The Village News

Letters To The Editor

Letters to the editor must be submitted via email and must include the author’s name, address, and daytime phone number so that Bellport.com can confirm the source of the submission. Letters can be up to 500 words in length and should be in good taste and not libelous. Although we will consider every submission, the publication of any particular letter is at the sole discretion of Bellport.com. If you'd like to submit a Letter to the Editor, send your letter to letters@bellport.com.

Letters are posted as soon as they are received, not just once a week, so check back often!

 

 

December 18, 2011

Responding to “Street Lights” - An Erroneous Comparison

I’d like to respond to the “Street Lights” (letter to the editor, Dec 14th ) because the author reduces this discussion down to the single issue of crime prevention, while citing an “actual survey” that only draws an alarming and inaccurate comparison to Bellport Village.

First, I’d like to reiterate two main points that I feel need emphasis:

1.) The motivation for applying for the Bellport lighting grant was to reduce the cost of electricity usage in the Village of Bellport—not to address a crime problem. It’s important that we are clear about that and that people stop trying to make this the issue.

2.) Nobody is arguing for inadequate lighting in the Village, just appropriate lighting, lighting that maintains the integrity and charm of our Village.

Re: “Street Lights”…The author refers to an “actual survey” as a clear argument for supporting bright lights but the facts just aren’t relevant to our situation. The article is referring to Richmond, California which had a terrible crime problem, was ranked the 6th most dangerous city in the United States, and was on the top ten list of the most dangerous cities in the United States, ranking as number 3 in terms of auto theft and terms of murders. (Source: Wikipedia) If that sounds like the Village of Bellport, perhaps bright LED lights are necessary, but I doubt we want to base our decision in Bellport NY on Richmond CA’s issues. But even if crime prevention was our main objective, “Street Lights” article states itself that “53% of residents did not notice any reduction in Crime by the additional lights in Richmond CA.”

I’d appreciate accuracy around this issue, so we’re not creating hysteria and trying to get people to draw rash conclusions from alarming misinformation. This needs to be resolved in a thoughtful and responsible way.

Michael Heitner
Bellport Village

 


December 14, 2011

Street Lighting

http://www.pacinst.org/reports/measuring_what_matters/issues/streetlights.pdf

For those in the Village of Bellport that claim more lighting does not prevent crime , instead of just saying "surveys" don't support it.....go to the above web site and read the actual surveys that claim otherwise.
I still will state ask any Police Officer (who should know) the more lighting you have in an area , the lower the crime rate........

Be thankful that you have a Village Board who interest is the safety and welfare of the residents.

John Langfeldt
Bellport, NY

 


December 12, 2011

Gratitude

Recently the Bellport Garden Club honored us with selecting our home for their holiday fair. The reality is that they keep saying thank-you to us but the true gratitude goes to all the club members for all their hard work!!

So on behalf of Carole and Joseph Gagliano "thank you for the honor" happy holidays to all!!!

Carole and Joseph Gagliano
Bellport, NY

 


December 11, 2011

Leaf Cleanup

I'm writing to express my frustration regarding the village leaf pickup. The period for collection and bringing your leaves and brush to the curb was stated as October 15th-Dec 15th. For two months village residents and other motorists have been maneuvering between enormous piles of leaves on either side of the road. December 8th our pile was "picked up", however the workers actually came out of their equipment to manually sift through and pull out the small twigs and vines that were also part of the leaf debris composition, leaving our home and several other residents on this block (and other village streets) with a pile of brush on their lawns. It actually took longer for the men to pick out and pile up the brush, that in our case composed less then 1/10 of the pile then it would have to pick it up with the bulldozer and remove what was also bio-degradable material. In the 27 years I have been paying village taxes, I have been witness to more taxes and less services. This particular action I felt was not only inefficient, but punitive. So I'll now bag the branches and the same village workers will p/u at a later date. More work for both of us! Silly.....

Pegi Orsino
Bellport, NY

 


December 7, 2011

LED Lighting

We're writing about the new LED lighting installed in parts of Bellport. A Dec. 4 letter to the editor says that objections to the lights are coming from "a small group" led by "the same person who it seems is always against the Village Board." That's simply not so. And it implies that because the whole village isn't upset, our opinions shouldn't count. But the new lights are only in some areas, so not every Bellporter would immediately see the difference they make to us every night. Quite a few of us discovered at the same time that we don't like the lights, which is usually how things that aren't right get corrected.

