LIEB BLOG

Legal Analysts

Showing posts with label Town of Brookhaven. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Town of Brookhaven. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

The Town of Brookhaven has updated the Town Code & Fees

As of February 25, 2019, the method for establishing fees has changed for the following: 
  • All building permits
  • Universal design permits
  • Fire prevention fees
  • Sign permits
  • Towing business fees
  • Tree preservation fees
  • Zoning and land use regulation fees
  • Brookhaven Calabro Airport fees
  • Department of the Assessor fees.

The formula used to calculate fees is (Current Fee) + ((B-A)/A x (Current Fee)) = New Fee. The formula was derived pursuant to the Consumer Price Index.
  • B represents the price index from July to June of the immediately preceding year. 
  • A is the price index for July of the immediately preceding year.
Because all variables in the formula are subject to change, the fees will increase each year on January 1st.

To view all the updates to the Town Code, click here.


Wednesday, September 10, 2014

First Town in U.S. to Require Digital Carbon Monoxide Detectors


In New York, the Town of Brookhaven has become the first Town in the United States to require digital carbon monoxide detectors in every residential property. 

This new law comes after a fatal carbon monoxide exposure incident involving a restaurant manager in Huntington Station this past February. 

This new law amends Chapter 30 of the town’s code which previously mandated all buildings with human occupants to have carbon monoxide detecting devices or systems. The newly amended law maintains this mandate but now requires all homes to have carbon monoxide detectors or devices with digital outputs. While conventional detectors only sound an alarm when the carbon monoxide level has reached a dangerous level, the digital detectors display the amount of carbon monoxide gas present even at very low levels. This change in the law is significant because even low levels of carbon monoxide exposure can lead to health problems.  

Failure to comply with the Town Code may result in substantial fines and criminal charges. Additionally, homeowners who fail to update their carbon monoxide detection system may be held responsible for injuries or fatalities on their property related to exposure.

Per the amended Code, new homes are required to immediately install digital carbon monoxide detectors and existing homes must install digital carbon monoxide detectors by August 1, 2021.

Monday, August 25, 2014

Historic Storm Prompts Town of Brookhaven to Initiate Flood Relief Efforts

On August 1st, record setting rain doused Long Island causing extensive flood damage. The Town of Brookhaven has been working with the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services to perform damage assessments for residents in affected areas. Damage assessments are an effort to qualify victims for federal or state funding or special programs. Supervisor Ed Romaine has asked the federal government to provide FEMA assistance to storm victims and has vowed to push County, State and Federal officials to provide assistance to storm victims.  The Town has estimated $10-15 million in damage to private homes as a result of the torrential rain. Additionally, an estimated $15 million in damage to our roadways has been estimated by the Town Highway Department. Although the South Shore of Long Island sustained very little damage, some North Shore communities that were hit hard by Superstorm Sandy, now have another storm to clean up after. So far, the Building Department has inspected more than 75 homes and deemed nine uninhabitable.

Residents who feel that their homes may have sustained structural damage from the storm are urged to call 631-451-TOWN (8696). An inspector will be sent to their home to assess the damage and determine if the home is safe to occupy.

For insurance related issues, residents should call 1-800-339-1759 to speak directly with representatives from the New York State Department of Financial Services.

As of Wednesday, August 20th, a “211 Hotline,” originally activated after Sandy, will be implemented again to assist residents with the clean-up in their flood damaged homes.

Residents with large amounts of debris from flood clean-up should call 631-451-TOWN to schedule pick-up from the Town’s Department of Waste Management.

Monday, April 15, 2013

Rental Permit / Accessory Apartment Search Tool by the Town of Brookhaven

Brookhaven has added a great feature to its website called House Rental Search.

With this tool, the user can "see all of the active accessory apartment and house rental permit on the street you selected in the hamlet chosen". Remember, Villages control their own rental permits, so users in Villages must contact their Village.

This feature is going to make it completely transparent to tenants if the Town has permitted their rental. Remember, without a permit, a landlord cannot enforce a lease and is subject to many fines as well.

Now Brookhaven only needs to make getting a permit as easy as looking up if one exists. This way, safety can be the paramount concern over enforcement, which this tool will greatly increase.

Landlords and real estate agents - MAKE SURE YOU HAVE PERMITS. The Town has enabled tenants to really crackdown on your illegal rentals and be sure that they will.