Board turns down private fireworks show
The Town Board at Tuesday’s work session discussed private fireworks shows and defining a single family residence.
After hearing concerns from the community at Tuesday’s Town Board work session, the members let an applicant know there would be no fireworks to celebrate her birthday.
A week ago it was a different story. Resident Susan Weber went before the board July 21 requesting permission to have a fireworks display lasting less than 10 minutes launched from a barge in West Neck Bay the evening of August 29 to celebrate her birthday.
The board seemed agreeable to the idea, with Police Chief Jim Read saying it would require a $10,000 deposit but it would likely cost about $5,000, with the balance returned to Ms. Weber. She said she would donate the returned money to the Fire Department.
Councilman Ed Brown suggested Ms. Weber contact nearby homeowners’ associations to let them know about the event, and Tuesday several people from HiLo Shores spoke against the display. There had also been several letters to board members and the town clerk’s office.
Speaking as a private citizen and not as president of the HiLo Shores Association, Warren Moore said there were serious environmental concerns, with debris, chemicals and toxins potentially falling into the bay and wetlands.
Mr. Moore also said permitting the private fireworks show would set a dangerous precedent, where other birthdays and weddings would have pyrotechnic displays “week after week.”
The board agreed. Councilman Peter Reich suggested a laser light show, where there would be no detrimental environmental effects. Ms. Weber thanked the board and said she would consider lasers to celebrate her birthday.
In other business: The board discussed a problem bed and breakfast businesses disguised as single-family houses. Town Attorney Laury Dowd showed plans of a supposedly single family dwelling but having multiple bedrooms all containing their own bathrooms, showers and wet bars.
Mr. Reich thought the last feature strange for a family, and Building Inspector William Banks said it could only happen if the family was catering to “real closet drinkers.”
Mr. Banks added that there were plans that included spiral stairs from rooms down to a pool area.
There are no real guidelines, Mr. Banks and Building Permits Coordinator Mary Wilson said, because the town code is unclear on definitions.
Supervisor Jim Dougherty said he was inclined to settle the matter through legislation and asked advice from Mr. Banks and Ms. wilson .
The board will revisit the issue in the coming weeks.
The board is continuing its search for a grant writer, sending out a request for proposals and advertising in the Reporter for candidates.
At the end of the meeting, Councilwoman Chris Lewis said she wanted to come to Councilman Paul Shepherd’s “defense about things that have been written in the newspaper and said to me on the street in relation to an article in the paper which, apparently — I didn’t read the article — made him sound like some kind of racist person.”
The story, “Shepherd speaks on undocumented, unlicensed drivers,” in the July 16 issue of the Reporter quoted Mr. Shepherd accurately, both at a public session and in an interview, via email, with the Reporter.
