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Long-time trucking facility on West Bergen Road in Le Roy has some neighbors upset

By Howard B. Owens

West Bergen Road has grown into a street of nice homes with well manicured yards for the most part. It's a quint and quiet rural setting.

A trucking facility just doesn't fit the picture, but there's been a truck yard at 8560 W. Bergen Road since at least the 1960s, according to Gene Sinclair, code enforcement officer for the Town of Le Roy.

Sinclair has gotten plenty of complaints about the trucks (The Batavian received a complaint, as well, which is why I went out there today), many of which are refrigeration trucks that are left running day and night.

There isn't much Sinclair can do about it, though, the land was used for its present business long before more recent zoning laws would have kept the operation out of the neighborhood.

There have been unlicensed trucks stored at the property, according to Sinclair, and he can get those removed, but any licensed truck operation is "grandfathered in," Sinclair said.

The business is owned by George Heins. I haven't been able to reach Mr. Heins. Sinclair said George's father owned the land before him.

Bea McManis

I really do understand the concern of the homeowners...but (isn't there always a but?)...without sounding snarky...didn't any of these homeowners see this truck yard in their midst when they chose to buy or build their homes?
This is like the people who buy a home (or worse, build a home) near an airport or a major highway and then spend the next twenty years complaining about the noise.
It was there before they moved in.
It is all well and good to complain that they may not want something in their back yard. However, they are the ones who moved into the back yard of a concern that has been there for 40 years, they should have been aware of the consequences.
I've no doubt the noise from the refrigeration trucks is annoying. But, as I said before, those trucks were keeping produce, etc. cold for many years.
Do they really expect the owner of a business that has stood the test of time for 40 years to move now because they chose to move into his neighborhood?

Jun 8, 2009, 6:10pm Permalink
bud prevost

Amen Bea. It definitely is not a pretty sight, but George has been running out of there forever. I agree that no one should have built there if they thought that was an eyesore. I commend Mr. Sinclair for knowing his limitations on this.

Jun 8, 2009, 6:34pm Permalink
David Prinz

All I can say is that you better check your sorrounding before you buy or build. Sorry they were there long before you showed up live with it or move. They are just like the peope that move out to the country and live down wind from a farm and they don't ike the smell and they want the farm to go away

Jun 9, 2009, 6:49am Permalink

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