After 10 pm on the night of February 6, 2023, the residents of what remains of Pugsley Hollow, and those living in Homestead Park, were awakened to the sounds of jackhammers tearing up the street at Echo Ave. and Huguenot St.  Many will remember the property at Echo Avenue and Huguenot as the location where a developer requested and received by unanimous vote of City Council, an infamous change in the City’s zoning code to allow drive-thru businesses adjacent to multifamily residential properties with a specific carve out for single and two family housing from drive-thrus.

Although New RoAR News found no one in either of these neighborhoods who was alerted to the disruptive construction in advance, the City did post an announcement on  Facebook  on Feb. 4th and two on Twitter of a three-week street closing at this location.  The City website that lists Roadway Alerts has yet to include this closure. 

Throughout the week, between the hours of 10 pm and 6 am, the spotlights, the sounds of power generators and the removing and replacement of steel road plates have accompanied the road closure.

According to the City of New Rochelle Code concerning noise, (Article IV

Sound Levels by Receiving Land Use) whether the area is zoned for residential, commercial or manufacturing:

‘During the hours of 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., no person shall make, continue or cause or permit to be made or continued any unreasonable noise as defined in § 213-3 of this chapter notwithstanding whether or not such noise exceeds the decibel levels provided in this section”

In the City Code, an entity can apply for a Permit for relief (Section 213-24 of the City of New Rochelle Code), to receive an exemption to this restriction on noise.  Such permitted relief may also come after a public hearing is held (See Section 213-25). 

The question residents are asking the City Manager, the Mayor, Corporate Counsel and the Council Members representing Districts 2 and 3 is, “Why did the process by which a permit was issued not follow the City Code?”