Our particular street, North Brewster Lane, which was never dangerously dark, now looks like a mall parking-lot -- and the lights up close are blinding. I'm afraid that the letter writer is wrong too about what may seem common-sensical: recent studies made around the country show that there's absolutely no connection between super-bright light and discouraging crime. Adequate lighting, yes; too much lighting, no. LED lights are cheaper in the long run, which is great, but they needn't be as harsh and ugly as these.

Thanks so much to Bellport.com for providing a place to discuss real-life issues.

Jeff Weinstein
John Perreault
Bellport, NY

 


December 7, 2011

Recent Editorial

Your website, and more specifically this most recent article about "buying local" is a great underground roots effort that has tremendous impact. Thank you for writing such a heart-felt, truth-telling article that we all need to hear.

Michele Flores
Long Island, NY

 


December 7, 2011

LED Lights

We have the new LED lights in front of our house on Browns lane and Price Street. The light rendition is terrible and on Price the glare is particularly bad.

Whilst I completely approve of the need to make the village more energy conscious the method by which the village has gone about installing these lights is very upsetting.

Browns lane was one of the first historic districts in Bellport. The Historic Review Board exists solely to maintain the streetscape of these streets. The architectural review board has a similar mandate for the majority of the rest of the village. On both boards sit volunteers asked by the Village because of their interest or experience in streetscape matters. What I cannot understand is why the Village felt the need and rush to circumnavigate the very boards they put in place to ensure that Bellport remains one of the prettiest villages on Long Island.

When my firm helped Mary Immaculate Church put in their new disabled ramps and landscaping the church could have said that as it was exempt from the HRB review process it would not need to go through to the review process. However Father Gerry felt that it was the right and neighborly thing to do so. It postponed the work for a few months and anyone who was interested was able to come and partake in the discussion. The church accommodated the concerns of the neighbors and still managed to get the new ramps it needed to have. Why couldn’t the village have done the same?

I reached out to Scott Augustine at Village Hall but of course received no response.

Chris Fogarty
Bellport, NY

 


December 7, 2011

A Clear View

I support replacing all light fixtures in the Village of Bellport with state-of-the-art energy efficient fixtures. I also support increasing the amount of light in areas where it is needed for security reasons. I only wish that more consideration had been used in selecting and installing the new LED lights.

The fixtures the village ordered and installed are the seventh brightest out of eight options. There are 63 bulbs in each. This fixture could have been ordered with the following number of LED bulbs: 7, 14, 21, 21 (different orientation), 28, 42, 63, or 84. With proper planning, less-bright options could have been considered. By ordering, say, the fixture that contains 28 bulbs instead of 63, most of the current glare may have been avoided without sacrificing safety or economy. Several options could have been tested before placing the final order. In fact, each fixture could have been chosen based on where it was slated to be installed. There are also several different optic patterns (the shape of the light-footprint on the ground) that could have been considered.

The mayor and some members of the village board have already acknowledged that the new fixtures are indeed a problem and that they will remove the problematic ones. I understand that they have called for the removal of these fixtures from the historic districts and promise to continue the process until residents are satisfied. I applaud the board for finally taking action. I do believe that they will do as they say and correct the problem. Residents are responsible for holding the village board accountable, so, I also applaud and support the many who continue to speak out against "over-illumination."

Safety and quality of life must be balanced. We all want a safer Bellport, but not one that looks like an over-lit shopping mall parking lot, or one where its public lighting prevents clear views of the night sky. Fortunately, the board has now directed the clerk to solve the problem.

Thomas V. Schultz
Bellport Village

 


December 4, 2011

Just An Observation

Children are dying in Africa, Greenland Ice is melting, Our young people are rioting all over the world, we are still loosing American Girls and Boys in the middle east, The Arabs do not like the Jews, the Jews do like the Arabs. the earth is heating up to dangerous levels.......but in Bellport N.Y. a small group of people lead by the same person who it seems is always against the Village Board claims the new street lights are too bright. Thank God we have a Village Board that thinks first of the welfare and safety of the residents of Bellport. Any Police Officer will tell you that the more light you have at night, the fewer crimes will occur in that area.

