Repair permit fee breaks for Aug. flood

Town of Babylon property owners whose homes or businesses were damaged in the Aug. 13 flood will get a break on the town's permit fees for repairs, officials announced.

"It was a historic storm that did a lot of damage to many homes in the town," Town Supervisor Richard Schaffer said after a 5-0 vote last week to waive building, demolition and coastal erosion permit fees for residential and commercial properties damaged by the storm through Feb. 13.

Federal aid to town residents and business owners after the storm was limited to low-interest Small Business Administration loans, he said.

Babylon Town building department fees for renovations range from $200 to $400.

As many as 800 property owners contacted the town reporting damage after the storm, Schaffer said.