Residents: Jezco, Leteri Making 'Junk Yard' of Kings Park

Residents are asking Smithtown officials to step up enforcement actions against allegedly illegal industrial businesses along Old Northport Road and Lawrence Road in Kings Park to prevent the area from becoming a junk yard. 

Tom Unverzagt, a Kings Park resident with the Old Northport Road Lawrence Road Task Force, thanked Supervisor Patrick Vecchio on Tuesday for having KPE II monitored to enforce the town's temporary restraining order from the state Supreme Court to cease all industrial practices. 

"My thanks to Public Safety, day in and day out, I've stopped and there's always a car outside," Unverzagt said. "It's sad we have to devote resources to monitor a company to make sure they are compliant." 

No work violations have been spotted since the town's Public Safety began 24/7 monitoring of KPE's site. Town Attorney John Zollo was in court on the town's lawsuit against KPE on April 4 and the case was continued with the restraining order remaining in effect. 

Mary Ann Stephens told Smithtown town board members that temporarily halting KPE II is only part of a much larger problem. Stephens took more than 60 photos of allegedly illegal business practices along Old Northport Road she blames for foul odors, noise complaints and more. 

"It's so wrong. These businesses aren't just bad neighbors, they are atrocious neighbors that are a threat to the welfare of the community," she said. 

Stephens accused Jezco and other companies on the same strip of property of continuing to have 18-wheeler trucks haul materials, including mulch and debris, in spite of town code.

"There's a sign outside Leteri's that reads 'Open to the public, bring your junk here. Dumpsters for rent.' How is that within residential or light industrial," she said. 

Stephens said her photos also show dumped tires, discarded tubing, broken glass, rusting metal drums, wiring and construction debris strewn about Old Northport Road. She asked town board to do more to stop illegal business practices and cleanup the area.

Supervisor Patrick Vecchio said he would have the town's Public Safety department look into these complaints, and based upon their investigation, ask the town attorney's office to possibly seek a restraining order  - similar to the one obtained against KPE II - against these other businesses. 

The town's enforcement of KPE II's restraining order comes at a heavy price, the supervisor warned.

"We're committed to that, but it's a heavy burden. It's way over budget for the Public Safety Department. We'll do it as long as we have to, I guess, until the judge makes a decision," Vecchio said. 

Vecchio has given indications he is interested in pursuing the necessary actions to bring other Kings Park businesses into compliance with town code. The supervisor asked the town attorney's office for possible methods to enforce town code on Carlson Associates at Tuesday's work session. Carlson Associates pled guilty to town summonses of property maintenance in March, carrying a $1,000 fine, and has a pending application before Smithtown Board of Zoning Appeals for a change of zone to legalize their current business practices. 

"I’ve done my research. Even if the change of zone were approved, [Carlson Associates] can’t do the composting and the grinding - that’s not a permitted use in any zoning," Vecchio said. 

No action was taken against Carlson Associates or other businesses at Tuesday's town board meeting.

Editor's Note: Jezco Bulk Removal had reported July 22 it will be moving to Yaphank in order to accommodate Kings Park citizens. 

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