gets worse.”

The bus yard is behind Miller’s and his neighbors’ homes, with an entrance on Kreamer Street.

“The formal complaint came from a group of residents to the village in 2019,” he told the Advance. “We talked to the village and their attorney, and the residents said there was a time there were no buses there. Neighbors on George Court provided data, days, and dates there were no buses in that yard.

“The bus company, First Student, serves William Floyd, and the family who owns the property filed motion to dismiss the complaint. The village judge denied them, so the village could go forward with the ruling that the nonconforming use could be terminated.”

Nothing has been done since the ruling, Miller said. “If we’re going to get this done, we need to push the attorney. Please make this a priority.”

Mayor Maureen Veitch responded with, “It’s a priority of the board,” and asked for an update.

A resident asked about dock hour access and requested that the gates be open earlier, specifically at 5 a.m. Veitch said the board was working to coordinate hours with the dockmaster.

Sherry Binnington was among four residents who spoke about barricades at the end of Brown’s Lane and Shore Road, and suggested erecting a split-rail fence instead. The sidewalk on the west side ends at Shore Road.

Joanne Specht read an impassioned letter to the board, citing safety issues. “The barrier forces people to squeeze between two-way traffic.” She recommended a split-rail fence so residents can walk behind it and to reconsider the widening of Shore Road, establishing a safe barrier.

Mayor Veitch responded. “You say barrier, I say guard rail… It’s a desire to incorporate safety.”

Veitch said it was the village’s desire to open the road safely and mentioned the implementation of a rain garden with plants to mitigate flooding. “We needed DEC approval and had to pull in a professional engineer at Nelson & Pope (Engineering, Architecture & Surveying Firm) and got a letter of non-jurisdiction in December,” she said, of some of the holdup. Veitch said the issue of establishing a guard rail was outlined in two newsletters. “For six months you could have commented,” she said. “To comment after it was installed isn’t helpful.”

Veitch said the village was going to consult professionals about the design there and that the road would be paved this week, mentioning there was a strong desire to keep narrow lanes.

As for updates:

• The HUD $2.8 million grant from fiscal 2022 progress is moving along with an environmental report completed to FEMA; a $680-$700,000 reimbursement has been submitted to FEMA and the village expects a check within one to three months.
• GEI/Howell’s Creek Resiliency Project: the village received a $3.3 million grant. The village is still waiting on permits.
• Solar panels: Two weekends ago, batteries lasted for seven minutes at Ho-Hum Beach and an emergency generator was installed. The village is speaking to PSE&G and Sun Nation regarding replacements.
• Village Hall re-shingling process is underway.
• Trustee Steve Mackin reported Kids Camp enrollment is open until filled up.
• Trustee Mike Young met with the new Bellport Yacht Club commissioner, who asked about their lease. A document incorporating the Yacht Club lease with the Sailing Foundation should be completed by the next board meeting. A series of meetings for the architectural review enhancement project to streamline more disciplined and consistent rules are being planned.
• Trustee Lorraine Kuehn announced that a senior program meeting offering cybersecurity tips already has 38 signed up.
• Mayor Veitch mentioned she’s had one meeting with an audio-visual equipment expert in the area, with another meeting forthcoming.
• Entomologist, ecologist, and conservationist Doug Tallany’s recent talk at the Community Center on maintaining indigenous plants to preserve bird populations was a big hit. Standing room only.