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Town moves against homeowner charging him with operating illegal charter boat business Speaking out about longstanding parking problems caused by a neighbor led the Town of Oyster Bay to discover an illegal boat chartering business being run from a waterfront home in Massapequa. For almost two years neighbors have endured increasing traffic and parking problems, they say are caused by customers of Jesse James Fishing Charters being operated at a home at 114 Neptune Place in Biltmore Shores in Massapequa. A neighbor on Saltaire Place, who asked not to be identified, says she routinely has to ask the charter company's owner, Captain Jack Nakashian to move his vehicles so her family can go out on their own boat, which is stored across the street in property she also owns. "It's ridiculous, he uses the streets as his personal parking lot and the access gate to my property is constantly blocked from getting wood or soil deliveries," said the resident. Cars also park in front of fire hydrants and face the wrong way on both Neptune and Saltaire places, she said. Town Spokesperson Phyllis Barry said that the business, run out of the waterfront canal home, is indeed illegal but that the Town was unaware of the situation since no one had complained about it. "A business is not supposed to be run in a residential area," said Barry who added a notice of violation was served to Nakashian who is due in court March 26. Captain Nakashian denies that it's a real business, however. "If I want to take a couple friends out in my boat that's my right," said Nakashian who runs Valley Stream Collision. He said that although he started his part-time charter business about a year ago, he never told the Town about it. "Parking is not a problem on my block, these people that are complaining need to mind their own business," added Nakashian who has a website listing the charges for chartering the boat and his home address as his business address. The site lists cost of between $550 to $2,400 per trip. Nakashian said the website is "just for fun." " I leave out of Seaford when I charge people," he later explained. "Listing your business at your home address is simply not allowed," explained Barry. "I don't want to put anyone out of business, but when you operate in a residential area you need to try to get along," said another nearby resident who has lived at her home for 46 years. "Most people are just too scared to complain." Local civic leader Phil Healy said he only recently became aware of the problem. "There are more appropriate places to run a business and this residential area is not zoned for it," said Healey, president of the Biltmore Shores Civic Association. "Every homeowner has a legal obligation to follow the zoning laws and I hope to see them upheld." He added that there have been parking problems in that area for quite some time. "In addition to charter boat customers parking on the street, there are commercial vehicles parked overnight and boats parked on the street- both of which are illegal," he said. Although a neighbor complained she's called the precinct many times but has yet to see a parking ticket issued, the 7th precinct said that two parking tickets were issued between May and October of 2006, when the charter business is in season. "It would be great if the police would start ticketing the area even more," said Healy. Even Nakashian agrees with that.
"If I wanted to go tit-for-tat, I would have the police come and ticket the neighbors illegal boat trailers and business vans," he said. "But I say, live and let live."
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