John D Langfeldt
Bellport, NY

 


December 1, 2011

Harsh Lights Make Us More Vulnerable, Not Safer

If the Village Board is concerned with crime, why have they let so many streetlights remain out all over Bellport for so long? Does that show concern for the safety of residents? The purpose of the new LED lights has always been energy efficiency. But if residents in support of the new bright lights insist they're good for security, they should know that over lighting is not the answer. It only makes people feel more secure while making them more vulnerable. Research proves it.

As pointed out in earlier letters, many studies, including one in the Alexandria, Virginia area outside DC and another in Pittsburgh, PA (both submitted to the Mayor and Village Board) point to the negative effects of brighter lighting for security issues. Several studies in England actually found that crime increased by 15 % when lights are brighter. The glare in eyes of victims and pockets of darkness between the brightest lit areas contribute to more dangerous streets not safer ones. More intense shadows make it easier for criminals to hide as well. Add to this the bad news about bright lighting's impact on bird life, sea life and even public health (studies indicate our kind of new lighting are linked to cancer) and you have more reasons to question them.

But if security is the issue, the answer is not pointlessly decimating the charm of an entire community.

Bob Morris
Bellport, NY

 


November 30, 2011

New Lighting

I sympathize with those who want to keep the charm of Bellport intact, but I do not agree with their vehement opposition to the new streetlamps. There is quite a lot of foot traffic where I live, and frequently strangers. I have not been comfortable taking my dog out for his evening walk because the light given off by the old streetlamps was not sufficient for me to see an oncoming person until they were almost in front of me. I WAS accosted on a seemingly safe street in Bellport many years ago, so I value the light these new lights give off. I also wonder if a friend of mine would be alive today if these new lights had been installed ten years ago. Ambience--public safety--I'm for the safety issue and definitely the new lighting. Stick to 'em, Mayor Veitch and Trustees.........it may not be the most attractive thing to do, but it IS the most sensible. If one life is saved by the brighter light, it is worth it.

Dale Hawkins
Bellport, NY

 


November 30, 2011

Shedding Light

It's wonderful that two of our trustees, Alison Neumann and Dorothy Terwilliger, took the time to write and address public concerns about the new streetlights. And it's great to know the issues are being taken seriously by the Village Board.

I don't want to sound ungrateful. But it's not as simple as adjusting certain lights. If the "adjusted" lights on Woodland Ave are any indication, these new lights can't really be adjusted or dimmed much at all. Furthermore, research of various academic and civic studies to be presented to the Mayor indicates bright lighting isn't just unpleasant, it's detrimental. It impacts birds and marine life (as it is doing at the now over lit marina.) It is also detrimental to security for reasons including making people more obvious targets, casting more shadows, and making it difficult for victims to see with glare in their eyes. Two studies in England found crime decreased by fifteen percent with lower, not brighter lighting. Furthermore, many scientists are finding that these new LED lights are linked with five times greater frequency to melatonin suppression, which can cause cancer.

While our issues with the lights began with protecting our right to pleasant evenings in lovely Bellport, they are now turning to ones of environment, security and public health. It's not about adjustment, it is about removal or at the very least, serious change to what has been installed.

These new lights will have to be covered, shielded or returned to stop the glare. A big job indeed!

Bob Morris
Michael Heitner
Carlos Magill
Jeff Weinstein
John Perrault
Tom Schultz

 


November 30, 2011

Bright Lights, Big City

For several years now there has been new brighter lighting at the Village marina. Unfortunately, the lights are so bright that they interfere with enjoyable visits to the pier to view stars and the moon on the water, one of the more pleasurable aspects of Bellport life. In NYC and in most cities, stars are no longer visible to any degree, and now the Village has the same problem at the marina. You have to shield your eyes from the overhead lighting to view the moon on the water or the stars. I don't think those lights are LED's, but they are too bright and constitute light pollution, the underlying concern of the petition about the LED's. Also, the new LED lights in the Village are indeed brighter, unpleasantly so, but they are more like spots than floods, that is, they have a narrow beam so they don't even provide better security since the old lights, while less bright, had a much wider beam and illuminated more of the street and the neighborhood than the new lights. I know LED's are more efficient, but there has to be a better way. Night lighting that is too bright is even a danger to plant and tree survival, a major problem in NYC, and apparently soon to be a problem in the Village.

Brian Mahon
Bellport, NY

 


November 30, 2011

Street Lighting

We fell in love with this area about 10 years ago and first lived in Brookhaven Hamlet and now in Bellport. The charm and untouched beauty off Bellport is so rare to find these days.

