Neighbors lodge complaint against car lot; Bethel continues battle against unsafe buildings

Posted 8/21/12

WHITE LAKE, NY — During public comment at the Bethel town meeting on May 12, attorney Kirk Orseck made a brief presentation concerning the well-known used car dealership on Route 17B in Mongaup …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Neighbors lodge complaint against car lot; Bethel continues battle against unsafe buildings

Posted

WHITE LAKE, NY — During public comment at the Bethel town meeting on May 12, attorney Kirk Orseck made a brief presentation concerning the well-known used car dealership on Route 17B in Mongaup Valley, Seven X Motors. Orseck said that he represented a group called Gale Road Residents Association, and detailed a number of complaints he said were violations of town code and state law. Orseck said representatives of an engineering firm had accompanied him to the meeting.

Bethel Supervisor Dan Sturm said he was glad to give Orseck some time to deliver remarks, but he said, “I want to remind the board this is a matter of current litigation, and want to caution the board we can’t comment on pending litigation.”

Orseck said, “I do want to ask if there is something outside of the lawsuit that you might want to consider.”

Sturm responded that he could not discuss that without the presence of the town attorney, who was not in attendance at the meeting.

The facility is owned by Eric Avella. His father, also named Eric Avella, had a heated exchange with one of the neighbors, contractor Michael Nastro, which centered around treating each other with a lack of respect.

After the meeting, the younger Avella said Seven X Motors is a family business operating in its current location since 1982; it was once owned by the late Bethel Councilman Richard Crumley. He said he had recently been working with the town to make improvements at the facility, and in the process of doing so had planted 60 trees around the property.

Dilapidated buildings campaign

The board also took several actions regarding zoning violations and unsafe or dilapidated buildings. One case involves a resident who rents a facility at 52 Taconic Trail in Smallwood. Sturm said several notices of violations had been served to Ronald Herbert, who is essentially running an unpermitted wood-cutting operation out of the Smallwood property and violating noise, sold waste and other ordinances.

Town officials have taken the matter to Bethel Town Court, but so far the town court has not been able to compel Herbert to come into compliance. Sturm said that while local efforts would continue, the town was now also going to seek “injunctive relief” in superior court, and the board agreed on the action.

Councilman Bernie Cohen said he didn’t understand why the town judges “put us in a position to have to spend a couple thousand bucks” to get the resident to comply.

When Councilwoman Lillian Hendrickson said the judge did try, Cohen replied that he didn’t try hard enough.

The board also discussed three other properties, including the old boat shop on Route 17B. Sturm said there had been no cooperation from the owner, and an engineer’s report recommended that three of the four buildings on the property be demolished. Before that can happen, the town will need to produce an asbestos report on the buildings, which the board agreed to do.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here