In a recent roundtable meeting held by representatives of the Northeast Queens District, discussions were focused on addressing the issue of car noise disturbances in the community. The meeting brought together representatives from the police department, park authority, and environmental protection agency to brainstorm on effective solutions.
State Assemblyman Sam Berger, State Senator Toby Stavisky, State Assemblyman Edward Braunstein, City Councilwoman Sandra Ung, and Vickie Paladino, along with representatives from the NYPD’s 109th and 110th precincts, New York City Parks Department, and NYC Environmental Protection Agency, gathered to discuss enforcement coordination, legislative solutions, funding for noise reduction equipment, and strategies to alleviate the summer-long noise disturbances plaguing the community.
Each summer, the representatives in the Northeast Queens District receive millions of complaints related to car stereo noise. These noises, often emanating from illegal car gatherings, persist into the early hours of the morning, significantly affecting residents’ quality of life. The 109th and 110th precincts are overwhelmed with complaints and spend the entire summer addressing these issues.
Assemblyman Berger expressed concern over the ongoing noise disturbances keeping residents in College Point and Whitestone awake at night. He appreciated the dialogue among representatives from different districts, law enforcement agencies, and hopes that the proposed solutions will be implemented to bring peace of mind to residents.
Councilwoman Sandra Ung shared that her office received complaints from residents of Sky View Park and Queensboro Hill in Flushing. They reported disruptions to their daily lives due to late-night car gatherings and loud music. She emphasized the importance of directly engaging with affected residents to find satisfactory solutions to the persistent noise issues.
State Senator Toby Stavisky highlighted the serious problem of noise pollution that has been troubling residents in her district for years. She noted that the noise from speakers keeps residents including herself up at night and that reckless driving during late-night gatherings poses genuine safety risks to the community. Stavisky looks forward to collaborating with community leaders and government departments to address these challenges.
Councilwoman Vickie Paladino remarked on how excessive noise, such as loud music and car gatherings, has been impacting residents’ quality of life for years. Assemblyman Edward Braunstein mentioned that many residents in the waterfront community of Northeast Queens have long been disturbed by car noise at night. In his district, the parking lot at Little Bay Park has become a noisy and disruptive late-night car gathering spot. To combat this, he funded gates at the entrance and exit of the parking lot and plans to continue working with the 109th precinct and NYC Parks Department to prevent these disturbances, as reckless driving and racing also pose safety hazards.
The representatives thanked Assemblyman Berger for organizing the roundtable meeting and expressed hope that the valuable suggestions discussed will be implemented to genuinely address the issue of noise disturbances affecting the community.