The city is full of nuisances — but unlike, say noise nuisances, there seems to be no enforcement against light nuisances — a fact that has kept some Brooklyn residents up at night. Our Susan Jhun has their story.
Blinding, flashing lights that flood all night into these Brooklyn tenants' windows.
"They turned the intensity of the brightness up so much that they were actually shining through our blackout curtains," said Catherine Strachan. "I had to put tin foil on my windows."
Residents complained to us about the excessive light nuisance coming from Express Deli Ranch on Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn. Tenants tell us not only is the light extremely bright, but it stays on flashing all night long and while other businesses shut off their lights at 11 p.m., these lights continue to stay on until sunrise.
"The worse part though about the lights is that they actually flash so fast, that they've caused headaches," said Strachan.
After several months of complaints to the deli and city went unaddressed, Strachan called NY1 For You.
We found there is nothing in the NYC Construction Code or Zoning Resolution that restricts the hours during which an illuminated sign can operate. However, there are restrictions for where an illuminated sign can hang.
We contacted The Department of Buildings and found the deli has no permit for the sign. After that, DOB sent inspectors out.
Based on that inspection, DOB told us, the deli was issued violations both for not having a sign permit, as well as for having an illuminated sign in a C-1 district where a commercial area overlays a residential one, which isn't allowed.
We also called Express Deli Ranch and we got the owner to agree to turn down the lights. That night residents said there was a drastic difference.
"They stopped the flashing and they turned down the brightness, this was probably the best solution possible for both the neighborhood and the deli itself."
I am very happy that NY1 came to the case and were able to bring light, pun intended to the situation.