TNH Grants Zoning Change on GWL Waterfront

The North Hempstead Town Council last night granted a change in zone from industrial to multi-family residential for property on the Glenwood Landing (GWL) Waterfront. The action changes the use on town-owned property and on property that once housed Harbor Fuel. The action clears the way for the town-owned portion of the property to be sold to Glen Harbor Partners, a developer that proposes construction of a condominium apartment building at the site.

The vote split 5 to 2 in favor of the zoning change, with Councilmen Fred Pollack and Wayne Wink dissenting. The action creates the first multi-family residential zone in GWL and doubles the population of the North Hempstead portion of GWL. The application to rezone passed despite uncertainty about the feasibility of a sewer line to the sewage treatment plant in Glen Cove and many other concerns that, in the view of the Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association and others, remained unaddressed during environmental review.

The Town of North Hempstead (TNH) has said that the Glen Harbor proposal is contingent upon a sewer line to Glen Cove. Mayor Ralph Suozzi recently told the towns of Oyster Bay and North Hempstead that no sewer lines from outside Glen Cove would be considered until Glen Cove completes its master plan, which could take some time. In addition, Mayor Suozzi has said that, when and if sewer lines from outside Glen Cove are considered, priority will be given to public projects for which a need has been demonstrated based on scientific study.

Another of the civic association's concerns relative to the sewer line is the number of times Shore Road may be opened for construction of sewer lines, particularly in light of the close proximity of the Glen Harbor project to the Shore Realty parcel (a Superfund site where a cleanup has been ongoing for many years and where a proposal for a project of considerable density is likely).

The civic association also has questioned the wisdom of constructing a privately funded sewer line to service the proposed condominium apartment building only, with no possibility of hooking up sections of GWL that may be contributing a significant amount of bacteria to Hempstead Harbor.

To their credit, through the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee, the towns of Oyster Bay and North Hempstead, Sea Cliff, and Glen Cove recently applied for a state grant to fund a sewer feasibility study for GWL. The Hempstead Harbor Water Quality Improvement Plan endorses sewering as the preferred method of treating waste whenever possible.

In another key development, in response to an inquiry from Councilman Pollack, Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto indicated a willingness to explore ways that the site might be jointly managed as parkland. The civic association appreciates Mr. Venditto's receptivity to this idea.

In light of these and many other factors, the civic association believes that the North Hempstead Town Council should not have granted the zoning change. The civic association is assessing whether there is enough financial support and legal ground to contest the town's action in court. We also will attempt to follow the Glen Harbor application when and if it proceeds to the TNH Zoning Board of Appeals and TNH Planning Board.

A key component of the project is a public access waterfront boardwalk. Should the project move forward, the civic association advocates a walkway constructed with high-quality, long-lasting materials; 24-hour access to the public walkway; and a conservation easement for all land around the building held by a conservation organization stipulating that the land must be managed to maximize wildlife habitat. The North Shore Land Alliance has expressed an interest in holding such an easement. Last summer NSLA and Glen Harbor Partners had a brief exchange about the possibility of NSLA involvement.

We also seek a reduction in the height and footprint of the building and the impact of the roof line. At a recent hearing, there was discussion about adding a water tower to the building's massive roof, which already obstructs the view of the water from Rams Hill. Minimizing the roof line is important because of the proximity of Rams Hill, the neighborhood that overlooks the proposed building. Toward that end, the civic association advocates exploring the possibility of a green roof (rooftop plantings designed to control runoff, to insulate the building from extreme temperatures, and to be aesthetically pleasing).

Civic Asks NYS to Support Sewer Feasibility Study for Glenwood Landing & Glen Head

Below is a copy of a letter the Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association has sent to the NYS Dept. of State to support an application submitted to the NYS Dept. of State / Division of Coastal Resources for a sewer feasibility study for parts of Glen Head and Glenwood Landing (see previous postings for more information). It is one of many such letters that the civic association has written over the years. If you ever wonder why it is worth bothering with a civic association, this is a good example of the positive contribution a civic association can make in a community. As a private citizen, you, too, can make a similar contribution—in this case by sending a similar letter to the same address.

SMSI GRANT PROGRAM
NYS Dept. of State
Bureau of Fiscal Management
41 State Street / 10th Floor, Suite 1000
Albany, New York 12231-0001

Re: Hempstead Harbor Area Joint Sewer Feasibility Study SMSI Grant

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to express the enthusiastic support of this civic association for the application submitted by the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee, with the Village of Sea Cliff as lead applicant, for a sewer feasibility study focusing on the eastern side Hempstead Harbor under the Shared Municipal Services Incentive Award grant.

This civic association has a long history of participating in HHPC and supporting its mission. We believe a sewer feasibility study is timely in light of the high bacteria counts that have been documented at the Glenwood Landing (GWL) Powerhouse Outfall, the large amount of under utilized property on the GWL Waterfront, the applications for development in GWL and Glen Head that are (or soon will be) under review, the recommendations found in the Hempstead Harbor Water Quality Improvement Plan, and the high water table that characterizes much of the area.

A sewer feasibility study will provide information that is urgently needed for land use and water quality improvement planning. The committee, particularly the Village of Sea Cliff, the City of Glen Cove, and the towns of North Hempstead and Oyster Bay, are to be commended for cooperating on this project.

We strongly urge you to approve the application and thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Patrice Benneward, President

Techniques for Protecting Open Space in Glenwood Landing & Glen Head Topic of Workshop Presented by Pace University Attorney

Learn about innovative, effective land use techniques that can be implemented to protect open space in Glenwood Landing, Glen Head, and the rest of Nassau County at a workshop presented by Sean Nolan, Director of the Land Use Law Center at Pace University School of Law in White Plains.

The workshop, "Building Stronger Local Laws to Protect Your Community," will be held Thursday, Nov. 9, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at East Woods School in Oyster Bay Cove. The cost is $15. Light refreshments will be served from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Topics to be covered include aquifer protection zones, steep slope ordinances, conservation area overlay districts, habitat assessment guidelines, and open space protection. Mr. Nolon's presentation will be followed by a panel of government officials who have adopted some of these techniques in their communities.

Sean Nolon trains local officials, environmentalists, and developers in land use law and consensus building techniques, provides strategic assistance to local governments and intermunicipal councils, and mediates land use disputes. He has taught a law school seminar in conflict resolution and land use law and coordinates the Land Use Conflicts Externship at Pace University.

The workshop is sponsored by The Nature Conservancy and The North Shore Land Alliance (follow links at right for registration information).

Two Thousand Neighbors Receive Civic Newsletter

The distribution of the Fall 2006 issue of the Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association Newsletter is just about complete, with nearly 2,000 pieces delivered thanks to a great team effort. About 1,200 were mailed to all of Glenwood Landing and the portion of Glen Head between Kissam and Scudders lanes and Glen Cove and Cody avenues. The reminder have or are in the process of being distributed in other neighborhoods, including Radcliff Manor, Todd Estates, and Glen Knolls.

Many thanks to all, especially the hand distributors. A distribution of this magnitude costs about $550. Your efforts help to keep costs down.

The newsletter contains information about two major items: the Nassau County Environmental Bond Act, which will be on the ballot in November, and the Glen Harbor Partners rezoning application to make way for a condominium apartment building on the Glenwood Landing Waterfront south of the Glenwood Landing Power Station. The North Hempstead Town Council is scheduled to vote on the application on November 14. See previous Civic Spot postings and check out the links at right for more information about these matters.

If any reader would like to distribute materials in his or her area, contact the civic association; extra copies are available. One problem has surfaced in connection with hand distribution, however: some hand-distributed pieces have been left in mailboxes. This is against postal regulations and could endanger the civic association's mailing permit. Any items that are distributed door-to-door should be wedged into a secure spot, such as under a mat, in a door handle, or in a fence or railing. It's important for the newsletter to be secured because we do not want to litter. The newsletter must never be placed in mailboxes.

The Post Office is serious about this. The Glen Head Post Office reports that items left in mailboxes will be confiscated. Thus, all the work and expense of preparing and distributing the newsletter would be for naught. In some cases, confiscation may have already occurred. In addition, the Glen Head Post Office says that if Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association newsletters on which no postage has been paid continue to be found in mailboxes, the civic association's mailing permit may be revoked.

This is something we hope to avoid. Plus, we appreciate all the work our local post office workers do for us, and we don't want to cause them headaches. At the very least, we can hope that the intended reader of the newsletter is the person that throws it in the trash—not a post office worker!

The civic association's policies require that it strive to comply with federal and local codes in all matters. That's why, for example, we do not post items on telephone poles, a practice prohibited by the Oyster Bay town code. Similarly, ever since the civic association was formed, we have asked that people who distribute items for the civic association or who copy civic association items for distribution on their own never use mailboxes.

Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee Seeks Funding for Sewer Study

The Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee (HHPC) has applied for a grant to study the feasibility of sewering Glenwood Landing (GWL) and parts of Glen Head and Sea Cliff by connecting all or parts of these areas to the waste treatment facility in Glen Cove. Glenwood Landing, Glen Head, and Sea Cliff make up Hempstead Harbor Subwatershed 8. According to the Hempstead Harbor Water Quality Improvement Plan, subwatershed 8 contributes more pollution to the harbor than any other subwatershed. The plan also identifies sewers as the preferred method of waste treatment whenever possible.

