Village Board Tackles Parking, Safety & Off Key Tikki

Parking prohibitions, Shorefront Park safety and a legal battle with an area business were all up for discussion at the Patchogue Village Board of Trustees meeting Monday night at Village Hall. The next Village Board of Trustees meeting will be held on Sept 13. 

Off Key Tikki: Village Still Waiting On Court Decision  

Resident John Bogack asked the village board for an update on the legal dispute between Patchogue Village and Michael Bruemmer, the owner of restaurant Off Key Tikki, located at 31 Baker Place in Patchogue. Village Attorney Brian Egan said he is still waiting for a decision from the Supreme Court on whether or not the bar/restaurant can continue to operate.

The village has issued several tickets to the facility for operating in excess of its capacity, according to Egan, who said the business's maximum occupancy is 116 people.

The village planning board and zoning board of appeals in April rejected Bruemmer's site plan, which would add residential, retail, catering and marina components to the current restaurant facility.

Since then, village officials have requested that the restaurant be shut down due to occupancy concerns. However, Bruemmer filed an appeal with the Supreme Court, which allows the business to remain open until the court reaches a final determination. A hearing was held on July 15, but no decision has yet been reported.

Bruemmer also filed an appeal on the zoning and planning boards' decisions. That matter also is pending, Egan said.

No Overnight Parking For Trailers

Citing safety concerns, the Patchogue Village Board approved a change in the code that would restrict parking for trailers. Between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., trailers will be prohibited from parking on residential streets.

"It's a hazard," Patchogue Village Mayor Paul Pontieri commented. "The issue with utility trailers isn't during the course of the day when you have people working. It's at night when they're left detached and they're left there for days at a time. We're doing this in an effort to make the streets a little safer."

Shorefront Park Hours May Soon Be Posted

Citing vandalism and security concerns, Trustee Lori Devlin asked the village board to consider posting specific hours when Shorefront Park will be open. Currently, the code states that it is open from "dawn to dusk."

"We could take a look at modifying the code, putting a strict time on it," Pontieri stated.The exact times the park would be open are still being discussed.

Village Looks Into Glass Complaint At Shorefront Park

The village board said it would look into concerns about the amount of broken glass recently found at Shorefront Park.

"We put a lot of clean fill in there because we had trouble with flooding and drainage," Trustee Joseph Keyes explained. "I'm wondering if the heavy rain might have churned that stuff up."

Keyes said the village would send a crew out to check on the situation, adding this is the first complaint he's heard about the issue. The park's soil is already raked and seeded, he said, but will be re-seeded in the fall, which should solidify the ground.

Upcoming Events

The board approved the use of village parks and facilities for several upcoming events.

The United Ecuadorian-American Community Club will hold a fair on Aug. 29 at the Salumed Building located at 19 Hammond St. The rain date is Sept. 5.

Patchogue-Medford High School will hold its Homecoming Parade on Oct. 30, from 11 a.m. to noon.

A Military Family Day is scheduled for Sept. 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event, which is sponsored by Patchogue-Medford Youth and Community Services, was slated to take place on Bay Avenue, however the board now wants to move the location because of the large crowds expected. Devlin suggested the use of Shorefront Park, but a final decision has not yet been rendered.

Resident Calls Parking Situation At Middle School 'Dangerous'

With the new school year about to begin, Patchogue resident George Euler asked the village board to address the parking situation at South Ocean Middle School, particularly during dismissal.

While there is a sign that states no parking is allowed near the school on South Ocean Avenue from 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., Euler argues that people – particularly parents picking up their children – are idling in their cars and creating a dangerous situation for motorists driving down the street.

"I almost hit a kid [who was] coming out between two [parked] cars," Euler explained. "I propose that you change the 'No Parking' [sign] to 'No Standing'."

Pontieri stated he would contact the school district about the situation this week to see what can be done.

Terry Street Parking Problems

An area resident complained about limited parking on Terry Street due to the construction of the Artspace building. Currently, there is no parking allowed from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. on the street. A woman who works in that vicinity said she is unable to find a parking spot near her job. The board said it would look into the situation and Devlin noted there is parking available in the Academy Street lot.