That's why we decided to buy an old home and remodel it keeping the old charm but update it to today standards. Lights are very important for many reasons and usually when you light something up you want to show off it's beauty and be able to see.

Please these new lights you put in look like the cheapest lights that belong on malls along freeways.... not in this beautiful little heaven.

We all add our dollars to this town and elect people to maintain it not destroy it.

Franck Verhaeghe
Tom Bugenhagen
Bellport, NY

 


November 29, 2011

Dear Residents of Bellport Village

We are aware of your concerns and we are listening to your complaints regarding the newly installed streetlights. Please recognize that the NYSERDA grant provided the funds for our village to replace old inefficient streetlights with new energy efficient and longer lasting LED lights. The grant was obtained in early 2010. At that time former Mayor David Pate lauded Congressman Tim Bishop’s efforts in assisting us to obtain the grant which the mayor predicted would save our village approximately $19,000 per year. However, it was not until this year that our Board finally acted on approving the purchase and installation.

Now that they have been installed, we are awaiting state inspection, which is scheduled for Wednesday, November 30, 2011. After that, we will be undertaking the task of dimming and/or adjusting those lights that appear to be too bright. With Mayor Veitch’s knowledge and approval, we have driven on each street and made a list of the more obvious issues, and our Highway department will be directed to correct them. In addition, if residents have a particular light which they feel needs to be addressed, they should call Village Hall to report it.

As we stated at the last village board meeting, we were always willing to make adjustments after the installation was completed and the state inspection had been done. Although we are trustees, we, too, live here and want Bellport to remain a beautiful village. It is our intent to work along with all of our residents.

Respectfully,

Trustee Alison Neumann
Trustee Dorothy Terwilliger  

    


November 28, 2011

Dear Mayor Veitch, Jim Vaughan, Scott Augustine and All Trustees:

I am writing to beg you to respect, as most of us do, the unique and pedestrian friendly charm of Bellport – with its sidewalks, fireflies and country village ambience.

At the Village Board meeting on November 21, several of you announced that the 110 new street lights you acquired through a government grant are “a work in progress.” It’s on the record. But since then we have seen more going up. Our lovely marina, such a pleasure to walk around in the evenings, as of today will become another glaring area. Would it be so wrong to hold back to gage public response?

Many residents, as you know, are unhappy, along with our historical society. Some have had to install shutters and shades to cut down the brightness where they sleep. Several are talking about legal action based on quality of life issues.

I understand there are residents who want brighter lighting to feel safer. Strangely, bright lighting is not necessarily a crime deterrent. Studies show that in fact, glaring lights inhibit vision and create deeper shadows. You can read more about this in the excerpted study attached, commissioned by an advisory council in Alexandria, VA. You might also consider the message you are sending to potential homebuyers: Bellport isn’t special. And it’s dangerous. Is that what you intend?

This may be wrong, but it is my understanding that the lights you chose are the cheapest and brightest option, the most bang for the buck. But energy efficient, dark skies compliant public lighting comes in variations with lower intensity and glare. There are also lenses and shields to focus lights. Sayville has done an admirable job with new energy efficient lighting. So has Brookhaven Lab. Perhaps you could take a look?

It’s unfortunate, and I’m sure there are costs involved to return lights and swap them for better ones. But we believe it is necessary to preserve the charm of this community.

Please put this issue on the agenda and report back to us at the next Village meeting on December 19.

Thank you,

Bob Morris
Charles Magill
Michael Heitner
Joe Panker
Jeff Weinstein

 


November 28, 2011

Village of Bellport Installs New Street Lights

Is it my imagination, or has the Village of Bellport become the land of the midnight sun?

The stark white LED lights that have been installed replacing the softer-toned street lights are a cold reminder that unnecessary change sometimes happens in the name of "Safety" and "Economy." Many of us remember the lovely cottages on Cottage Lane and Woodruff St. In case you don't, I'll just say that they paved paradise and put up a parking lot because these homes weren't up to code.

I feel completely safe riding my bike around the village at night. Often, in the glow of the moonlight, I imagine that I have gone back to a simpler time. Lately, while on my bike ride, I still get the feeling that I've gone back in time, but it's Luna Park I'm visiting and not the charming Village of Bellport.

I understand that the new LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights are energy efficient, however, the fact is all too clear that this is one step closer to turning our charming country Village of Bellport into suburbia.

