By Nick Buglione
Homeowners say damaged pavement needs attention fast
Curbs in a section of East Meadow have been falling apart for years and are in desperate need of repair, according to homeowners.
Mark Tepper, a lifelong East Meadow resident who has lived in a house on Maitland Street since 1984, said that the curbs are deteriorating on nearly every block in an area bounded by Prospect Avenue to the north, Powers Avenue to the south, East Meadow Avenue to the east and Merrick Avenue to the west. "The curbs in the entire area are crumbling," Tepper said. "If you go immediately across the street on Prospect Avenue, the curbs are pristine."
Tepper said he began noticing the problem about five years ago, and that it has created myriad issues for homeowners. In some instances, the curbs that separate residents' lawns from the street have completely disappeared, causing the grass to break away, Tepper said.
"We're actually starting to see structural problems with driveway aprons [crumbling]," he said, explaining that the deteriorating curbs are starting to take homeowners' driveways with them.
Tepper also said that the seal between the roadways and curbs has opened up, allowing moisture in that is damaging the pavement.
Denise Callan, who lives not far from Tepper on Chamberlin Street, said the curbs have been falling apart since she moved in 14 years ago. "So many people have commented on how bad the curbs are," she said.
Aside from cosmetic issues, Callan said that the street sweepers kick huge pieces of curb into the street when they make their periodic visits to the neighborhood. "Kids play with them, and my son got hurt," she said. Tepper added that chunks of concrete often wash into and clog the catch basins at the end of the block following a hard rain.
The streets in question fall under the Town of Hempstead's jurisdiction, though residents say they have logged numerous complaints about the curbs, to no avail. Callan's former neighbor even circulated a petition, collecting hundreds of signatures.
Tepper sent a letter to town Supervisor Kate Murray and Councilman Gary Hudes just last week.
Other residents, also fed up, have taken matters into their own hands, patching up their own curbs with concrete.
Hudes said that while the town is responsible for those streets, curbs are the homeowners' responsibility. "It has been an issue that we have been dealing with," he said. "This has been a town policy for years that the curbs and sidewalks are the responsibility of the homeowners."
The councilman did note that if the town happens to be doing a major road improvement in a given area, it usually fixes the curbs as well.
But homeowners who live on streets that are not scheduled for renovation will soon be able to opt to have their curbs fixed, thanks to a town initiative started a year ago, Hudes said. The town is requesting proposals from contractors interested in fixing the curbs throughout its communities. Once the lowest responsible bidder is chosen, residents will be able to request that the curbs in front of their homes be fixed. Their town property taxes will then be adjusted to factor in the repairs, and the full cost will be paid out over five years, Hudes said.
It's too early to estimate how much opting into the program would cost homeowners, though it would be far cheaper than having the work done by a private contractor, the councilman said.
Tepper said it didn't make sense that homeowners should be responsible for fixing the curbs. "It seems odd to me," he said, adding that he intends to research the law more thoroughly. "I want to see exactly where the responsibility lies."
Anyone interested in learning more about the curb-repair program can call Hudes's office at (516) 489-5000.
Comments about this story? NBuglione@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 236.
