When “Temporary” Fences Last for Years

For the past three years a chain-link fence has surrounded 455 Jericho Turnpike, ever since the Getty gas station on the property burned down in 2007. Recently, another chain-link fence was placed around the BP gas station at 91 Jericho Turnpike at the corner of Maple Place, just before the trestle for the Long Island Railroad's Oyster Bay line.

At Wednesday's meeting of the village board, one resident who identified that he lives near one of the locations, complained about the fences' so-called "temporary" status.

"You mean the temporary fences that aren't so temporary?" Mayor Jack Martins asked.

"It's been up for 14 to 16 months now," the man said of the former Getty site, adding "the weeds are knee-high, the place is a disgrace, it's making the village look seedy-looking." The fence surrounding the 455 Jericho Turnpike has also fallen down numerous times due to high winds, remaining on the ground for some time until crews arive to stand the fence upright again. Political campaigns have also affixed signs to the fence due tot he high traffic along Jericho Turnpike, but an inspection of the site Thursday showed that the vast majority of the signs had been  removed. A sign for "Long Island Rent-a-Fence" along with a Suffolk phone number was present on the fence surrounding BP. 

The village code states that property owners must secure their parcels, but "the question then becomes 'how would you like them to secure the property?'," Martins said. "It's a good point - do we want them to secure these certain types of fencing... with an idea towards someday down the road doing something else, should there be that type of material to be used to secure the property consistent with what we want in the neighborhood?"

The Mayor said it was his understanding after speaking with the owner of the BP property, there are "difficulties with the contractor" and issues with obtaining financing from banks to renovate the site.

Martins also raised the question of if a construction site ran into overtime on a project for whatever reasons, should there be steps to transition between a temporary fence to permanent fence and what materials would be used.