To the Editor:

If the old adage holds true that good neighbors keep their noises to themselves, a lot of residents in Voorheesville in general, and in the village of Voorheesville in particular, need to re-evaluate the kind of neighbor they think they are.

Repeated slamming of car doors during early morning hours. Supposed "young adults" talking with "parking lot" voices at all hours of the night. And what's with the influx of "new age" kids who are allowed to run rampant all over the neighborhood with little or no respect for neighbors properties, and hootin’ and hollering up and down the street?

Too much effort to be a parent first, rather than trying to be a friend to their kids. Parenting comes first, being a friend is second.

I would never think about cutting across somebody's lawn when I was growing up, and if my friends and I were getting too noisy too late in the evening, my parents reminded us to quiet down.

And what's with the fire pits in the village? Nice cool summer night, open the windows for some fresh air, and the house winds up smelling like smoke. Can't get a straight answer from the village office as to whether the fire pits, outdoor fireplaces, or whatever you want to call them, are permitted in the village, or not. I asked two people about it. One said they were prohibited, the other said they weren't, but she was unsure.

This is supposed to be a residential neighborhood, not a campground. Pity. The village used to be such a quaint, quiet place to live. No longer. And the train traffic is another story!

John P. Tedesco
Voorheesville

Editor’s note: Clerk Treasurer Linda Pasquali told The Enterprise that the village does not have any laws regarding burning, but that residents must follow New York State Department of Environmental Conservation laws. According to the state DEC website, a few types of open fires are still allowed after the statewide open burning law passed in 2009.

Campfires less than three feet in height; and four feet in length, width, or diameter are allowed, as are small cooking fires. Fires cannot be left unattended and must be fully extinguished. Only charcoal or clean, untreated or unpainted wood can be burned, and ceremonial or celebratory bonfires are allowed.

Brush may be burned in towns with populations of less than 20,000, if tree limbs are less than six inches thick and eight feet long. Brush fires are prohibited March 16 through May 14, according to the website. Voorheesville has a population of approximately 2,800 residents, and the town has roughly more than 9,000 residents, according to the 2010 census and the town of New Scotland.