In its first meeting since the summer break, the Village of Pelham Manor Board of Trustees prepared a tight agenda, highlighted by a proposed ordinance that would clarify rules regarding responsibility for driveway aprons installed on village property by residents.

But, as often happens during meetings, the public commentary period ended up consuming most of the September 15 meeting.

During a discussion with David Montilla, communications director Senator Nathalia Fernandez, trustee Maurice Owen-Michaane asked what the senator could do about the plague of loud nighttime party music that’s blasted into the Manor from the Bronx and other nearby communities. 

“It’s insanity at this point,” Owen-Michaane said. “Everyone hears that. There’s always everyone saying they’re going to come together and do something, but, you know, ‘it’s outside our jurisdiction, so our hands are tied.’ I mean, our counterparts here from the police department reach out to their counterparts, and elected officials here reach out to the other elected officials, but at some point, like something really needs to be done. I guess the reason I bring this up is the Senator’s district kind of spans the several communities where this loud music is coming from. I mean, at 10 o’clock on a on a Sunday night, there’s just no reason to have music so loud that I can hear it inside the walls of my house.”

Owen-Michaane said the noise was particularly bad for his young daughter, who’s been in a cast since June and has to sleep in a room that’s exposed to the nighttime music. 

Montilla said the senator was focused on the issue, and that a lot of the music emanates from the Throgs Neck section of the Bronx.  “This is something that has that is so tough to deal with,” he said. “There are groups of individuals with custom speakers, where they take minivans and just create entire walls of speakers… It’s like a game of cat and mouse. You take one down and another one pops up. It’s a consistent thing, but it’s definitely on our radar, and we are looking into seeing what we can do.”

Following the exchange over loud music, Pelham Manor resident and EcoPel member Natalie Zotova inquired about the rules affecting the planting she has been doing on village property near her home.

“I love Pelham Manor,” she said. “I care deeply for this community, and I want to emphasize allowing residents to plant on strips, and permitting plants to grow up to 12 inches would make Pelham Manor more beautiful, more livable and healthier.”  Zotova complained about Pelham Manor’s landscaping rules last month on social media, after the village cut down a patch of flowers she planted at the base of a utility pole.

Zotova argued that relaxing the village’s current rules would improve property values, allowing residents to eliminate brown patches along the sidewalk strips, which could lower curb appeal and decrease home value. Second, she outlined how the quality of life would improve, stating, “Beauty is not superficial: it builds pride and community.” She says that by allowing the DPW to mow only every other week, the town’s disturbances and noise levels would lessen. She suggested that by allowing lawns to grow to 12 inches the Manor could save money.

After Zotova spoke, Tai Montanarella, another member of EcoPel, addressed the board and echoed many Zotova’s points. Montanarella spoke to the board in July, after she received a written notice that her garden was in violation of Pelham Manor’s property maintenance code.

In response, Mayor Jennifer Monachino Lapey pointed out the many ways that the village is already embracing some of the gardening practices proposed by the women. She pointed to the vegetation planted around the police booth at Four Corners as a prime example, as well as improvements in Shore Park.