by CRIS ITALIA
Conroc owner Mike Loguidice has been under constant pressure from the Town of Hempstead to enclose his business, which currently operates outdoors.
It would be really hard for me to run this business indoors, Loguidice said. In the past, zoning laws would have prohibited a building on his property, but a recent ruling by the Town of Hempstead allows for a facility to house the concrete crushing company.
We're trying to deal with the problem practically, said Charles Covit, senior deputy town attorney. The use of the concrete crusher has been obnoxious and offensive to those who live in the community.
Covit added that the clock is now ticking against Loguidice to facilitate the crusher so it can contain both dirt and noise pollution. The town board has approved a new zoning law that would permit it, Covit said. Now its up to him to build something.
Although Loguidice is considering the idea, he is not totally inclined to go through with plans to house his rock crusher. Where would I put it? I can put a shed over it, maybe, but even so it's not like I can run my business that way.
That, however, is just what the Town expects him to do. Covit said the construction they are asking for should begin in the next six months, or Conroc can expect consequences.
If Conroc does not comply, they can expect severe summonses, Covit said.
While the two sides battle, residents say they are suffering. My daughter
has just been diagnosed with asthma, said one Oceanside resident, who asked
to remain anonymous. On a day when they are crushing rock you can physically see the dust in the air. The resident added that on some days you can actually wipe the dirt from her dining room table. I have my kids to worry about, I can't have them getting sick because of this.
Loguidice sympathizes, but asks residents not to put the blame on him.
It's an exaggeration, he said. There is more pollution from other companies in the area than mine. Some people just have things against me. I'm just trying to make a living. His business, he says, has been suffering partly because of the bad publicity he has gotten.
Business has been lousy. I just want to be left alone. He reiterated, I think there are just some people with the Town of Hempstead that are out to get me.
Loguidice denied charges made by some residents that there had been threats made to neighbors of the company. I never made a threat to anyone, and I never heard of anything like that before, he said.
This is an industrial area, and there are no other companies like this that work indoors, Loguidice said. The Department of Environmental Conservation has given Conroc a clean bill of health, he said.
DEC has been here so many times and each time they find nothing wrong, said Loguidice, who provided proof of DEC investigations in the past. DEC documents stated that there was a little dust on surrounding properties [i.e. boats, parked cars, etc.] The statement also includes that the facility was quiet and not operating after 1 p.m. DEC investigators watched as CONROC workers watered down every peice of concrete before and after it was crushed.
For now the issue still remains. Residents insist Conroc has seriously dampened living conditions in and around the area. With the Town of Hempstead continuing to apply pressure, and Loguidice seemingly unwilling to back down, a resolution to this matter may take some time.
