Old Westbury bans ‘nuisance parties’

Teri West
The Village of Old Westbury gave village police the authority to cease "nuisance parties" with an amendment passed Tuesday night. (Photo by Teri West)

Village of Old Westbury code now specifically defines and prohibits “nuisance parties” and grants village police the authority to shut them down, after an amendment that passed unanimously Tuesday night.

The amendment includes a list of 11 qualities that, either individually or combined, qualify a gathering as a nuisance party. They include unlawfully loud noise, disorderly conduct and outdoor urination or defecation in public view.

“We have had at least a couple examples of where they are advertised on social media, and they can grow to as large as 400 or 500 people without regard to any of the neighboring properties,” said Village Police Chief Robert Glaser, who had recommended the amendment to the Board of Trustees last month.

Once police have shut down a nuisance party, everyone, besides the residents of the property, must leave, the new law says.

The amendment penalties include fines up to $5,000 and imprisonment for up to 15 days.

The village code previously only banned “public nuisances,” which it defines as threats to “public health, safety, and welfare.” The mayor is the party with the authority to enforce that part of the code and may do so by issuing a notice that must be addressed within 24 hours.

The Board of Trustees also introduced a law Tuesday to regulate road repaving in the village.

The intent, said Trustee Marina Chimerine, is to preserve roads when the village has recently repaved them. It would mimic a Town of North Hempstead law that bans roads from being repaved within three years after they already have been and within five years of when they were constructed, she said.

The village has already spent more than $5 million to repave 31 roads in the last three years, Chimerine said.

“We want to spend the village money wisely and ensure that the roads that are repaved and redone remain intact,” she said.

Trustee Leslie Fastenberg said she wants the law to include private roads like the one she lives on, which was recently patched up after a construction project.

The board will hold a public hearing on the law at its March 18 meeting.

The board additionally introduced a law that would allow it to raise village taxes higher than the state’s 2 percent limit, should it choose, which it does annually, Trustee Edward Novick said.

The village planning board has reviewed the Old Westbury Hebrew Congregation’s application for a new catering space and had a site visit, said village attorney Michael Sahn. It was satisfied with the application, which will return to the Board of Trustees for a vote after the planning board votes next month, he said.

The planning board has also reviewed Life Lutheran Church’s application to expand its parking lot and has requested more information to provide to the village engineer, Sahn said.

The trustees unanimously approved a long-term disability policy for village employees, which will cost $4,763 annually.

The policy provides a safety net for employees should they have a health issue that lasts at least 90 days, Novick said.

Trustee Cory Baker also announced that the village will host a cleanup for Earth Day on April 28.

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