SOUTHPORT,  N.Y. (WENY) --  The Town of Southport voted in a three to two vote Monday afternoon during a special meeting to approve the proposed license agreement for Cherry Lane Park, LLC to continue to operate. A new agreement proposed by Cherry Lane Park's Attorney Michael Bruno indicates the next steps for the mobile home park, which has been the topic of much community concern. 

The vote was in favor of adopting the new license agreement, with yes votes by town board members Timothy Steed, Dan Williams, and Town Supervisor Joe Roman. Board Members Glenn Gunderman and Dan Hurley voted it. 

"The town board just voted to agree to the agreement with Cherry Lane Park, that gives them till December 31st to conduct some of the measures that are included in that agreement," said Town of Southport Supervisor, Joe Roman. Roman said the board will be following the park's progress, to ensure the details outlined in the agreement are upheld by the park's owner.

Several Sherman Avenue neighbors who live across from the mobile home park attended Monday's meeting to re-iterate their concerns to the board, and speak out against the new agreement with Cherry Lane Park. They shared with WENY News, over several years, they've been threatened, witnessed crime, and at least two fires - one of which was caused by electrical issues in a trailer. Neighbors that live only a few hundred feet away from the mobile home park are concerned nothing will change, even with the new agreement in place. 

Sherman Avenue resident Grace Gee had strong words for the board before Monday afternoon's vote, especially after witnessing the fire that took place the morning of December 26, 2022.

"Let me tell you something. I see another fire happening. It's going to cost somebody their life. Whose head's that gonna be on? You guys. Take a look. Think about that," said Gee. 

Before the vote, board member Dan Williams did acknowledge some of the concerns that have been raised about the park. He went on to explain the potential for the adopted plan to provide necessary improvements for Cherry Lane Park by the end of 2023. 

"My big thing is getting rid of the 10 dilapidated trailers that we know are an issue, and cleaning them up was my priority in my email," said Williams. "You know, if we go the other route, those trailers will be sitting there for two to three years before you'll ever be able to clean up." 

Cherry Lane Park, LLC must now file for permit to move forward with demolition. Once the permit is in their possession, Cherry Lane Park LLC has 45 days to remove the 10 condemned trailers. This will leave 11 occupied trailers on the property. Eventually, the the owner plans to bring new trailers and then sell them to residing residents.

"Most notably the fact that they're gonna remove 10 of the trailers, within a 45 day period, I think is very key. The other thing that I think is very important is anytime there's a code violation, they have five days to remedy that violation," noted Roman. "So I think there's going to be much more attending paid to any type of violations there, and maintaining the park and keeping it up. So those are probably two of the biggest provisions. Longer term plan, if they can, and they certainly would like to, is bring in new trailers, as kind of a different phase, but that would also be a nice possibility, and that is also included in this agreement as a potential option."

Some neighbors, as well as members of the board, raised the question if current residents of the park could afford to buy the new trailers proposed to be built on the property.

Neighbors Tina Moore, Mary Davenport, and Grace Gee feel as though their concerns fell on deaf ears with the town board, and the member did not do the right thing by allowing Cherry Lane Park to continue to operate under this new agreement. 

"In all honesty, I've lost faith in the Town of Southport and everything you have to do with that building over there on Pennsylvania. They let us down," Moore said.

Cherry Lane Park will continue to operate for the remaining five and half months of 2023, before they will have to secure a new agreement with the town of Southport.

WENY News has submitted a Freedom of Information request for a copy of the new license agreement.