STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Officials in the neighboring Garden State have heard Staten Islanders’ complaints about noisy “boom” parties loud and clear and are working to address the concerns.
Earlier this week, a bipartisan group of Staten Island elected officials penned a letter to Christian Bollwage, the mayor of Elizabeth, New Jersey, urging him to put an end to the noisy, illegal, late-night gatherings that can be heard from across the water.
“For too long, Staten Islanders have dealt with incessant noise from so-called ‘Boom Parties’ in Elizabeth, New Jersey. After weeks of work behind the scenes, we’re publicly demanding Elizabeth officials do more to stop these illegal gatherings and allow our neighbors a quiet night’s sleep,” said District Attorney Michael McMahon, the lead official on the letter.
A spokesperson for the City of Elizabeth said that they are aware of the issue and that the city’s Code Enforcement Office and Police Department are working to address it, though they failed to provide any concrete steps being taken.
In the letter, the Staten Island officials noted that the City of Elizabeth is responsible for enforcing New Jersey’s Administrative Code, which limits noise between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. to 50 decibels, with the delegation confident that the noise is over the legal limit considering it’s being heard in another state.
“As you know, enforcing noise regulations when such noise originates across state lines falls outside the jurisdiction of our local law enforcement. However, the Elizabeth Police Department, New Jersey State Police, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection do have jurisdiction to enforce the law that prohibits this lawless behavior,” the letter reads.
Additionally, the Elizabeth Code of Ordinance prohibits “enumeration of prohibited noises,” specifically “loudspeakers… in such a manner that the sound therefrom is plainly audible or creates a noise disturbance between the hours of 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.”
“In sum, we reject the notion that there is nothing that can be done to stop those who gather night in and night out to host these ‘parties.’ We stand ready and willing to assist however we can and look forward to working with you to resolve this issue as soon as possible,” the letter concludes.
The letter was also signed by State Senators Andrew Lanza and Diane Savino; Assemblymembers Charles Fall, Michael Tannousis, Michael Reilly and Michael Cusick; Councilmembers Joseph Borelli, David Carr, and Kamillah Hanks; Borough President Vito Fossella; and Rep. Nicole Malliotakis.
In recent weeks, the Advance/SILive.com has received complaints from several residents regarding the noisy parties.
“I live in Westerleigh and for the last two years we have been dealing with the sounds of blaring music and bass that starts as early as 10:30 p.m. and goes on until 6 a.m. sometimes,” said a Westerleigh resident, who asked that her name be withheld, in an email to Advance/SILive.com.
“This is affecting an entire community and we don’t sleep! Please help,” the email continued.
“I did a search on NextDoor.com and apparently, it’s coming from Elizabeth, NJ. Anyone you suggest I reach out to so I can finally get some sleep?” another resident said in an Instagram message.