The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association first suggested that such a study be conducted more than four years ago, when a privately funded sewer system was included in the Glen Harbor Partners application for a condominium apartment complex on the Glenwood Landing Waterfront immediately south of the GWL Power Station. The sewer would carry waste down Shore Road to the sewage treatment facility in Glen Cove.

Last month, Glen Cove Mayor Ralph Suozzi said sewer hookups from locations outside Glen Cove only will be considered after the city completes its master plan. At that time, he said, publicly funded projects that have been initiated based on demonstrated need will be given priority.

The North Hempstead Town Council is expected to vote on a rezoning application that would permit the Glen Harbor Partners project to move forward on November 14. The Civic Association has asked councilmembers NOT to grant the Glen Harbor Partners application, or at least to delay voting until a sewer feasibility study can be completed and the community can make judgments about the implications of the data and reach a consensus about the direction it would like on the GWL Waterfront. The next step, we believe, should be a comprehensive plan for all of the land in the Town of North Hempstead (TNH) portion of GWL.

If the grant application is successful, the Civic Association believes that the study it funds will provide a wealth of information that can then be used to make rational decisions about future development, infrastructure needs, and water quality improvement projects.

Given the cost of the privately funded sewer proposed by Glen Harbor Partners, the fact that construction would require opening Shore Road, the implications of sewering on density, and the positive impact that sewering selected areas of subwatershed 8 could have on the harbor, the civic association believes that the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) required by TNH in connection with the Glen Harbor project should have examined the feasibility of sewering all the underdeveloped lots on Shore Road, particularly the Shore Realty site (a brownfield immediately south of the Glen Harbor proposal where a clean up process has been ongoing for many years).

We repeatedly asked that two basic questions be answered: If a privately funded, one-project-at-a-time approach to sewers is taken, how many sewer lines might be constructed under Shore Road and how many times might Shore Road, ultimately, be opened for this purpose? We also repeatedly asked that the EIS examine the possibility that sewering selected portions of Glenwood Landing might significantly improve water quality, and, if so, how such a project might be funded and coordinated with the Glen Harbor project.

This grant, which is offered through the NYS Dept. of State / Division of Coastal Resources, is highly attractive because the local match (the amount of cash or services that municipalities must put up to receive the grant) is only 10%, a much smaller amount than is ordinarily required.

HHPC is an inter-municipal organization made up of the municipalities surrounding Hempstead Harbor. The civic association attends HHPC meetings and supports the work of the committee in any way it can. We commend the members of HHPC for applying for the grant and plan to submit a letter of support to DOS.

Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Mounts Major Push to Support County's Envrionmental Bond

The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association has mounted a major effort to inform neighbors about the $100 million environmental bond act that will appear on the ballot on November 7. More than 2,000 newsletters containing information about the bond, its costs, and its potential benefits have been distributed to the neighborhood west of Glen Cove Avenue and east of Shore Road between Scudders and Kissam lane (see postings below).

The distribution also includes several nearby developments, including Todd Estates, Glen Knolls, and Radcliff Manor. The newsletter also contains information about the North Hempstead Town Council vote to rezone property on the west side of Shore Road from industrial use to residential use and suggestions about what residents can do if they wish North Hempstead councilmembers to consider their input on November 14, when the matter is scheduled for action.

Vote on GWL Waterfront Rezone: How You Can Affect the Outcome

In August, the North Hempstead Town Council delayed voting on a zoning application that would permit a 60-unit condominium apartment building to be constructed on the Glenwood Landing (GWL) Waterfront just south of the GWL Power Station on property that once housed Harbor Fuel. The vote has been rescheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 14, at 7:30 P.M. At that time, the TNH Council could approve the change with or without conditions, deny the application, or delay taking action. To confirm the date and time that the matter is scheduled, call TNH (869-7700).

Two hearings on the application held during the summer drew standing room only crowds of residents from both the TNH and TOB portions of GWL, as well as neighbors from Glen Head, Sea Cliff, Roslyn Harbor, and Glen Cove. Residents of the TNH portion of GWL have been vocal in their opposition to the project, as have people in the rest of GWL and surrounding communities.

Virtually everyone who attended the summer hearings expressed opposition to the zoning change and the proposed apartment building. There also was strong support for maintaining the parcel as open space. TNH currently owns a portion of the parcel. If the zoning change is granted, TNH would sell that portion of the parcel to Glen Harbor Partners, the company that submitted the zoning application.

TNH appears to have ruled out investing in open space on the eastern shore of Hempstead Harbor because it perceives the population in the TNH portion of GWL as too small to warrant such an investment. The fact that the parcel under review is environmentally sensitive due to its waterfront location does not seem to be relevant to this view. Nor does the long history of industrial and residential taxes collected from properties on the TNH side of the line, little of which seems to have found their way back to GWL over the decades.

Because so many people who would benefit from open space at the TNH / Glen Harbor site would be from outside TNH, TNH Councilman Fred Pollack has contacted TOB Supervisor John Venditto to inquire whether Oyster Bay would consider exploring a cooperative open space effort at this location. As of this writing, Councilman Pollack reports he has received no response. In addition, the project proposed for the site appears to be contingent upon construction of a mostly privately funded sewer line to Glen Cove. Glen Cove Mayor Ralph Suozzi recently notified TNH that Glen Cove will not consider sewer hookups from locations outside the city until Glen Cove has completed a master plan, a process that could take some time. In addition, Mayor Suozzi has said that when and if such hookups are entertained, priority will be given to public projects designed to address a documented need.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY

The civic association supports an inter-municipal effort to explore what it would cost to acquire, rehabilitate, and maintain the TNH / Glen Harbor Partners site south of the Glenwood Landing Power Station as open space and how such a project might be funded and managed (see other side). Please let the officials below know if you, too, would like these questions to be examined. This research will be conducted and presented to the public only if many people express an interest in getting answers. If you live in an incorporated village, also consider contacting your mayor and trustees.

• CONTACT TOB SUPERVISOR JOHN VENDITTO: Request that TOB contact TNH and that the two municipalities explore how much it would cost to maintain the property as open space and how such an effort could be funded (Oyster Bay Town Hall, 54 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay 11771 / 624-6350 / Town of Oyster Bay).

• CONTACT MAYOR RALPH SUOZZI: Thank the mayor for considering sewer hookups from locations outside the city only after the city completes a master plan and then giving priority to publicly funded projects that address a documented need (Glen Cove City Hall, 9 Glen Street 11542 / 676-2000 / City of Glen Cove).

• CONTACT TNH SUPERVISOR JON KAIMAN: Request a comprehensive management plan for the TNH portion of GWL and ask TNH to lead an inter-municipal effort to rehabilitate the entire TNH / Glen Harbor Partners site and to bring it into the public domain as protected open public land (North Hempstead Town Hall, 220 Plandome Road, Manhasset 11030 / 869-7700 / Town of North Hempstead).

Your Vote Counts: A Chance to Support Open Space on November Ballot

Voters have another opportunity to preserve the rapidly dwindling supply of open space in Nassau County thanks to a county-wide $100 million Environmental Bond Act that will appear at the top of the November ballot as Proposal One. If the bond passes, it will cost the average family $16 annually ($1.33 monthly) and will fund land acquisition and open space preservation. Land use planners project that Nassau County will be “built out” by 2010, underscoring the importance of immediate action to protect as many key parcels as possible. The bond also would be used to control storm water runoff (the biggest cause of contamination to surface and coastal waters) and for park improvements.

In the last few years, voters have overwhelmingly approved four similar town or county initiatives: a $50 million county bond in 2004; two $30 million bonds in the Town of Oyster Bay (TOB) in 2004 and 2000; and a $15 million bond in the Town of North Hempstead (TNH) in 2000. The county’s 2004 bond currently costs the average household $7 annually ($0.58 monthly), while TOB’s 2004 bond costs an average $16 annually ($1.33 monthly).

The procedure for choosing projects funded by these initiatives is similar in all jurisdictions. Residents and professionals nominate projects they believe to be worthy of consideration. An impartial group of environmental leaders then evaluates the applications based on an objective set of environmental criteria and makes recommendations to the town board or county legislature. Many of the projects that have been funded by previous bonds are in the Hempstead Harbor drainage basin and directly benefit the harbor. Among them are catch basin improvements at Scudders Pond and Gerry Park and wetland restoration along the harbor’s western shore. Acquisition of the propane field adjacent to Tappen Beach is on both the TOB and county list of priorities. The Civic Association believes Hempstead Harbor is likely to reap additional, much needed benefits should voters approve the new $100 million bond.

Community Meeting for Residents of 6th Precinct

The Nassau County Police 6th Precinct invites all residents of the precinct (which includes Glenwood Landing and Glen Head) to a community meeting on October 11 at 7 p.m. at East Hills Village Hall Auditorium, 209 Harbor Road, for a discussion of security concerns.

Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice will speak, along with Inspector Jay Caputo and others from the precinct. Officials and representatives from the Town of North Hempstead and Roslyn School District also will be present.

For more information, contact the police department public information office at 573-7135.

