Residents in Bayport are breathing sighs of relief after an auto business believed to have been operating without a proper permit out of an adjacent backyard appears to have closed up shop. This comes after a compressed natural gas tank propelled across two properties and into a car on Glenmore Lane, originating from the backyard garage on Montauk Highway.
Neighbors expressed their relief as they noticed the site was empty on Wednesday. All vehicles, tools, and automotive parts had been cleared out, leaving the area looking immaculate. James Krumholz, a resident in the area, described it as a „ghost town,“ indicating that the business had indeed shut down.
Despite the closure, frustrations linger among residents, particularly towards the Town of Islip. Krumholz had initially reached out to the town about the property in March, but the town claims they only received the complaint in May. The town stated that they investigated the property on May 15 and issued a notice of violation on July 10 for an unlicensed vehicle, which was resolved the next day. However, Krumholz and others claim that the business continued to operate even after the violation was issued.
The incident on Monday night, where the gas tank caused damage, left residents feeling lucky that no one was injured. They expressed their belief that the situation should never have escalated to that point. The town acknowledged that violations were identified following the incident but stated that it is an active investigation and could not comment further.
Despite the closure of the business, residents remain cautious but optimistic about the future. The removal of the operation brings a sense of relief to the neighborhood, but the frustrations with the town’s handling of the situation still linger. Moving forward, residents hope for better communication and enforcement to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.