A report on waterfront code violations ordered by Kingston, NY Mayor James Sottile has flagged several violators but its focus is clearly on B. Millens & Sons, a long-time scrap yard operating in the city.
A five-page summary of the violations that exist at the waterfront contains brief descriptions about problems with compliance with particular zoning laws on the waterfront, an area Sottile has given priority for development. Four of the five pages are dedicated to Millens & Sons Inc.
Sottile said that while the Millens operation was the most extensive problem area identified in the report, other property owners, including the city itself, were cited. Sottile said the city was cited for trash bin violations on the beach and ball field areas of Kingston Point.
The mayor said his administration is attempting to identify properties that do not comply with the city's zoning laws as the waterfront gains attention from developers like Robert Iannucci of Brooklyn. Iannucci, who bought and cleared the nearby L&M scrap yard on East Strand, has had conversations with the Millens family about a possible purchase of its scrap yard, but those negotiations have broken down, officials have said.
The mayor said he does not plan to order inspectors from the Building Safety Division, which compiled the report, to fan out and issue summonses. But he does want to meet with property owners to discuss a plan for compliance.
"I am not ready to issues summonses, but I am looking for cooperation from the property owners," Sottile said. "We want to know what the options are."
In the Millens case, the report said the scrap yard is operating illegally on a particular section of property. "It is clear that the operation of a scrap yard at this location as it presently exists is not and never had been permitted use or use granted by variance," the report said.
Additionally, inspectors found other violations elsewhere on the Millens site, such as improper fencing, according to Fire Chief Richard Salzmann, who heads the Building Safety Division.
Sam Millens, the son of owner Barney Millens, said it appears Sottile's administration is singling the business out, but he did not have any further comment. Other violations cited in the report were relatively minor.