Community Corner

Dune Road Residents Call For Construction Moratorium During Summer

Two residents say construction noise is unbearable.

Talking by phone from her Dune Road home in Westhampton on Monday morning, the sounds of contant hammering could be heard in the background. The sound is one that Suzanne Oxenhorn says she has been dealing with on a daily basis, Monday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

"It is intolerable," said Oxenhorn, who has lived in her summer home for the past four years. "I was woken up by hammering at 7 a.m."

Oxenhorn says that not only is one nearby house under construction, but there are several and at least two more expected to be worked on and knocked down in the next two weeks.

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"We are very lucky to live here, but these developers are very selfish and inconsiderate," said Oxenhorn, saying that not only is the noise intolerable, but she fears for the safety of anyone on the roadway.

"There are too many construction trucks in a very small area. They could back up and hit one of my grandkids or anyone else," she said, adding that the construction has also caused traffic on Dune Road for those heading to . 

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Oxenhorn's neighbor, Ellen Silver, agreed and said, "There are a lot of bikers and runners on this street. The number of construction trucks is making this very dangerous."

And like Oxenhorn, Silver, who has lived in her home for the past nine years, says the construction noise this summer is beyond anything she has experienced before.

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"We can all agree that summer in the Hamptons is a very special and peaceful place, except for this constant barrage of construction trucks and pile driving, dust storms and banging," Silver said. "While I would never want to stand in the way of someone's dream home, I find it inconceivable that the town allows this kind and amount of construction during the height of the season."

Already this summer, Silver said she had to cancel an outdoor party because of the noise.

"I can't even sit in my backyard," she said.

Silver said she has contacted the town, but it has been to no avail. 

"They said there is nothing they can do. Construction workers can work from seven to seven, seven days a week," she said.

Jennifer Garvey, spokeswoman for the town, confirmed Silver's statement, saying that the town is aware of the resident's complaints and told them that people have property rights and town law permits for residential construction, from seven to seven, Monday through Sunday. 

"If anything this will help their property values. It is temporary construction," said Garvey. 

Garvey also indicated that construction on Dune Road during the winter is not usually feasible. 

Silver, however, believes that there is something the town can do and plans to take a trip to town hall to ask that a moratorium on construction be put in place during the summer months. 

"It may be too late to salvage this summer, but I implore the town to put a moratorium on construction in July and August in the future," she said.

And if a moratorium isn't feasible, perhaps, Silver said, permitted construction hours could be cut back — something that the Village of Westhampton Beach has instituted.

According to Westhampton Beach's building administrator Paul Houlihan, the village prohibits any construction on Sundays in the summer and all pile driving and operation of pneumatic hammering is prohibited on Saturday and Sundays through the months of July and August. During the week, construction is allowed 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Similarly in the , pile driving is not permitted May through Oct., Friday through Monday. Also, the village does not allow any work on Sundays and most work is restricted on the weekends during the season. 

Do you think the town should adjust construction time regulations? Post your thoughts in the comment section below. 

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