The Riverfront and Maple Avenue


Recently I was asked by the editor of the Gazette to comment on the activities of the newly formed Patchogue Riverfront Residents group. Last time I looked Maple avenue does not run any where near the Patchogue River but the issues of our group are I think connected in many ways to the goals of the Maple Avenue Neighborhood Watch.


We too are residents, not business owners, who have banded together because of quality of life issues that are negatively affecting our homes and how we live in them.


The revitalization of the village, while welcome in many ways, has also brought some challenges to residents, whether home owners or tenants as various neighborhoods in the village face development pressures.


The rise of club culture along the rim of the riverfront has brought new found traffic issues and noise complaints. Years of ineffective enforcement has led to a cry of what appears almost to be a revolutionary nature: the law must be enforced fairly, equally, and in a timely manner.


Although Maple Avenue has no Tikki bars I would imagine that neighborhood issues on Maple avenue, or South ocean avenue, and other streets, avenues and by ways of the village share that same view: it’s good that business is booming but let’s not forget that Patchogue Village belongs to the people who live here and their interest too must be protected in the march forward to a revitalized village.


At the present time our group is focused on fact finding. We are looking at the existing noise code and reviewing it for possible changes that will be recommended to the village board. We are looking at various clubs that have been ticketed for noise complaints and researching what exactly happened to tickets that were issued. We are looking into just what financial contribution riverfront clubs are actually making to the village in terms of fees and taxes paid to see what their true economic impact is. Other activities are also occurring.


We know that we have much work ahead of us and the issues involved here are not going to be solved anytime soon. But we also know that doing nothing just invites worse and that is something all of us are determined to prevent.


We are on Facebook: Patchogue Riverfront Residents for any who would like to keep track of our progress or who would like to join.


Special thanks to Ben Vitale who has already provided some technical support on strategies for controlling outside noise and who otherwise has been encouraging of our advocacy role.




John Bogack


Patchogue Riverfront Residents


5/14/12



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