Sound Shore

Garbage is, by definition, messy. But residents who live near the waste containers behind the Golden Horseshoe Shopping Center on the New Rochelle and Scarsdale border say that garbage has been too messy for too long.

(Matthew Smith, of the Westchester County Department of Health, with his back to the camera, brokering the peace between the owners of the Golden Horseshoe Shopping Center, in New Rochelle, and area residents. Photo by Ned P. Rauch)

Neighbors, the shopping center’s owners and county and city officials met in the shadow of the containers Monday afternoon. It was 1:30, but it felt like High Noon. The residents, led by Cindy Inman, accused the owners, Manuel Fine and his wife, of ignoring their pleas to clean up the shopping center’s refuse area. Inman said the containers were often filthy, leaked foul, mysterious liquids and attracted vermin the size of cats.

The owners said Inman was overreacting and that they had worked to keep the area free of trash. On Monday afternoon, for example, the containers were relatively pristine, with no rubbish littering the surrounding area.

Tempers flared, fingers were pointed, accusations flew.

Matthew Smith from the Westchester County Department of Health said the owners would have to be sure to keep the area in good order. If people are illegally dumping trash in the containers, and making a mess in the process, it’s up to the owners to put a stop to it.

The Fines are planning to expand the shopping center and have pledged to enclose the refuse containers once they’re moved to their new location. An official from the New Rochelle Buildings Department said they would not have to enclose the containers before the move.

So how did this showdown end? It seemed everyone agreed that the condition of the waste containers on Monday was acceptable. Smith said the goal should be to preserve the status quo. We’ll see.