Believes Noise Will Negatively Affect Quality Of Life, Property Values

A group of citizens in Greenport Village, NY at the tip of Long Island is organizing against a proposed helipad in the area.

The Suffolk Times newspaper reports that Michael Solomon, the titular head of the group "Citizens of Greenport Against the Helipad", said that construction of the helicopter landing zone in the village will negatively affect the quality of life and property values in the area. "The citizens are going to mobilize against this on a major level," he told the paper. "This is a maritime village — not a village that needs to have helicopters landing and taking off."

Solomon says he plans a petition drive among businesses and residents once formal hearings begin in the Village Board on plans by a developer demolish an old commercial seafood dock and replace it with a smaller building. That would leave enough room on the parcel to construct the helipad, which developer Walter Gezari said would only be for private use and see aircraft landing about three times a week.

Solomon said a lawsuit is not out of the question.

Gezari's company SITDD Systems makes ergonomic seats for commercial and military boats as well as small submarines for the military, according to its website. It has had a presence in the village for 25 years. Gezari said in an interview with the paper that he needs the helicopter for his business. He said as an example he was recently in Burlington, VT to pick up components for a military contract. He said the trip by helicopter would be 45 minutes each way compared to two days by car or all day on a commercial airliner.

The approach to the helipad would be over water, and not over homes, Gezari said.

But the town board said that the residents of the village are overwhelmingly against the idea, and have been vocal about expressing their opinions. But while many say that the helicopter will effectively ruin their quality of life, village trustees Jack Martilotta and Doug Roberts say many of those commenting on the pastoral beauty of the village don't live there. "They don't realize it is loud and smelly and industrial," Roberts said.

Martilotta, who says he's neutral about the helipad, says the quietness of the village is being exaggerated by the anti-helicopter faction. “People say they want a working waterfront. This is what a working waterfront looks like in 2016,” he told the paper.

Solomon disagrees, and says his neighborhood is very quiet.

This battle is likely in for the long haul.

FMI: http://villageofgreenport.org