Village Board: Permit Parking Starts May 15, New Waste Treatment Plant Finishing, Mascot Dock Replacment Discussed

Permit parking for the summer, payment for the waste water treatment plant and a plan to replace sections of Mascot Dock were discussed Monday at the Patchogue Village Board of Trustees meeting.

Permits will be requred for cars to park on streets throughout the Village of Patchogue Thursdays through Sundays starting May 15 until October 1. The Board unanimously decided to change the current parking restrictions on Cedar Avenue from Laurel Street to the Great South Bay. This change will bring that area up to code with the rest of the Village's permit-only areas. 

The waste water treatment plant is nearing completion and needs an additional $75,000 in funding to do so. After a brief presentation by members of H2M, the corporation upgrading the facility, the Village Board unanimously passed the motion to provide the funding.

Sections of Mascot Dock being phased out and replaced over the course of a four-year period for newer and more durable materials was also announced at the meeting.

For more from the meeting, below are minutes taken by Patch highlighting discussion and public comments.

7:30 p.m. Flag Salute and Safety Message

7:32 p.m. Past minutes and Village bills approved

7:35 p.m. Public Hearings begin. Notice to consider a motion made to amend Sections 415-15 and 415-19(A) of Chapter 415 to change the parking restrictions on Cedar Avenue from Laurel Street to the Great South Bay to permit only parking for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from May 15th through October 1st. This would bring the street up to code with other Village streets with permit-restrictions. Public comments are opened.

7:39 p.m. Resident comments that changing the parking would be a huge inconvenience for each driving-age member of the family to have permits as well as to be able to have them for guests.

7:40 p.m. Brian Egan, Village attorney, clarified the current signage in place as well as what changes would occur. Resident withdrew complaint.

7:45 p.m. Trustee Devlin suggests that all signage throughout the Village be checked and replaced if missing.

7:46 p.m. Discussion amongst Trustees regarding enforcement and solutions to potential traffic issues with Lombardi’s during the upcoming summer season.

7:49 p.m. Public comments are closed. Trustee Devlin makes a motion to accept the amendment as proposed; seconded by Trustee Crean.

7:50 p.m. Motion passes. Trustee Keyes makes a motion to request approval to increase the retainer fee for H2M in the amount of $75,000.00 (to be paid with Environmental Facilites Corporation funds) for the ongoing upgrade and expansion of the sewer treatment plant.

7:52 p.m. H2M Vice President Frank Russo, designer of the Patchogue Village waste treatment plant, spoke on behalf of engineers Christopher Weiss and Stephen Cluff to request the additional funding. Russo outlined what has been done and the timeline of past events. He also detailed what it is still pending.

“We are taking a phased approach. As of mid-May, the new plant will be online and we will be taking the old plant offline,” said Russo.

The original plant went online in 1987. The new facility will be aerated, sterile, and enclosed thereby reducing odors in the neighborhood. Formal completion of the project will be finalized between June 21st and August 1st.

8:10 p.m. Discussion and inquiries made from the Board to the contractors.

8:12 p.m. Motion passes.

8:15 p.m. Dennis Smith, Director of the Business Improvement District, gave an updated report. Six applications were given out for the Main Street improvement grant. The applicants have 60 days to return them. Weed control and fertilization spraying will occur along various streets. Discussions are ongoing regarding improving the safety and visibility of the pedestrian sidewalk from in front of the to the on Main Street. The BID annual meeting is scheduled for June 21st at the Village Hall courtroom.

8:25 p.m. Trustee Krieger welcomes Gateway Playhouse back to the Patchogue Theatre for the summer and announced the shows of the upcoming season.

8:29 p.m. Trustee Crean asks the Board to set-up a public hearing to consider making a portion of Potter Street a two-way street.

8:31 p.m.  The motion will be considered on June 13th.

8:32 p.m. Trustee Hilton made a motion for approval for the Patchogue Lions Club to hold the annual “Independence Day Parade” on Monday, July 4th from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. This year’s theme will be “A Salute to Our Flag”. Motion passes.

Request approval for the to use the municipal parking lot adjacent to the Bravo Supermarket for an event “Celebrando al Apostol Santiago” on Sunday, July 24th from 2:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. There will be games for children as well as traditional music and dances. Motion passes.

8:39 p.m. Trustee Devlin requested approval to appoint John Rocco as Chairman of the Planning Board for one year. Motion passes.

Also, requested approval to appoint Nicholas Fuccillo as Chairman of the Zoning Board for one year. Motion passes.

8:43 p.m. Trustee Keyes made a motion to place under consideration the purchasing of a 30’ section of pre-fabricated, fiberglass floating dock to replace existing sections of Mascot Dock. There are four sections currently and would be replaced at a rate of one per year; swapping out the total section within four years and reducing the cost of repairs. Motion passes.

8:54 p.m. Public comments regarding the meeting are opened.

Mark Siegel from Blum’s asks that the Board look into potholes in the parking lot behind the store.

Resident Don Wachsmuth announced to the Board that with the assistance of community members and Village employees he has effectively started a garbage clean-up notification program within the Village that will help guide residents when it is acceptable to place their garbage at the curb.

Resident Mark Fauci expresses concern over the replacement of the docks and that it might not be the best solution since there will still be rough water coming in to damage the docks and the boats. A suggestion was made for floating “breakers” to be added prior to changing the docks.

9:10 p.m. Meeting adjourned.