It Takes a Village

Living in Port Jefferson Village offers its residents the use of a variety of amenities and facilities living in the general townships of  Suffolk County do not have. Our private beaches, our tennis courts, village parking lots, an accessible town hall, a village center, a beautiful golf course, our parks and village police department are only a few of the extras our village residence extends to us.  It is not free of course, however the tax for living in the incorporated village of Port Jefferson is certainly reasonable.

Recently, the village parks department in conjunction with the village beautification committee created a number of pocket gardens along Main Street and East Broadway that added great aesthetic and environmental value to our downtown.  It has always amazed me how so little can do so much; how a community effort and a bit of pride can enhance our quality of life.

On the other hand, it is also a concern that some resident do so very little in the way of maintaining their own property which is also part of the village.   Lawns are left unattended, leaving unsightly weeds, debris, trash, rusted trailers, broken toys, and rutted dirt driveways in place of a front lawn. Leaves and branches are left in full view of the front street, creating unsightly piles of yard debris where flowers, plants, or simple garden mulch would create a pleasant view for neighbors and passersby.

 It comes down to personal pride in where you live and a little effort to keep things tidy and neat.  This responsibility comes along with owning a home or a rental property.  We need to be sensitive to others and at the very least, keep things tidy.  This is not a financial issue.  No one is asking for each owner to hire a landscaper.  A simple lawn mower, a rake, a hose and a shovel is all that is needed to tend to a front lawn.  A little elbow grease and a little effort is all that is needed to make a big difference in the appearance of a residence.  Taking pride in one’s community is needed as well.

Codes do exist concerning front lawns and storage.  Still, it would be nice if as a village, we did not have to depend on code enforcement to get the job done.