$100 Million County Bond for Open Space on November Ballot

At a special session of the Nassau County legislature on Tuesday, September 5, legislators unanimously authorized a $100 million Environmental Bond that will be on the ballot in November 2006. If voters approve the bond, it will cost the average taxpayer $1.30 per month or $16 per year.

A $50 environmental million bond, the first of its kind at the county level, was overwhelmingly approved in November 2004. That bond has preserved more than 72 acres of land and funded purchase of development rights to 43 acres and many park improvements and clean water projects. These expenditures were authorized after exhaustive public outreach by a nonpartisan advisory committee. The propane field in Glenwood Landing was on the list of recommendations and would likely remain on a list compiled for another round of county funding.

A second county bond also could be a potential source of funds for reclamation of the Hinfin / Harbor Fuel / Town of North Hempstead / Glen Harbor Partners site, the location of a proposed 57,000-square-foot waterfront condominium apartment complex in Glenwood Landing opposed by many residents (see stories below).

GWL Resident Asks Oyster Bay to Oppose Waterfront Project on Other Side of Line

Oyster Bay, July 12—Glenwood Landing (GWL) resident Sally Sotriovich took advantage of the public comment period at today's Oyster Bay Town Board meeting to inform Oyster Bay councilpersons about the Glen Harbor Partners proposal for a 57,000-square-foot condominium apartment building just across the town line in the North Hempstead portion of the GWL Waterfront (see stories below).

Sally reports that she asked TOB to explore two approaches designed to stop the project: support for reclaiming the site as a park (possibly through an intermunicipal park district) and an Article 78 (a legal action that, in this case, would be filed against North Hempstead, possibly in connection with approval of a zoning change that would allow the project to proceed; the North Hempstead Town Council is scheduled to vote on the zoning change on Tuesday evening, November 14).

According to Sally, TOB Supervisor John Venditto said that Oyster Bay is open to exploring the possibility of a park. However, she reports that Mr. Venditto said the lead should come from the Town of North Hempstead (TNH) through the support of North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman or the majority of the North Hempstead Town Council. North Hempstead Councilman Fred Pollack approached Oyster Bay about the possibility of a joint TOB/TNH open space initiative in August after standing-room-only crowds expressed opposition to the Glen Harbor project at North Hempstead Town Council meetings in July and August.

Sally also reports that TOB has agreed to examine if, under New York State law, Oyster Bay has the legal standing necessary to file an Article 78.

TNH Vote on GWL Waterfront Rezone Set for November

The North Hempstead Town Council is scheduled to vote on the Glen Harbor Partners proposal to rezone a portion of town-owned and privately-owned land on the Hempstead Harbor Waterfront in Glenwood Landing from industrial use to multi-family residential on Tuesday evening, November 14. Town of North Hempstead Councilmen Tom Dwyer and Fred Pollack have confirmed the new date. The vote had originally been scheduled for Wednesday, September 13, after a hearing held in August was closed.

A four-story, 60-unit, 57,000-square-foot condominium apartment building with ground-level parking underneath the building has been proposed for the waterfront site immediately south of the Glenwood Landing Power Station (see previous postings). An Environmental Impact Statement has been prepared by Glen Harbor Partners and was accepted by the Town Council last spring.

Applications for zoning changes are heard by Town Council, while applicants for zoning variances are heard by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). If the Town Council grants the zoning change, the action apparently will clear the way for the sale of the town-owned portion of the parcel to Glen Harbor Partners and for a ZBA hearing to consider two variances: one to permit a ground-level parking garage underneath a building with four floors of living space; the other to permit four stories of living space. The height of the proposed building is said to fall within the 50-foot limit established by the town code.

North Hempstead Town Council Postpones Vote on GWL Waterfront Rezone

According to the Office of Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman, the vote on the application by Glen Harbor Partners to rezone a portion of the Glenwood Landing Waterfront from industrial use to multi-family residential use has been postponed. According to the supervisor's office, the North Hempstead Town Council is now scheduled to vote on the matter on Tuesday, October 3. The vote had originally been scheduled for tomorrow. Town Council meetings usually begin at 7:30 p.m. If you plan to attend, always contact the town on the day of the meeting to see if the item that interests you is on the agenda and how it is expected that the matter will be addressed (Supervisor Jon Kaiman, 869-7700 / kaimanj@northhempstead.com; Councilman Tom Dwyer, 869-7696 / dwyert@northhempstead.com). North Hempstead Town Hall is located at 220 Plandome Road, Manhasset 11030.

GWL Residents on TNH Side of Line Lost in Shuffle

Overwhelming opposition to the waterfront condominium apartment complex proposed for Shore Road in the Town of North Hempstead (TNH) portion of Glenwood Landing (GWL) has generated an unexpected complication: The number of GWL residents in TNH is so modest that their voices seem to have been lost in the wave of opposition from people who live in the Oyster Bay portion of GWL, as well as those who live in the incorporated areas of Roslyn Harbor, Sea Cliff and Glen Cove.

TNH officials recently made some comments that suggested they may be under the impression that people who live in the Rams Hill neighborhood, the only residential part of GWL in TNH, have remained silent on the proposal and that some even have expressed support. Yet, at least 40 people from that neighborhood signed a petition opposing the project. The petition, which contained more than 200 signatures of people from numerous municipalities, was presented to TNH by GWL resident Sally Sotirovich earlier this month.

In addition, at least 10 people from Rams Hill attended two hearings this summer, and many of them spoke. Kristina Lacy, who lives in that neighborhood and walked the petition around it, said that she did not encounter one positive reaction to the proposed project.

In order to be certain that TNH officials are aware that residents from Rams Hill have, indeed, spoken up, the Civic Association has contacted TNH to ask the town to examine the petition for the signatures of town residents. Residents from Rams Hill also are organizing to resubmit letters to the town.

If you live in GWL on the TNH side of the line, it is important to convey your views and concerns about the project—whatever they may be and whether you have already done so or not—to TNH. Contact Supervisor Jon Kaiman (869-7700 / kaimanj@northhempstead.com) and Councilman Tom Dwyer (869-7696 / dwyert@northhempstead.com. Be sure you let the them know you are a TNH resident and if you favor investigating the possibility of forming an inter-municipal park district (see below). The address for North Hempstead Town Hall is 220 Plandome Road, Manhasset 11030.

Unavailability of Sewer Line May Affect Developments Proposed for Glen Head & the Glenwood Landing Waterfront

Early last week Glen Cove Mayor Ralph Suozzi sent letters to the supervisors of the towns of North Hempstead and Oyster Bay stating that Glen Cove will not consider sewer line hook ups from locations outside of the city until the city completes an assessment of its own needs. According to the mayor, the process could take some time.

Sewer line hookups to Glen Cove have recently been proposed for two developments pending in Glen Head and the Town of North Hempstead (TNH) portion of Glenwood Landing (GWL). The Glen Head project is on the former Lundy property, a seven-acre site where single family and garden-style apartment units have been proposed. The GWL project is located on Shore Road south of the GWL Power Station, where a 60-unit condominium apartment building is proposed on a 4.25-acre parcel that is partly owned by TNH.

Last week, TNH accepted the findings prepared by its Planning Department in response to the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prepared by the applicant, Glen Harbor Partners. This action cleared the way for a hearing to rezone the property from industrial use to residential use. The rezoning hearing was held and closed. The town council then scheduled a vote on the matter for September 13.

TNH has said that the project will not be built unless a sewer line is possible. The Civic Association has asked TNH not to grant the zoning change, or at least to delay voting, until questions regarding the sewer can be resolved, various aspects of the EIS can be strengthened, a sewer feasibility study for subwatershed 8 (of which GWL is a part) can be conducted, a plan for the entire TNH section of GWL can be formulated, and the possibility of creating a special inter-municipal park district can be fully explored and, perhaps, implemented.

TNH Councilman Fred Pollack has approached his colleagues in North Hempstead and Town of Oyster Bay (TOB) Supervisor John Venditto about the possibility of creating a special inter-municipal park district for the specific purpose of reclaiming and managing the site of the proposed apartment building. TNH appears unwilling to invest in a park in GWL on its own because, despite receiving a considerble amount of revenue from GWL utilities, the majority of people who would use the park would not be TNH residents. The residential section of the TNH portion of GWL is quite small and totally isolated from all other unincorporated areas in TNH.

On two separate occasions this summer, a standing room only crowd packed the hearing room at North Hempstead Town Hall to express their views on the proposal. The sentiment of the audience was uniformly critical of the proposed condominum apartment building, and many people said they would be willing to pay taxes to clean up the property and to protect it as open space. Several people also questioned whether TNH had made any attempt to pursue the parties responsible for polluting the property. The town, apparently, has not, stating that the process would be too time consuming and expensive.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

The Civic Association has urged both towns to explore the possibility of creating a special inter-municipal park district to manage this site. It is important that the community express its views on the possibility of such a district, whatever they are. An explortion of the matter would address many logistical questions, including how much the clean up would cost and how much the average homeowner might have to pay.

• If you live in GWL on the TNH side of the line, contact Supervisor Jon Kaiman (869-7700 / kaimanj@northhempstead.com) and Councilman Tom Dwyer (869-7696 / dwyert@northhempstead.com) to express your views about the Glen Harbor proposal, whether you have already done so or not. Be sure you let the them know you are a TNH resident and if you favor investigating the possibility of forming an inter-municipal park district. The address for North Hempstead Town Hall is 220 Plandome Road, Manhasset 11030.

