Hewlett Harbor Scrutinizes Housing Code Enforcement

Hewlett Harbor is taking a hard look at its building codes and how they are administered and enforced.

Board members at Thursday night’s meeting said they want to make sure that all new construction as well as renovations to existing homes are up to code. They agreed that in many instances, they need to bring in an outside contractor to determine whether construction conforms to code, rather than using the board’s in-house inspectors or relying on the speculations of the homeowner’s contractor.

“We are having to defend on a regular basis how high a house is. We have to defend something that we don’t have the expertise to defend,” said Mayor Mark Weiss. “We’re not in a position to have a guy go up on the rafters and drop a line. [We should] bring in an outside contractor to drop a line and give us a certificate of height, of setback and for the crowning issue.”

The board hopes this will help alleviate continued construction code challenges between the village and homeowners.

 “If a resident wants to complain, we can open the file and say we have an outside expert source,” Weiss said. “ We saw a house that was being constructed. [The homeowner] said it conforms. We challenged it and found out it was wrong, and it had to be taken down 6" or a foot.”

Other topics discussed include:

• The necessity of continuing to carry public employee dishonesty insurance, a safeguard against theft of village money by any of its employees, officers or agents. They decided that the cost was well worth protecting the taxpayers’ money.
• The possibility of finding a new lighting contractor was up for debate, in the hopes of not only finding a more competitive price, but one that offers better service. “There was a light out… and it was blinking for about three months,” Weiss said.
• It seems Verizon has agreed to beautify the areas around the company's utility boxes in the spring, although the board wants to confirm what it has in mind to make sure it’s the appropriate type and size for the locations. The board also plans on identifying several other types of utility boxes around the village to determine whether they are unsightly, and if so, what company owns them.
• A custom-made gate on Hewlett Lane is still in the planning stages. The board is exploring what type and size is needed, with a focus on a gate that is secure, but also offers some visibility, rather than something completely solid.
• Road conditions were discussed in regards to the harsh winter and how snow removal equipment takes its toll. The village recently made about 50 patches. “We extended wearability of the roads,” Weiss said.