Monday, July 26, 2010

Noise Complaints Have a Very Familiar Ring by Stephen Geffon - Leader-Observer

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Noise complaints topped the list of quality-of-life issues raised by residents at last week’s crowded 106th Precinct Community Council meeting in Ozone Park.

A resident of 128th Street in South Richmond Hill, who declined to give her name, pleaded with police for help in silencing the ear-splitting music coming from her next-door neighbor’s stereo every night. She added that another neighbor sits outside his house drinking rum and blaring his stereo on the street.

The resident told 106th Precinct commanding officer Deputy Inspector Joseph Courtesis that in the 29 years she has lived on the block it was never as bad as it is now. “We really need help here,” she said.

She added that one of the neighbors she was complaining about was fined $1,000 last year for the same offense, but he apparently forgot about the penalty the court imposed on him and picked up where he left off last summer. Courtesis said police officers would be dispatched to the location immediately.

But noisy neighbors don’t just live on 128th Street. A South Ozone Park resident living on 125th Street near 116th Avenue complained about loud music blaring from his neighbor’s residence. Courtesis said the problem would be addressed by police.

Suspicious persons

A Lindenwood resident asked for increased police patrols in the community in light of suspicious people in the area and reported break-ins in some of the condominium apartments.

Courtesis said if the co-op and condominium management companies would sign no trespassing depositions precinct officers would go into the buildings and question individuals in the hallways. Courtesis also requested a list of the tenants.

The resident also asked that police once again enforce the stop sign violations in the community as they did in February and March, as vehicles are again speeding through intersections, endangering pedestrians and other vehicles on the road.

Block parties

Courtesis explained that if there have been problems at the previous year's block party, the precinct will use this as documentation to refuse a block party permit. He noted that this year, out of about 100 requests for block party permits, about 30 were rejected.

The inspector said that many times block party organizers whose permit was rejected will bypass the precinct and community board 10 and contact the Mayor’s Office to try to get the rejection overturned. Courtesis said that he is then asked to explain why the permit was rejected, but recalls only one or two permits have been overturned.

Precinct-issued block party permits allow music until 7 p.m., with the block required to be reopened to traffic by 9 p.m. The permits have been issued for Saturdays only from June 15 to September 15. There are no rain dates.

In other news, Community Council President Frank Dardani reminded residents that National Night Out Against Crime will be held on Tuesday, August 3, beginning at 6 p.m. at Joseph P. Addabbo Park, located on 133rd Avenue between 81st and 83rd streets in the Tudor Village section of Ozone Park.

The 106th Precinct Community Council meets on the second Wednesday of the month, except for August and February, at the precinct station house, located at 103-51 101st St. in Ozone Park.