• If you live in GWL on the TOB side of the line or in Glen Head, contact Suprvisor John Venditto (624-6350) to let him know if you would like to explore the possibility of forming an inter-municipal park district. The address for Oyster Bay Town Hall is 54 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay 11771.

Special Inter-Municipal Park District Instead of Waterfront Condos?

At two recent hearings for the condominium apartment building proposed for a waterfront parcel in the Town of North Hempstead (TNH) portion of the Glenwood Landing, the public expressed a strong preference for open space rather than a multi-family residential development.

Many people in the standing room only crowd even expressed a willingness to put their money where their mouth is—that is, to pay tax through a bond or some other means that would specifically be used to reclaim and manage the property as parkland.

One obstacle to this approach is that the TNH portion of GWL is isolated from other unincorporated areas in TNH. Despite the fact that TNH derives a considerable amount of tax revenue from the utility properties in GWL, TNH appears reluctant to invest in a park that would be used primarily by residents of other municipalities.

To address this situation, TNH Councilman Fred Pollack has approached his colleagues in North Hempstead and Town of Oyster Bay (TOB) Supervisor John Venditto about the possibility of creating a special inter-municipal park district for the specific purpose of reclaiming and managing the Harbor Fuel / Hinfin / TNH site south of the GWL Power Station. This approach would permit the cost of such a park to be shared among the communities that would be most likely to use it.

The Civic Association believes this suggestion is worthy of serious exploration and urges both towns to do so. We also urge residents of both towns to contact the appropriate jurisdiction to express their view on the matter. If you live in GWL on the TNH side of the line, contact Sumpervisor Jon Kaiman (869-7700 / kaimanj@northhempstead.com) and Councilman Tom Dwyer (869-7696 / dwyert@northhempstead.com); the address for North Hempstead Town Hall is 220 Plandome Road, Manhasset 11030. If you live in GWL on the TOB side of the line or in Glen Head, contact Suprvisor John Venditto (624-6350); the address for Oyster Bay Town Hall is 54 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay 11771.

The parcel in question is located on the west side of Shore Road south of the GWL Power Stations. It contains 4.25 acres divided into three lots. Two of these lots are presently owned by TNH; the other is privately held. There is also a sloped, one-acre lot on the east side of Shore Road on a sharp curve.

Glen Harbor Partners has filed an application to rezone the property from industrial use to multi-family-residential use. A hearing on the application was held earlier this month; a vote is scheduled for September 13. An agreement between TNH and Glen Harbor Partners stipulates that, if the zoning change is granted, Glen Harbor Partners may purchase the town property.

The Civic Association has asked TNH not to grant the zoning change, or at least to delay voting, until questions regarding the sewer can be resolved, various aspects of the Environmental Impact Statement filed in connection with the site can be strengthened, a sewer feasibility study for subwatershed 8 (of which Glenwood Landing is a part) can be conducted, a plan for the entire TNH section of GWL can be formulated, and the possibility of creating a special inter-municipal park district can be fully explored and, perhaps, implemented.

TNH Board to Vote on Rezone for GWL Waterfront Apartment Condos

Tuesday, August 22—The North Hempstead Town Council unanimously accepted its findings in connection with a previously accepted Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) submitted by Glen Harbor Partners for a proposal to build a 60-unit waterfront condominium apartment building south of the Glenwood Landing (GWL) Power Station and set a vote on whether to rezone the property to accommodate the project for September 13.

Acceptance of the findings cleared the way for the rezoning hearing to change the use of the parcel from industrial to multi-family residential that immediately followed the findings vote. A standing-room-only crowd of people from the Town of North Hempstead (TNH) and Town of Oyster Bay (TOB) sections of GWL, Glen Head, Roslyn Harbor, Sea Cliff, and Glen Cove packed the hearing room.

Public sentiment was overwhelmingly opposed to the project. A statement from one speaker that residents would be willing to pay to reclaim the property as open space drew applause from the audience, as well as cries of “tax us” and “float a bond.” Another speaker asked if TNH had considered attempting to secure funding to clean up the site from the persons responsible for the contamination. The town board responded that litigation in such matters is very costly and time consuming.

TNH Supervisor Jon Kaiman said that he had recently had a discussion with Glen Cove Mayor Ralph Suozzi that called into question the feasibility of a sewer hook up to the Glen Cove sewage treatment plant. TNH has said that the project proposed by Glen Harbor Partners cannot be built without such a hookup. An engineer from TOB presented a document outlining numerous TOB concerns with regard to the EIS and the TNH findings statement. A supplement to the EIS may be required to deal with some of these and other issues.

Meanwhile, TNH Councilman Fred Pollack has written to TOB Supervisor John Venditto to determine if there would be any interest in exploring the possibility of forming a special inter-municipal park district to reclaim the property and bring all of it into the public domain as open space.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• If you live in GWL on the TNH side of the line, contact Sumpervisor Jon Kaiman (869-7700 / kaimanj@northhempstead.com) and Councilman Tom Dwyer (869-7696 / dwyert@northhempstead.com) to express your views about the Glen Harbor proposal, whether you have already done so or not. Be sure you let the them know you are a TNH resident and if you favor investigating the possibility of forming an inter-municipal park district. The address for North Hempstead Town Hall is 220 Plandome Road, Manhasset 11030.

• If you live in GWL on the TOB side of the line or in Glen Head, contact Suprvisor John Venditto (624-6350) to let him know if you would like to explore the possibility of forming an inter-municipal park district. The address for Oyster Bay Town Hall is 54 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay 11771.

Vote Scheduled on Rezoning for GWL Waterfront Parcel

A standing room only crowd packed North Hempstead Town Hall last night as the town board moved forward on an application to build a 60-unit condominium apartment building on the Glenwood Landing Waterfront (GWL) just south of the GWL Power Station.

The board accepted the Planning Department's “findings” on an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that had been previously accepted. The findings clarify various aspects of the EIS that the town's experts believe may require additional information. Acceptance of the findings cleared the way to hear the application to rezone the property from industrial use to multi-family residential use. The hearing was held, comments were taken, and the hearing was closed. A vote was scheduled for Wednesday, September 13.

Late last week the town received a letter from Glen Cove Mayor Ralph Suozzi stating that the city is currently assessing its development needs and that, for the foreseeable future, sewer hook ups from locations outside of Glen Cove would not be accommodated. TNH has said that if the sewer hookup is not possible, the project cannot be built. Moments before voting to accept the findings, the board received extensive written comments critical of the findings from the Town of Oyster Bay.

More to come...

GWL Waterfront Condos: Key Document Now Online

In response to requests from the community, the Town of North Hempstead has posted on its website the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the apartment complex proposed for Hempstead Harbor on the Glenwood Landing Waterfront just south of the Power Plant.

The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) was posted earlier this summer, but access to both documents is necessary to fully understand how the environmental review of the project was conducted. Both reports are accessible at www.northhempstead.com/content/4296/5340/5501.aspx.

The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association is grateful to the residents who requested electronic access to both documents and appreciates the town's responsiveness.

A hearing for a change of zone for the property from industrial use to multi-family residential use is scheduled for Tuesday, August 22, at 7:30 p.m. at North Hempstead Town Hall, 220 Plandome Road, Manhasset. Acceptance of findings made in connection with the FEIS also is on the agenda. The town must accept the findings before the addressing the rezoning application.

How this property is developed will affect everyone who lives in the North Shore School District, as well as those who live in Glen Cove, Roslyn, and all of Roslyn Harbor. It is extremely important for as many residents of the area as possible to attend the hearing to show their interest and to express their views. Call TNH to confirm the time and date of the hearing (869-7700). You also can ask where the matter appears on the agenda to give you an idea about how to schedule your evening. Written comments may be sent to TNH Supervisor Jon Kaiman, North Hempstead Town Hall, 220 Plandome Road, Manhasset, NY 11030.

A wealth of details, including maps of the site, the footprint of the proposed building, and the route of the proposed sewer line to Glen Cove, can be found at GlenwoodLandingInfo.com, a website recently launched by residents opposed to the project.

More information, including renderings from the FEIS, also can be found here at the Civic Spot (see Civic to Stress Open Space & Water Quality at Glenwood Landing Waterfront Hearing, July 16; Hearing Date Set for Waterfront Apartments, July 1; North Hempstead Accepts Environmental Impact Statement for Waterfront Apartments in Glenwood Landing, May 25).

Website Opposing GWL Waterfront Condos Launched

A wealth of details about the proposal to construct a waterfront condominium apartment building on Shore Road in the Town of North Hempstead (TNH) portion of Glenwood Landing can be found at GlenwoodLandingInfo.com, a website launched today by residents opposed to the project.

More information, including renderings from the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), also can be found here at the Civic Spot (see Civic to Stress Open Space & Water Quality at Glenwood Landing Waterfront Hearing, July 16; Hearing Date Set for Waterfront Apartments, July 1; North Hempstead Accepts Environmental Impact Statement for Waterfront Apartments in Glenwood Landing, May 25).

