Huntington Acts on Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Town Board sets hearing on change to Town code, supports state legislation on requiring detectors in restaurants and other commercial buildings

The Huntington Town Board at its March 4 meeting approved two resolutions aimed at requiring installation of carbon monoxide detectors in restaurants and other commercial buildings.

The first resolution supports recently-introduced State legislation that would change the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, which the Town enforces, to create standards for the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in restaurants and other commercial buildings. The second resolution sets an April 8 public hearing on a proposed change in Town Code that would require all places of assembly in the Town to have operating carbon monoxide detectors.

The measures, both of which were introduced by Councilman Mark Cuthbertson, come in the wake of a February 22 incident at the Legal Sea Food branch at the Shops at Walt Whitman in which the restaurant manager died and more than two dozen persons, mostly restaurant workers and first responders, were treated for carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a leaky flue pipe in a basement water heater. As was noted after the incident, the restaurant did not have a carbon monoxide detector, and none was required by the state code.

“It is unfortunate that it took a tragedy such as this one to highlight a gap in state fire code,” Supervisor Frank P. Petrone said. “But just as a similar tragedy several years ago resulted in the state requiring carbon monoxide detectors in residences and commercial buildings where people sleep, this tragedy has made it clear that similar measures are required for all places of assembly to protect employees, first responders and the public.”

Councilman Cuthbertson said, “We hope the state will act quickly to approve the legislation that has been submitted. But we cannot wait for or depend on that to happen, which is why I am also proposing an amendment to Town Code, so the detectors can be installed as quickly as possible.”

The resolution supporting the state legislation was co-sponsored by Councilwoman Susan A. Berland and Councilman Eugene Cook. Councilwoman Tracey A. Edwards also supported the resolutions, both of which passed unanimously.

In other action, the Town Board:

     -- approved changes affecting parking in Huntington Village and elsewhere in the Town where there are parking meters. Among the changes are the designation of some streets as prime and others as secondary, with different per-hour metered parking rates. The Town Board also set rates for the metered parking at the Huntington and Northport Long Island Rail Road station and for the daily-pay parking at the Huntington train station. The changes were enacted in advance of the installation of multi-space parking pay stations (muni-meters) in the primary parking areas and at the Huntington LIRR parking lot.

     -- approved a new schedule of fees for using Parks and Recreation Department facilities and programs.

     -- authorized the issuance of $1.1 million in bonds to pay for needed improvements and repairs to the Town Dock in Halesite

     -- authorized the issuance of $1.2875 million in bonds to pay for the purchase of property at 1345 New York Avenue, Huntington Station. The Town obtained the property through eminent domain several years ago, but an agreement on the purchase price was not reached until last year.

     -- scheduled an April 8 public hearing on a proposed revision to Town Code that would update and consolidate regulations regarding subdivisions and site plan improvement specifications. The revision will incorporate requirements that now appear as appendices and will reflect modern standards and practices. The revision will contain all the information needed for the submission and review of applications by the Planning Department, including State and Town regulations, descriptions of the processes, required forms and construction details.

     -- agreed to have Huntington participate in the 2014-2015 World Wildlife Federation’s “Earth Hour City Challenge,” in which residents are asked to turn off their lights for one hour on Saturday March 29 at 8:30 p.m. to express support for renewable energy and for creating a more resilient and sustainable planet.