As our petition campaign gains momentum, Quieter Yonkers has now won the support of key Yonkers community groups. Here are the groups that are lending their support, and a brief statement from each:
- United Yonkers, consortium of 14 neighborhood associations:
“The Council’s decision ignores the voices of West Side communities already dealing with disproportionate environmental and public health burdens.” - Park Hill Residents Association:
“Seventy percent of our surveyed residents identified noise as their number one concern. The Council must rethink this ordinance.” - Mike Hertz, River Communities Coalition of Yonkers:
“Having worked with Councilmember Diaz on noise issues, I’m stunned she would support weakening protections. This must be reversed.” - Terry Joshi, Yonkers Committee for Smart Development:
“Downtown development demands stronger — not weaker — noise controls. The current ordinance fails our growing city.” - Anonymous Community Board Member:
“Permitting 85 dB — a level requiring hearing protection in workplaces — in residential areas is reckless. This law is not fit for Yonkers.”
Growing popular support has so far not translated into a meaningful response from the City Council or the city of Yonkers. Of the five City Council members who voted to make the city louder, not a single one has publicly reversed their position. We are privately seeking support and have received at least one encouraging response, but otherwise silence. This comes after we have presented an overwhelming amount of evidence supporting a reversal of the ill-advised vote for the new ordinance. It should be enough that the new noise levels are high enough to cause hearing loss, cardiovascular disease and cognitive impairment — with particularly severe impact on children. It also should be enough that noise reduces our quality of life and actually lowers property values. And it should be enough that the Council ineptly voted on an ordinance that was improperly drafted, and then illegally doctored the drafting error as the ordinance was put in the city code. What does it take to get our government to admit a mistake, and then do something about it?
Where are you John Rubbo?
Where you are Deana Robinson?
Where are you Corazon Pineda Isaac?
Where are you Lakisha Collins Bellamy?
Where are you Tasha Diaz? (as the Council Member who started all this, wouldn’t it be great for you to take another look at your ordinance and suggest a reconsideration?)
And thank you Anthony Merante and Mike Breen for standing up for your constituents and voting no.
You can read our joint release with the above community groups here.