GlenwoodLandingInfo.com contains maps showing the location of the proposed project, the lots involved and who owns them, the footprint of the proposed building, and the route of the proposed sewer line. There also is a brief history of the property and a summary of why the website author(s) believe the project would be detrimental to the community.

A hearing for a change of zone from industrial use to multi-family residential use is scheduled for Tuesday, August 22, at 7:30 p.m. at North Hempstead Town Hall, 220 Plandome Road, Manhasset. Acceptance of findings made in connection with the EIS also is on the agenda. The town must accept the findings before the addressing the rezoning application.

This project will affect everyone who lives in the North Shore School District, as well as those who live in Glen Cove, Roslyn, and all of Roslyn Harbor. It is extremely important for as many residents of the area as possible to attend the hearing to show their interest and to express their views. Call TNH to confirm the time and date of the hearing (869-7700). You also can ask where the matter appears on the agenda to give you an idea about how to schedule your evening. Written comments may be sent to TNH Supervisor Jon Kaiman, North Hempstead Town Hall, 220 Plandome Road, Manhasset, NY 11030.

According to the author(s) of GlenwoodLandingInfo.com, the disadvantages of the proposal far outweigh the advantages. Among the disadvantages cited are:

• the loss of 2.5 acres of waterfront property owned by the TNH, particularly since there is no public waterfront access on the eastern shore of Hempstead Harbor within the TNH;

• a traffic study that was conducted three years ago that did not consider other development currently underway or seriously contemplated in Roslyn, Glen Cove, Sea Cliff, Glenwood Landing, Roslyn Harbor, and Glen Head, which concluded that the addition of 143 cars to daily traffic will have only a “moderate” affect on traffic;

• the claim that the addition of 160 residents and 140 bedrooms will add only 12 to 14 students to the school district;

• the public inconveience involved in construction of a sewer line that would be used only by those in the proposed development;

• the possibility of inadequate water pressure in as much as Glenwood Water currently operates at near capacity and the residents of the proposed project would consume an estimated 32,500 gallons of water per day for domestic use;

• lack of a finalized plan for "“fire flow" water to provide water for fire sprinklers and fire fighting;

• the possibility that a water tower would have be to constructed on top of the building;

• the inadvisability of constructing residental units near KeySpan generating plants, which are considered potential terroist targets by law enforcement;

• the possibility that this project would set a procedent for other waterfront projects on the Glenwood Landing Waterfront, particularly on the nearby Shore Realty site, which could be combined with adjacent commercial lots to create an even larger development.

Website Planned to Oppose GWL Condos

Residents opposed to the condominium apartment building proposed for a brownfield on the west side of Shore Road south of the Glenwood Landing Power Station are constructing a Website and coordinating other efforts aimed at addressing the issue.

The project would be built on publicly held land that is currently owned by the Town of North Hempstead (TNH) and on privately owned land that was once occupied by Harbor Fuel. To learn more or to help out, contact NOGWLCONDOS@aol.com.

A zoning hearing held in July was continued to Tuesday, August 22, at 7:30 p.m. It is extremely important that as many people as possible attend. The town also will accept written comments (which may be sent to Supervisor Jon Kaiman, Town of North Hempstead, 220 Plandome Road, Manhasset, NY 11030). Call TNH to confirm (869-7700).

For more information, see the following Civic Spot Postings: Civic to Stress Open Space & Water Quality at Glenwood Landing Waterfront Hearing, July 16; Hearing Date Set for Waterfront Apartments, July 1; North Hempstead Accepts Environmental Impact Statement for Waterfront Apartments in Glenwood Landing, May 25).

Fighting Words Against GWL Condos

Glenwood Landing resident Sally Sotirovich is calling for a grassroots campaign to oppose the 60-unit condominium apartment building proposed for Hempstead Harbor in the North Hempstead portion of Glenwood Landing.

In a recent email message circulated to many people who attended a standing room only zoning hearing last Tuesday at North Hempstead Town Hall, Ms. Sotirovich said she supported the “yes” option: that is, no action on the application submitted by the developer, Glen Harbor Partners.

The hearing has been held over to Tuesday, August 22, at 7:30 p.m. in North Hempstead Town Hall, 220 Plandome Road, Manhasset. It is very important for as man people as possible to attend this hearing to show their concern and to express their views. Contact Town Hall to confirm the time and date (869-7700).

The “yes,” or “no action” option would leave the property as it is—at least for the time being. “We would rather live with the site in its current state than lose it forever, as we will if a condo is built,” Ms. Sitirovich said in the message. “While we understand that at present there may be no funding to clean up the site and convert it to a park space, we are willing to wait until this is a possible option.”

A portion of the land is already owned by the Town of North Hempstead (TNH). If the zoning application to change the use of the property from industrial to residential is approved, this land would be sold to the developer.

In the email message, Ms. Sotirovich said she wants every resident who lives between Roslyn and Glen Cove to know about the proposal and called for volunteers to help:

• set up a simple website and serve as webmaster;

• design a flyer and poster;

• distribute flyers and circulate petitions;

• donate special legal or other skills.

Ms. Sotirovich can be reached at NOGWLCONDOS@aol.com.

Full House at GWL Waterfront Condo Hearing

There was standing room only at North Hempstead Town Hall Tuesday evening, as more than 150 residents of Glenwood Landing, Glen Head, Sea Cliff, Glen Cove, and Roslyn Harbor attended a hearing to rezone the Harbor Fuel/Hinfin/Town of North Hempstead (TNH) property on Shore Road in Glenwood Landing from industrial use to residential use.

The zoning change has been requested by Glen Harbor Partners of Locust Valley. The firm has proposed a 60-unit condominium apartment building for the site (see Hearing Date Set for Waterfront Apartments, July 1; North Hempstead Accepts Environmental Impact Statement for Waterfront Apartments in Glenwood Landing, May 25).

Two items were on the agenda: the zoning change and findings based on an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that has been prepared by Glen Harbor Partners as required by TNH. The findings must be accepted by TNH before the zoning application can proceed.

The hearing was continued to Tuesday, August 22, at 7:30 p.m. It is extremely important that as many people as possible attend. The town also will accept written comments (which may be sent to Supervisor Jon Kaiman, Town of North Hempstead, 220 Plandome Road, Manhasset, NY 11030). Call the Town of North Hempstead (TNH) to confirm (869-7700).

Several residents said that the property should be developed as parkland. Others said they had not heard about the proposal until very recently and were shocked that an apartment building would be considered for this location.

Sally Sotirovich, a resident of Glenwood Landing, questioned the wisdom of building new housing adjacent to several generators, which are viewed by Homeland Security as potential terrorist targets. She said she had taken photos of KeySpan facilities to accompany her comments about the proposal. She said that soon afterward on two separate occasions she was contacted by law enforcement personnel and that one of these persons was from Homeland Security (see Environment of Terror, Newsday, July 20).

Ms. Sotirovich also said that she had not been able to locate the EIS or draft EIS at some of the libraries where it was supposed to be available. A spokesperson for Glen Harbor Partners said that copies had been delivered to each of the area's libraries. Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman said that the hearing would be carried over to ensure that libraries had copies of the documents and to give the public time to examine them.

The EIS is available on line at the TNH web site and in person at the Gold Coast Library. It should also be available at the Sea Cliff, Bryant, and Manhasset libraries. At least three other public hearings have been held in connection with the application over a period of about four years. On at least two occasions, TNH mailed notices to all of Glenwood Landing and part of Glen Head—an action that was far in excess of the town's legal obligation. The GWGH/GH Civic Association has distributed more than 6,000 informational flyers and newsletters about the proposal and commented at every step in the public review process.

The civic association believes that developing the subject property as open space would be the best use for the site. We also have been critical of the height and footprint of the proposed building, as well as the cost and logistics of constructing a sewer line to Glen Cove, a key component of the project. We have said that if a sewer line is constructed, the feasibility of hooking up other key parts of Glenwood Landing (such as lower Glenwood Road and the Shore Realty site located immediately south of the subject property) should be studied and that the line should not be built until such a study is completed. We also have said that if the project moves forward, open space and public access to the waterfront must be maximized—and protected with an ironclad conservation easement held by a nonprofit conservation organization such as the North Shore Land Alliance (see Civic to Stress Open Space & Water Quality at Glenwood Landing Waterfront Hearing, July 16.

Civic to Stress Open Space & Water Quality at Glenwood Landing Waterfront Hearing

The application by Glen Harbor Partners of Locust Valley to rezone the Harbor Fuel / Hinfin property south of the Glenwood Landing Power Station from an industrial zone to a multi-family residential zone will be heard at North Hempstead Town Hall, 220 Plandome Road, Manhasset, on Tuesday, July 18, at 7:30 p.m. (see Hearing Date Set for Waterfront Apartments, May 27, for a description of the proposal and renderings excerpted from the Environmental Impact Statement). It is important for as many people as possible to attend the hearing and express their views—whatever those views may be. Call the Town of North Hempstead (TNH) to confirm (869-7700).

