We’ve been fighting with the Town of Oyster Bay for two years and not getting anywhere. There are distribution centers operating on the former Grumman site, close to a residential area in Bethpage. Businesses there operate all night and violate town noise ordinances. The are backup beeps all night long. It’s ruined our quality of life and nothing is being done about it. The owner has tried to work with us but we still hear the beeps.
--Kathy Chiddo, Bethpage
Everyone is frustrated with this issue, but town officials say they’ve taken measures to reduce the noise levels from two new distribution centers at that site so the businesses won't add to the on-going problem.
While our caller believes that the town’s noise ordinance is being violated at night when 600-900 tractor trailers enter the complex of warehouses for the U.S. Postal Service, Goya foods, FedEx and other businesses, the town says there are no violations based on inspections conducted since 2006.
“We hired an outside consultant who did tests there,” Planning and Development Commissioner Jack Libert said. “The final analysis of his report is that there is some noise there but it does not rise to the level where they’re breaking any laws or violating any codes.”
The property owners have tried to help by shutting off a buzzer on an entrance gate, he said. Chiddo said the owner’s efforts have helped in the past, but the fixes are only temporary and the noises created by tractor trailer back-up beepers, horns and air brakes return.
Town efforts have included sending inspectors to the site to take noise samples at different times of the day and night, several times. The levels, Libert said, “were sufficient to create a small nuisance but did not violate the town’s noise ordinance.”
Libert said steps taken by the town for the new warehouses include the construction of more than 1,300 feet of sound wall between the buildings and the LIRR tracks that separate the industrial area from the residential streets, but he knows Chiddo will still be unhappy with existing noises and wants to find a way to help.
“If it doesn’t violate town code, maybe town code needs to be fixed,” he said. “We’re going to keep trying…I know it’s a disturbing problem for her.”
Also related to this topic:
*Oyster Bay Town Codes
*Noise Pollution.org, a non-profit organization with noise-related resources
Comments (7)
move
those back up alarms are there for your safety so someone stupid wont walk behind the vehicle when its backing up... god forbid u are the one to get hit you'll be the first one to bitch and complain and first one to sue the companies vehicle.... if you dont like why dont you go to lancaster county, pa where everything is in the olden days no electric, horse and buggy otherwise toughen up and deal with it.... people are becoming such cry babies these days about everything... jesus
that was the most un-intelligent, immature and pathetic response i have ever read regarding an issue that is quite important and relevant in these current times of suburban development. try to be more constructive within your day to day life and maybe you will see a positive result compared to your current sour temperament.
it is concerned and dedicated people like Chiddo that make a difference; if everyone in our modern society held your attitude of "sit back and deal with it" the world would be a very different place; especially the United States.
these responses have given new meaning to the phrases, depressively complacent and pathetically narrow-minded.
You should be ashamed of yourselves.
Bravo Ms. Chiddo
Good Luck
Well said, Noise pollutions is real problem for residential neighborhoods. The Noise level ordinance should be modified to make it effective 7:00PM to 7:00AM weekdays so that the warehouses would perform all their loading/unloading during those hours. And also enforce the building soundproof wall bordering the neighborhoods. If the town cannot enforce existing warehouses then they should take the responsibility and ownership in putting up those sound barriers.
Thanks Ms. Chiddo for taking the cause for everyone in the neighborhood. We need more people like you to get involved in the community to keep things civil, else as the previous poster said, we will all have to move to kansas.
waaaaaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaa
The thing you have to remember is that the Federal government controls the requirements for back up beepers on trucks with "obstructed rear view mirrors." This doesn't say what TYPE of beeper needs to be used. There are devises that utilize "white noise" or "broadband noise" which dissipates twice as quick. There are also units that detect the ambient noise and then adjust the warning noise accordingly, i.e. 5-10 dBa above ambient noise. The trucking outfit is required by their insurance to comply with OSHA standards. With out being familiar with the history, location, local regs, etc,. i would recommend you look at alternative back up beepers.
The broadband back-up alarms refered to above not only get rid of the problem but they are safer too. Already these alarms are already mandated in the City of New York for construction vehicles working in/near sensitive receptors such as hospitals, schools and parks. Other cities also require them for trucks. Simple safe fix, more info can be found at infousa@brigade-electronics.com