I am also concerned because I see that the lights have been installed on Brown's Lane. I believe Brown's Lane is part of the Historic District. Was this an oversight by the Village Trustees? These LED lights are by no means historic.

It may be too late to stop the project, but perhaps the lights can be dimmed to a more tolerable level. Other options would be to add a shade, or filter to give the stark white light a warmer diffused glow.

Ultimately, I urge the Village Trustees to be more sensitive to the aesthetics and charm of the Village when considering "Improvements." I fear the day when white plastic picket fences get the green light because they last longer than wooden ones.

Joseph V. Varsalona
Bellport, NY

 


November 20, 2011

Bellport Streetlights

Although the increased illumination of the street lights of Bellport, is probably intended to improve security and safety, the degree of brightness may be inappropriate to the needs of the residents of the Bellport village.

The glare creates an uncomfortable brightness which can inhibit clear visibility and may create a hazard to drivers and pedestrians alike.

Many studies have shown* that bathing pedestrians and vehicular roadways in an inappropriate degree of brightness can cause accidents and particularly in older people, dissociative behavior.

When I open my front door and see my front lawn shining like a lunar landscape, I feel as if I'm about to take a moonwalk rather than a dog walk.

Many of my neighbors on this street--New Jersey Avenue-- which is among the first locations to be subjected to the new lighting, agree and urge you to please find a way of dimming these street lights or shielding their glare.

Since the installation is just beginning, we respectfully request that this matter be addressed prior to turning the whole of Bellport Village into a mini Times Square or Piccadilly Circus.

*"Glare from bad lighting is a public health hazard especially for older people. Glare light scattering in the eye causes loss of contrast and leads to unsafe driving conditions like the high beams from an oncoming car." Mario Motta, President of the Massachusetts Medical Society.

Charles Magill
Bellport, NY

 


November 3, 2011

Bellport Is Special

Next year will mark my 50th Anniversary being in this Country, of which I will have spent 23 years in Bellport and 21 years in Rocky Point.

When I watched your video of Christmas Windows in the Village, my heart just melted away at the thought of how much Bellport means to me. In my good and my not so good years, Bellport always remained home to me. I never experienced being homesick for Germany, where I was born. But there were many times during my travels for our former business, Bellport Travel, which we started, owned and operated for almost 20 years, that I was homesick for Bellport.

It frequently even now still happens that I am being asked where I am from, and without thinking, I say "Bellport!" Hardly a single week passes, that I don't visit either the Bank, Lillian at the Health Food Store, the Chiropractor, Dr. Merckling, and of course, Zoey and Sam, the two yellow Labs of my son Wilhelm and his wife Angela, or at least "drive around the Bay."

Bellport is special. Thank you for the beautiful feeling of home this video has given me - again!

Herge M. Jansen
Rocky Point, NY

 


October 25, 2011

Street Lights

In regards to Mr. Morris' letter complaining about the "too bright" street light on Broadview Ave. Maybe the village can please place one of those in place of the one that has been burned out on Third Street in front of Number 2 for quite sometime. Then those of us NORTH of South Country Road can express our opinion. Anyway, it would be great to have the light repaired. Thank you

Sean P. Moran
Bellport, NY

 


October 2, 2011

New Streetlights

I love the charm of Bellport, although it sometimes seems that, like an endangered species, the charm has to be protected.

If you would like to see what the streetlights will be like on your block in the near future, come over one night this week to check out Broadview Ave, on the east end of the Village. Our Trustees have decided on an energy efficient street lighting fixture that sends off a glare as bright as any you'll see in a high security prison yard. It makes an evening stroll more than secure. It makes it positively unpleasant. Were these intensely bright fixtrures the only options? No, but according to Village maintenance staff, they are the best and cheapest.

That said, they are not signed, sealed and delivered. So your opinion matters. Village Hall is willing to receive your input about these lights. If you don't want to step out one night into what feels like a parking lot glare, let Village Hall know how you feel. There is a complaint file there. Or just leave a note. The nice thing about Bellport Village Trustees are that they are open minded and willing to listen. But you have to say something for them to hear your opinion. Which means you have to have a stroll on Broadview Ave at night and decide if these are the lights you want in front of your house and on your block. Maybe you'll like them. That's fine. But at least you'll know what is coming your way.

Bob Morris
Bellport Village