Residents along East Lake Boulevard returned to the Town Board Wednesday, Sept. 2, renewing ongoing complaints about speeding, parking and pedestrian safety while turning up the pressure over another issue they say has increasingly disrupted their neighborhood—noise and late-night activity coming from a neighboring bar.
Several residents addressed the board during the meeting, describing what they said has become an ongoing quality-of-life problem along the already congested lakefront corridor.
Laura Spallina, who first came before the board in May with a 75-signature petition seeking improvements to East Lake Boulevard, returned with what she said were more than 93 signatures from residents concerned about noise as well as conditions on the roadway.
Spallina said residents have repeatedly called Carmel police over amplified music at Friends Waterfront Bar & Grill and asked the town not to issue additional sound permits to the establishment.
“We've been dealing with calling multiple nights, staying up late, not getting sleep, having a DJ out posted on the dock, blasting music … as if I have a DJ on my porch,” she told the board.
Spallina said residents living both on East Lake Boulevard and across Lake Mahopac are affected by the sound and maintained that the issue has gone beyond occasional disturbances.
“We want them to be a nice restaurant that … adds to this community,” she said. “But we really need respect for the neighbors.”
Spallina also raised concerns about fights, litter and security around the restaurant and alleged that underage drinking had occurred there. Those allegations were made during public comment and were not independently verified by Mahopac News.
Supervisor Mike Cazzari and Councilman Rob Kearns told residents that the Town Board itself does not decide on sound permits.
Kearns explained that applications are filed with the town clerk and reviewed by the Carmel Police Department, which makes the determination on whether they should be approved. The town clerk then issues the permit based on that review.
“The Town Board does not approve or deny sound applications,” Kearns said.
Cazzari said there is also an enforcement process when noise limits or other requirements are violated, regardless of whether a permit has been issued.
“If they're over the noise limit, then that's a violation and it goes to court,” Cazzari said. “You're not being ignored. There's actually a process.”
Cazzari said he believed Friends had been denied its most recent application because of previous complaints and violations, adding that signed complaints from neighbors were already moving through the court system.
Robert Chirurgi, a Sycamore Road resident, told the board he had collected another petition containing signatures from 38 of the 40 homes on his street.
Chirurgi, a physician who works in New York City, said loud music has interfered with his sleep whether he is returning home late from work or getting up early to commute into the city.
“The quality of life is insufferable,” he said.
Chirurgi said he initially believed he was alone in complaining until discovering that many of his neighbors had similar concerns.
“It's not a one-off with the bar,” he said. “It is a pattern.”
Chirurgi alleged Friends had repeatedly presented amplified entertainment without the necessary permits, including Thursday night karaoke. He said that on one recent occasion, he and a neighbor called police and were told the restaurant did not have a sound permit that evening.
He praised the responding officers, but said residents want more consistent enforcement.
“I would just like to make sure the quality of life for myself and my neighbors is good, and I'd like for them to follow the rules,” Chirurgi said.
The complaints about Friends were intertwined throughout the discussion with the issue residents first brought to the board in May: the condition of East Lake Boulevard itself.
East Lake is a Putnam County road serving a densely used lakefront corridor that includes CVS, Friends, the Mahopac VFW, St. John the Evangelist Church, residences and access to Lake Mahopac. The northern end of the road terminates at Route 6 across from Lake Plaza, home to Stop & Shop, Dunkin' and other stores.
Residents say speeding, heavy traffic, limited parking and the absence of adequate pedestrian infrastructure have created dangerous conditions.
In May, Spallina told the board that vehicles routinely park partially in the roadway, forcing motorists across the double-yellow line, while pedestrians have little room to safely walk.
At the Sept. 2 meeting, Jennifer Tilesco, who has deeded lake property on East Lake Boulevard, said her parked vehicle had recently been struck by a hit-and-run driver.
Tilesco said the incident drove home her fears about what could happen to pedestrians, particularly children.
“My car is replaceable,” she said. “But if it had been my child, this would be an entirely different conversation.”
Tilesco said she believes increased activity at Friends has added traffic to the area but acknowledged the roadway had safety problems long before the restaurant's current owners took over.
“I want there to be a thriving business there, but I also want a safe street,” she said.
Tilesco said she intends to continue pressing officials until changes are made.
“We know there's a problem,” she said. “We have to do better, and I'm going to keep coming here every month until you do.”
Cazzari reiterated that East Lake Boulevard is controlled by Putnam County and said he has previously asked county officials to reduce the speed limit to 25 mph without success.
“There was a problem with the road 15 years ago,” Cazzari said. “It's just got worse.”
Kearns acknowledged residents’ exasperation with being directed between different levels of government but said jurisdiction limits what the Town Board can do on its own.
“I understand the frustration and you're not getting the answer,” he said. “It looks like we're kind of sending you down this wild goose chase, but the fact of the matter is that we don't handle the things that you're asking us to address.”
Kearns said he and Councilman Mike Lugo plan to attend a Sept. 23 traffic safety meeting concerning East Lake Boulevard and suggested the Town Board also send a letter to County Executive Kevin Byrne and the Putnam County Legislature seeking action.
He also encouraged residents to attend a county legislative meeting and put their concerns directly on the public record.
“If they're not taking us seriously,” Kearns said, “they'll take you seriously.”
By the end of the discussion, Kearns went a step further, saying board members would review the county's legislative calendar and attend a county meeting with the residents.
“We can speak on your guys' behalf and see where we go from there,” he said.
The Town Board faced a more difficult question when residents asked why a business that generates significant traffic is permitted to operate along a roadway that officials themselves acknowledge has serious limitations.
Kearns pointed to the town’s zoning regulations.
“It’s a tough situation,” he said. “It’s a permitted use, so we can’t tell them they’re not allowed to operate there.”
Spallina said that while activity around the lake will naturally diminish with the arrival of fall, residents want action before another busy summer arrives.
“I just don't want us to be here again next year,” she said.
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