New Patchogue Law And Policy Targets Engine-Idlers

PATCHOGUE, NY — Patchogue is putting idle drivers on notice.

The village recently enacted a policy to restrict the idling of all village-owned vehicles to 10 minutes, trustee Joseph Keyes told Patch on Monday. Once word got out about that policy, he started hearing complaints from that people were leaving their engines running, sometimes for a half-hour at a time.

"Residents of the village were complaining about having an issue of people idling their cars for thirty minutes or so while sitting at [Mascot Dock & Marina] or sitting at a park," he said. "Those kinds of things."

The idle engines emit fumes and disturb people trying to sit and relax, he said. Moreover, it doesn't make sense from a fuel consumption standpoint to have cars running for extended periods of time, Keyes said.

"What a waste of fuel," he said. "And what it does to the air as well."

So the village discussed the issue and decided to try to pass something to combat the practice at all village-owned properties. They settled on a 10-minute engine-idling restriction for everyone.

Keyes said while he hopes individuals responsible for leaving idle vehicles will willingly move before the 10-minute restriction is up, those who don't could face fines. While the village attorney is finalizing the code, any violation of a village code can go up to $1,000.

"I would hope that most people would have the common courtesy, the common sense to just shut the engine off," he said.

The board of trustees adopted the resolution in late June, as Newsday first reported. It will likely take effect Aug. 1. Emergency vehicles are exempt from the ordinance.

The village-owned restriction was enacted as a policy and is already in effect.