The civic association has been following the Glen Harbor Partners application for several years and has participated in three previous hearings held in connection with the proposed project. The civic association has expressed grave reservations about the application at every opportunity. We have been particularly critical of TNH’s plan to sell to the applicant two town-owned lots adjacent to the Harbor Fuel/Hinfin property. We also have been critical of the height and footprint of the building and skeptical about the logistics and expense of constructing a sewer line to Glen Cove—particularly without examining the possibility of hooking up certain other key areas and the potential impact of doing so on the harbor and on future development along the waterfront.

As a matter of policy, the civic association has not, to date, supported or opposed this or any other application. Rather, it has participated in various review procedures and done what it could to inform neighbors about high-priority applications to help make it easier for residents to express their particular views should they chose to do so. Toward that end, the civic association has distributed more than 6,000 informational flyers about the Glen Harbor Partners application to residents in Glenwood Landing, parts of Glen Head, and Roslyn Harbor (RH).

Because open space and water quality are two of the civic association’s major priorities, we plan to focus on these issues at the Tuesday hearing. Among the items we think must addressed if the zoning change is granted and the project moves forward are:

• Waterfront walkway. Title to the walkway shown in the plan would be privately held, but public access would be permitted. In our view, the public’s interest in the walkway must be protected by an iron-clad easement—and the best and perhaps only way to achieve this goal is through a conservation easement held by a private, nonprofit conservation organization. The North Shore Land Alliance has expressed strong interest in handling a conservation easement at this location. In such an arrangement, the land remains in private hands, the owner receives a reasonable tax benefit, and the possibility that the easement might be lost or overturned at some time in the future is minimized. A walkway with a conservation easement would advance the goals of the New York State Open Space Plan (2002), which specifically calls for establishing a Glenwood Landing Waterfront Greenway, and the Glenwood Landing Waterfront Redevelopment and Revitalization Plan developed by the Town of Oyster Bay for the Oyster Bay portion of the Glenwood Landing Waterfront.

• Lawn. The plan currently shows a lawn between the walkway and the patio and pool area adjacent to the building. Lawns have virtually no wildlife value and increase the nutrient load delivered to nearby waterways. Therefore, we believe that it is extremely important for this area to be landscaped with native plants and managed for wildlife—again with an easement held by the North Shore Land Alliance or similar group.

• Design of walkway and wildlife area. Materials, dimensions, access points, and amenities must be contractually specified. The walkway should be constructed of brick or stone; amenities should include sturdy, attractive benches, lighting, and refuse containers; the width of the walkway should be at least 10 feet (as specified by the applicant in previous testimony), and there should be entrances at both ends (also as specified by the applicant in previous testimony).

• Operation of walkway and wildlife area. Hours of access for the walkway must be contractually specified (we suggested 24/7). Access to the wildlife area must be contractually prohibited for everyone but management personnel. Long term maintenance and management needs should be addressed by requiring the developer to deposit funds into an account earmarked for initial maintenance and management; going forward, a yearly percentage of condominium owner fees should be assessed for and dedicated to ongoing maintenance and management.

• Kayak launch. Several years ago the civic association and a RH trustee filed a joint Environmental Legacy Fund (ELF) application for a kayak launch at the western terminus of Scudders Lane just south of the proposed development. ELF is the program funded by the TNH environmental bond act approved by voters several years ago. The response from TNH seemed favorable, but the application seems to have fallen between the cracks. Establishing a blue route (canoe/kayak water trail) is a priority included in the Hempstead Harbor Management Plan. The Scudders Lane kayak launch should be viewed as an important component of developing this area and it should be accomplished in a timely fashion.

• Motts Cove. Motts Cove supports abundant wildlife and is facing increased pressure due to increased human activity permitted by TNH and RH. TNH should make it a wildlife management priority. Recall that only a few years ago, TNH permitted three single-family homes to be constructed on land with frontage on Motts Cove that had been town-owned, a situation that caught many people in the community completely off guard. The land would have made a lovely vest-pocket park with frontage on a very active birding area. That opportunity is now totally lost to the public and the increased human presence increases the stress on the Motts Cove ecosystem.

• Sewer line construction. The EIS did not examine the feasibility of sewering portions of Glenwood Landing or providing a hook up for the Shore Realty site. Consistently high bacteria counts have been documented at the Powerhouse outfall (located on the town line between Powerhouse Park and the Power Station) in both dry and wet weather. Would sewering key portions of Glenwood Landing significantly reduce the bacteria count and would such a reduction significantly improve water quality in Hempstead Harbor? An application to develop the Shore Realty site is likely to be filed at some point in the foreseeable future. Will another sewer line be required at that time? How many times will Shore Road have to be opened to accommodate a sewer line; how many sewer lines can Shore Road accommodate? How much sewage from Glenwood Landing is Glen Cove able and willing to accommodate? A feasibility study addressing these questions, as well as the cumulative impacts associated with them, is necessary. Such a study would advance the goals of the Hempstead Harbor Water Quality Improvement Plan. To ignore these and other related questions, perhaps in an attempt to limit cumulative impacts, seems bafflingly counterintuitive and, in the long run, could, potentially, do more harm than good.

• Sewer line operation. What will the pumping stations look like; how many will there be; where will they be located? Who will operate the sewer line and be responsible for its maintenance and repair? Will the sewer line be dedicated to a municipality; if so, which one and has that municipality accepted the responsibility? If not, what are the ramifications?

• Spending increased tax revenue. If the proposed project moves forward, it will double the number of households in the TNH portion of Glenwood Landing. Presumably, tax revenue will increase as a result. We would like to see the TNH portion of GWL benefit from this increase in local revenue. One possibility is restoration and management of a historic cemetary located at the end of Viking Road that is owned by TNH and that has been all but forgotten. We suggest that TNH formally survey people who live in the TNH section of GWL to determine what other suggestions they may have.

• Management of the eastern lot. The project includes a one-acre lot on the eastern side of Shore Road. The applicant has said that this lot would be dedicated to the town. While we would be more than pleased to see this land come into the public domain, it clearly is a very problematic lot, largely because of its location on a sharp curve. Should the lot be acquired by the town, we would request that a mechanism be established for determining how the lot will be managed and request the opportunity to participate in the planning process.

The EIS prepared by Glen Harbor Partners and accepted by TNH is available on line at the TNH web site and in person at the Gold Coast Public Library (see EIS for GWL Waterfront Apartments Available at Gold Coast Library, May 27; North Hempstead Accepts Environmental Impact Statement for Waterfront Apartments in Glenwood Landing, May 25).

What's Happening in Glen Cove Creek?

If you are curious about the current vision for development around Glen Cove Creek, you can view the latest up-to-the-minute proposal, including a scale model, on Monday, July 17, from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Metropolitan Club, 3 Glen Cove Road, Glen Cove. Experts will be on hand to answer questions and take comments at an open house hosted by the city.

Safety a Concern at Glenwood Road / Kissam Lane Construction Site

Work at the corner of Glenwood Road and Kissam Lane opposite the Glenwood Landing Post Office, where seven new single-family homes are planned, has created holes and depressions on the property that could be dangerous—especially for children who may wander into the site. Because of this concern, the Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association has contacted the Town of Oyster Bay to request that the site be secured. It is our understanding that town regulations require such precautions.

The civic association has also requested that maintenance of the sidewalk be improved, as it is often impassable, forcing people to walk in the street.

According to the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC), work at the site may be curtailed for an undetermined period of time. The DEC reports that a stop work order has been issued to the owner pending approval of a stormwater plan and site stabilization (see Halt in Work at Glenwood Site Until Runoff Is Controlled, June 27).

Hearing Date Set for Waterfront Apartments

Hold that Date
Tuesday, July 18, 7:30 P.M.
North Hempstead Town Hall
220 Plandome Road
Manhasset

A zoning hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, July 18, at 7:30 p.m. at North Hempstead Town Hall for an apartment building with 60 condominium units on the Glenwood Landing Waterfront immediately south of the Glenwood Landing Power Plant.

The applicant, Glen Harbor Partners of Locust Valley, has requested a change in zone from industrial use to multi-family residential use. The building would be constructed on a parcel of about 4 acres, including two town-owned lots and private land that was once the home of Harbor Fuel. A 1.24-acre parcel on the west side of Shore Road also is part of the development.

The rendering above, from the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) filed in May by Glen Harbor Partners, shows a view of the proposed building looking east from Hempstead Harbor. The site plan calls for a 5-story (including a ground-level parking garage), 57,000-square-foot building that is about 50 feet high and covers about 33% of the 4-acre parcel. Under the multiple residence zone requested in the application, 35% coverage, 24 units per acre, and three stories are permitted.

Soil would be brought in to increase the elevation of a portion of the property, as well as the overall height of the building, thus ensuring that the first floor of the building would be within federal flood plain guidelines. There would be a public waterfront esplanade with southern and northern access points. An environmental clean up would be funded by the developer. The use of the eastern parcel is undecided and appears to depend upon a number of variables, including whether a sewer line to Glen Cove is feasible.

At a hearing on April 28, 2005, Charles Voorhis, an engineer with Nelson, Pope & Voorhis, the firm representing Glen Harbor Partners, told the North Hempstead Town Board that there would be two one-bedroom units, 36 two-bedroom units, and 22 three-bedroom units. He also said the public esplanade would be 10 feet wide and that the lot on the east side of Shore Road would be donated to the town for use as open space. Mr. Voorhis said the height of the building is 45 feet and that this conforms to the height requirement of the requested zone.

