Neighbors in the Hamptons are embroiled in a feud over a noisy rooster, with one side claiming the bird disrupts their sleep and the other side reporting harassment to police. The conflict started in East Hampton when Marc Auerbach complained about his neighbor Efrain Mayorga’s rooster, Brownie, who starts crowing at 4:45 a.m. and continues until 8 a.m., causing Auerbach to seek medical help and lose a rental tenant.
Auerbach has submitted numerous complaints to the town about the noise disturbance and has requested the removal of the rooster from the property. Despite the complaints, the town only issued a noise nuisance violation to Mayorga but did not remove the bird. Mayorga’s daughter, Ana Nunez, believes that Auerbach is starting the feud to allow for Airbnb rentals of the property and has accused him of delivering a fake lawyer’s letter, which she considers harassment.
Mayorga’s family has attempted to mitigate the noise by building a shed over the chicken coop, but the conflict continues. Auerbach claims to have tried to resolve the issue amicably by asking them to get rid of the rooster by May 2023, but they failed to follow through. Despite his efforts to soundproof his home and use earplugs, Auerbach still struggles to sleep due to the constant crowing of the rooster.
Both parties have hired legal representation, and the Mayorgas are seeking to have the noise nuisance citation dropped, which could result in a $1,000 fine. The case is scheduled to go to trial in the town’s Justice Court of East Hampton on April 30. The ongoing dispute highlights the challenges faced by residents in suburban communities when dealing with noisy animal behavior and the difficulties in finding a resolution that satisfies all parties involved. The ultimate outcome of this rooster-induced conflict remains to be seen as the legal proceedings continue.
