Babylon board tables accessory-apartment permit at 21 Silver Pine Drive after neighbor parking complaints

A Town of Babylon board on Sept. 9, 2025 placed on reserve an application to legalize an accessory apartment at 21 Silver Pine Drive in Amityville after neighbors complained that multiple vehicles tied to the property block driveways and limit access.

The board said it would investigate the parking and access concerns before moving forward. The action follows multiple public complaints about vehicles associated with the property, including instances in which neighbors said parked cars prevented access for emergency responders.

Neighbor Betty Reese said the situation has persisted since the current occupants moved in. “It’s parking. There’s nowhere to park. Right now, there are 8 to 10 cars that belong to this neighbor’s home,” Reese said, adding that the cars sometimes block her driveway and that she called police after an incident during a gathering.

Jose Espinal, who presented an authorization letter on behalf of the applicant, said he did not know the exact current vehicle count and that he would need to confirm. “I’m not a 100. Her husband is here, but he say that only have 4 car. I’m not a 100% sure how many car they have. I’ll have to find out how many car they used to be,” Espinal said.

An individual sworn to translate at the hearing, Robinson Almonte, later told the board that the parties present said there were six cars total. “He’s saying that they have 6 car altogether,” Almonte said.

Board members cited the neighbor testimony and apparent driveway expansion, and the board moved to place the application on reserve to allow staff to investigate parking, driveway changes and impacts on adjacent properties. The board voted to place the application on reserve; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.

The board told the applicant’s representative to inform the property owner of neighbors’ concerns; the record shows the applicant’s representative acknowledged the request. The board also said the for‑cause investigation will address whether the driveway expansion and current parking by tenants or guests comply with applicable town rules and whether any remedial steps are required.

Next steps: the application will remain on the reserve calendar while staff follow up on the parking counts, driveway configuration and any necessary permits or compliance issues; no final permit was issued at the meeting.