Two variances needed

Artist rendering of the north wing of the proposed condominium building looking south from Shore Road, from the EIS.

If the rezoning request is approved, two variances will be needed to accommodate the number of stories in the building and the parking garage. Several years ago, when Glen Harbor Partners originally approached community groups about the possibility of developing the site, a 40-unit building, presumably lower and with a smaller footprint, was discussed. Glen Harbor Partners no longer appears to believe that the smaller-scale project is economically viable.

The view from Rams Hill

The rendering above, excerpted from the EIS, shows the proposed building looking east from Hempstead Harbor with existing homes on Rams Hill in the background. According to the EIS, the harbor would probably be visible from the second floors of the homes on Rams Hill.

The EIS is available on line at the Town of North Hempstead web site and in person at the Gold Coast Public Library (see EIS for GWL Waterfront Apartments Available at Gold Coast Library, May 27; North Hempstead Accepts Environmental Impact Statement for Waterfront Apartments in Glenwood Landing, May 25).

What’s Happening Under the Viaduct

The Village of Roslyn has accepted a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the former Stop and Shop site in Roslyn, an 11-acre parcel at the southern end of Hempstead Harbor in the vicinity of the viaduct. A hearing, held over from May 30, is scheduled for Tuesday, July 11, at 8 p.m. at Bryant Library.

According to a State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) Notice issued by the village, the DEIS was triggered by a proposal to build 66 townhouse units and 14 “flats.” There would be 245 parking spaces in garages, driveways, off-street, and on-street, as well as 39 additional spaces in two visitor parking lots adjacent to Bryant Avenue. The project includes public amenities such as a village green, waterfront promenade, pond with a wooden footbridge, two observation decks, gazebo, and waterfront plaza.

Vehicles would access the site at three locations: two on Skillman Street and one from the southern visitor parking area on Bryant Avenue.

The project next door

The proposed construction is just west of another 11-acre project already underway that involves two buildings: Sterling Glen, a 189,000-square-foot structure with 160 rental apartments, and Horizon, a 67,000-square foot building with 50 rental apartments. Both buildings are intended to appeal to seniors. The site plan calls for natural landscaping and ponds and, eventually, a public walking trail.

According to an article in the New York Times on June 27, 2004, Sterling Glen will include 90, one-bedroom, 650-square-foot to 750-square-foot apartments renting for $3,500 to $4,500 a month; 20, one-bedroom, 750-square-foot to 850-square-foot apartments with an extra windowless room renting for $4,500 to $5,500 a month; and 50, two bedroom, 850-square-foot to 1,200-square-foot apartments renting for $5,500 to $7,000.

The article states that the monthly fee will include a concierge, formal 120-seat restaurant, a cafe with waterside dining, a 40-seat theater, daily continental breakfast, 30 meals in either of the buildings’ two restaurants, weekly housekeeping and linen services, and an activities program. Optional support services, such as assistance with bathing, will be available for an additional fee. The charge for a second occupant in an apartment would be an additional $800 a month.

The developer is quoted as saying that Sterling Glen will generate $545,511 in school taxes and $40,103 in village taxes annually.

At Horizon, plans call for 10, three-bedroom 1,500-square-foot to 2,400 square-foot apartments, each with a water view and balcony, renting from $3,300 to $4,800 a month; 39 two-bedroom 1,100 square-foot to 1,500 square-foot apartments renting at $2,800 to $3,500 a month, and one studio. Support services will not be offered.

Reminder to Town Board: Time to Purchase Waterfront Utility Property in Glenwood Landing

Oystery Bay—The following statement was made on behalf of three area civic associations during the public comment period at the Town Board Meeting held this evening:

My name is Patrice Benneward. I live in Glenwood Landing. I’ve been asked to speak to you this evening by three civic associations: the Glenwood / Glen Head Civic, the Todd Estates Civic, and the Hill Terrance Civic.

Our organizations ask that you move forward with the purchase of a property on the GWL Waterfront that has been discussed for the last 6 years or so. It is an approximately 4-acre parcel that was an underground storage facility for propane until about 1999. Next to it is a smaller wetland parcel that is contiguous with Tappen Beach.

Both lots seem to be owned by KeySpan and both have been fully remediated. The scuttlebutt has been that the wetland lot would eventually be donated to the town but the propane field would require purchase.

Town, state, and county funding sources are in place for the acquisition. The property is on the town’s SEA list; the state has awarded the town two grants specifically earmarked for the property; and Nassau County has included the property on its environmental bond act priority list.

The property was not acquired under the town’s first round of environmental bond purchases, largely, I think, because it did not seem to be immediately threatened with development. Several other worthy properties were acquired at that time, most notably Underhill. Our civic associations recognize that these choices are difficult to make and enthusiastically supported your decision on these acquisitions.

However, at this time, we believe that the GWL waterfront parcel is the most critical purchase the town can make. We think so for 5 major reasons:

1) The property is now threatened: A British firm recently made a serious offer to purchase KeySpan. If this offer does not go through, another buyer is likely to materialize. A new owner would be under no obligation to honor any informal agreement that the town may have with KeySpan. Thus, the opportunity for the town to acquire the propane field and wetland could easily be lost indefinitely.

2) The impact of neighboring development: The Town of North Hempstead recently accepted an EIS for a waterfront parcel just south of the town line in the TNH portion of Glenwood Landing. The EIS was triggered by an application for a zoning change to accommodate a 60-unit apartment complex adjacent to the GWL Power Station that would be served by a sewer line to Glen Cove. A zoning hearing is scheduled for July 18. As this project moves forward, it is likely to set a precedent that may trigger a significant rise in the value of all other underutilized parcels on the GWL waterfront, irrespective of jurisdictional lines and including the propane field.

3) The lots are collecting debris: While the propane field was pristine immediately after the remediation was completed, it is becoming a magnet for debris—just as any unused property would. Already, at least one abandoned boat has somehow found its way to the site. The longer the property remains unused, the more debris will accumulate and the more it eventually will cost the public to tidy things up should the property be brought into the public domain. Also, the ground surrounding the wetland was capped, which means the site is inappropriate for deep-rooted plants. It does not appear that the property is being managed to maintain only shallow-rooted plants, which could increase initial management costs down the line.

4) Public expectations: Four years ago two generators were installed on the east side of Shore Road across the street from the propane field. Many residents of this community accepted this intensification of industrial activity predicated on an understanding with KeySpan and LIPA that two public benefits would soon follow: the propane field and adjacent wetland would be brought into the public domain and additional taxes or PILOTs would be forthcoming. Thus far, neither outcome has been realized. To say that this is discouraging is putting it mildly.

5) To advance the goals of existing management plans: The acquisition would advance the goals of the GWL Waterfront Redevelopment and Revitalization Plan, which the town adopted in 2002. It also would advance the goals of the NYS Open Space Plan, which specifically includes as a priority the creation of a GWL Waterfront Greenway.

For all of these reasons, our organizations hope that you will purchase the propane field immediately, while there is still an opportunity to do so. As always, thank you for your attention and consideration.

Halt in Work at Glenwood Site Until Runoff Is Controlled

The New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation reports that a Notice of Violation has been issued to the owners of the construction site at the northwest corner of Glenwood Road and Kissam Lane for beginning work without a NYS SPDES permit, see Glenwood Landing Bids Farewell to a Piece of History, May 25; Stormwater Controls Implemented at GWL Site, May 25; Stormwater Runoff Controls Needed at Glenwood Landing Site, May 12. These permits are designed to control runoff, a major source of pollution and silt build up in Hempstead Harbor and virtually all other waterways. A temporary stop work order has been issued until the site has been stabilized and the conditions required for a permit are satisfied.

More Congressinal Shenanigans Could Gut Hempstead Harbor Funding

We have just learned from Friends of the Bay, based in Oyster Bay, that another proposed change in the language of the Long Island Sound Stewardship Act of 2006 (H.R. 5160) would eliminate open space from funding under the bill. Thus, underwater lands, wetlands, and open space would no longer be eligible for the funds the bill is designed to provide. These are the very lands that the bill was created to protect. It is difficult to believe that the sponsors of the bill would accept such changes, as they effectively gut the bill. Please contact the parties listed in the Civic Spot posting of June 25, Federal Funding for Hempstead Harbor Projects Threatened. At the very least, if you live on the east side of Hempstead Harbor, contact Congressman Peter King, as most—if not all—of us in that area are in Mr. King's district (Pete.King@mail.house.gov /1003 Park Boulevard Massapequa Park, NY 11762 / 516-541-4225). This legislation is very important.

Federal Funding for Hempstead Harbor Projects Threatened

Your help is urgently needed to ensure that federal funds are available for projects that protect wetlands in Hempstead Harbor and neighboring waterways. Hempstead Harbor (along with Manhasset Bay, Oyster Bay Harbor and other key Long Island Sound waters) recently were designated as Long Island Sound Stewardship sites.

The designation makes municipalities in these areas eligible for funding under The Long Island Sound Stewardship Act of 2006 (H.R. 5160), proposed federal legislation now under review. The text of the bill is available from the search page of the U.S. House of Representatives: Office of the Clerk.

However, a recent change in the act (apparently prompted by a single voice in Connecticut) would eliminate all wetlands and underwater lands from the definition of a stewardship site, leaving only uplands above the mean high water mark. If this language is accepted, it will undermine the original intent of the act and eliminate funding for the most critical projects in Hempstead Harbor and surrounding waters.

The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association believes that this change makes no sense and is highly damaging to Hempstead Harbor and to Long Island Sound.

Please consider sending the draft letter below, or some version of it, to the local offices of key congresspersons in New York and Connecticut. If you wish, you can go to U.S. House of Representatives: Write Your Representative to send your messages via email (see note below).

The suggested text was composed by Eric Swenson, director of the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee (HHPC), an intermunicipal organization made up of the municipalities surrounding the harbor (the towns of Oyster Bay and North Hempstead, the villages of Sea Cliff, Roslyn Harbor, Roslyn, Flower Hill and Sands Point, the City of Glen Cove, and Nassau County). The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association participates in HHPC as a nonvoting member and supports the work of the committee in whatever way it can.

In the letter, Eric points out that "trying to protect Long Island's coastal ecology without protecting its wetlands and underwater lands is like trying to protect a tree while allowing its limbs to be cut off." Great progress is being made in restoring the wetlands and water quality in Hempstead Harbor and in Long Island Sound in general. This is an opportunity to help federal officials understand how to keep that progress on track.

------------

The Honorable Steve Israel
U.S. House of Representatives
150 Motor Parkway, Suite 108
Hauppauge, NY 11788-5152

Re: Long Island Sound Stewardship Act (H.R. 5160)

Dear Congressman Israel:

I am writing to you regarding the Long Island Sound Stewardship Act (H.R. 5160) which would establish the Long Island Sound Stewardship Initiative. My colleagues and I are concerned about a recent change to the “Boundaries” section of the legislation that would exclude all underwater lands and wetlands from the protections afforded by this otherwise much-needed bill.

We believe that the exclusion of wetlands and underwater lands largely defeats the very purpose of the bill, which was introduced “... to identify, protect, and enhance sites within the Long Island Sound ecosystem with significant ecological, educational, open space, public access, or recreational value through a bi-state network if sites best exemplifying these values.”

Wetlands provide irreplaceable habitat for various species and also serve as natural filters for stormwater which in turn protects the health of our harbors. In fact, the bill itself states that “approximately 1/3 of the tidal marshes of the Long Island Sound have been filled, and much of the remaining marshes have been ditched, diked or impounded, reducing the ecological value of the marshes”.

Not only should these areas be protected but they should be the main focus of this legislation. Trying to protect Long Island Sound coastal sites but eliminating protection of wetlands and underwater lands is like trying to protect a tree but allowing its limbs to be cut off. The wetlands and underwater lands are so integral and key to the protection of the coastal ecosystem that eliminating them from the scope of the bill effectively “guts” the bill.

As a community which has done much to protect and enhance Hempstead Harbor, we urge you to revise the Stewardship Act to include New York’s wetlands and underwater lands.

Thank you for your consideration.

cc:

Gary Ackerman
218-14 Northern Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361-3503

Timothy Bishop
3680 Route 112, Suite C, Coram, NY 11727

Joseph Crowley
74-09 37th Ave, Suite 306-B, Jackson Heights, NY 11372-6303

Rosa L. DeLauro
59 Elm Street, Suite 205, New Haven, CT 06510-2036

Peter King
1003 Park Blvd., Massapequa Park, NY 11762-2758

Nita M. Lowey
222 Mamaroneck Ave., Suite 310, White Plains, NY 10605-1316

Carolyn McCarthy
200 Garden City Plaza, Suite 320, Garden City, NY 11530-3338

Christopher Shays
10 Middle Street, 11th Floor, Bridgeport, CT 06604-4223

Robert Simmons
2 Courthouse Square, 5th Floor, Norwich, CT 06360-5763

-----------

Note: U.S. House of Representatives: Write Your Representative seems to be set up to permit people to send messages only to the congressperson representing their particular district. It appears to be possible for those with legitimate reasons for contacting congresspersons outside their district to get around this by using the recipient's zip code instead of the sender zip code when prompted for the sender zip code. However, you should still type in all of your correct contact information in the various address felds that follow. In your message, you might want to include an introductory sentence to the effect that, although you do not live in the representative's district, you are writing on a matter of great concern to everyone who lives near Long Island Sound and that requires intermunicipal cooperation, so you hope that the congressperson will take the message seriously. You also may have to type in a number or letter in a required field to prove that you are not spamming. (To reach Timothy Bishop you can use any four digit zip code extension for the portion of Coram that Mr. Bishop represents; how to do this will become evident). It could be easier, but it's not as bad as it sounds.

Action Needed on Propane Field Acquisition

The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association will renew its request that the Town of Oyster Bay (TOB) move forward with plans to acquire two waterfront lots on Hempstead Harbor adjacent to Tappen Beach at the Town Board meeting scheduled for Tuesday, June 27, at 7 p.m. Please try to attend. You may speak or simply show your support by your presence. Town Hall is located at 54 Audrey Avenue in Oyster Bay. The public comment period is usually at the end of the meeting. If you know you will be attending in time to RSVP, please send a message to gwghcivic@optonline.net.

The lot available for purchase is a fully remediated underground propane storage facility that is currently owned by KeySpan. There also is an adjacent wetland that has been cleaned up and is likely to be donated to the town. The parcels have been recommended for acquisition by the town's Save Environmental Assets Bond Act Advisory Committee. In addition, TOB has received two state grants to assist with the acquisition, and the Nassau County Open Space Advisory Committee also has recommended acquisition of the property with funds available under the county's environmental bond act (see Protecting Environmental Bond Recommendations, April 21; GWL Waterfront Scores as County Priority, March 10).

At least three major developments support swift action to bring the lots into the public domain:

• The possible sale of KeySpan, potentially to a British firm that recently made a serious offer (see KeySpan Buyout: Waterfront Implications, March 05). It does not seem likely that a new owner would be obligated to honor any understanding that the town and KeySpan may have, whether formal or informal.

• The impact of a project proposed for a parcel just south of the town line in the Town of North Hempstead (TNH) portion of Glenwood Landing (see EIS for GWL Waterfront Apartments Available at Gold Coast Library, May 27; Sewer Line: Consider Glenwood Landing, March 19). TNH recently accepted a Final Environmental Impact Statement for a 60-unit apartment complex adjacent to the Glenwood Landing Power Station that would be served by a sewer line to Glen Cove. The project could set a precedent that triggers a rise in the value of the propane field.

• The integrity of the remediation. While the propane field was pristine when remediation was completed, it is becoming a magnet for debris—just as any unused property would. Already, at least one abandoned boat has somehow found its way to the site. The longer the property remains unused, the more debris will accumulate and the greater the cost of eventual removal. Also, the wetland adjacent to the propane field was capped, precluding the site as an appropriate location for deep-routed plants. It does not appear that the wetland parcel is being managed to maintain the appropriate flora, which could lead to unnecessary expenses in the future.

Finally, this community accepted the intensification of industrial activity on its waterfront (i.e, the installation of two generators on the east side of Shore Road) predicated on an informal understanding with KeySpan and LIPA that two public benefits would follow: the propane field (and adjacent wetland) would be brought into the public domain and additional taxes (whether in the form of a traditional tax or a PILOT). Thus far, neither has been forthcoming. To say that this is discouraging is putting it mildly.

In recent years, TOB voters approved two town environmental bonds; voters also approved a similar county bond. This civic association distributed more than 6,000 educational flyers about these initiatives, which passed overwhelmingly. The first TOB bond funded acquisition of several worthy parcels, including the Underhill property, a large parcel near Route 107 in the vicinity of Jericho. The movement to acquire the Underhill property began decades ago and the civic association fully supported it. That purchase was accomplished with town, county, and state funds.

EIS for GWL Waterfront Apartments Available at Gold Coast Library

If you want to know more about the apartment complex proposed for the Town of North Hempstead (TNH) portion of the Glenwood Landing Waterfront, you need go no further than the Gold Coast Public Library. Library Director Genellen McGrath reports that two copies of the Environment Impact Statement (EIS) for the development were delivered to the library yesterday. The document also is available online through the TNH website.

TNH will accept written comments on the EIS through June 8. The next opportunity for public input will be at a hearing scheduled when an application to rezone the property from industrial use to multi-family residential use is filed. The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association expects a rezoning application will be forthcoming.

The civic association, Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee, and Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor have been following the application and have commented at two previous hearings (see "North Hempstead Accepts Environmental Impact Statement for Waterfront Apartments in Glenwood Landing," May 23; "County Explains Role in Waterfront Sewer Line," May 10; "Sewer Line: Consider Glenwood Landing," March 19).

How the land proposed for this development is used will have a tremendous impact on Hempstead Harbor, Glenwood Landing, Glen Head, Roslyn Harbor, Sea Cliff, and the North Shore School District and will shape the character of the community and the waterfront for generations to come. The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association urges residents to take full advantage of all opportunities to participate in the review process.

Glenwood Landing Bids Farewell to a Piece of History

Glenwood Landing lost a rare window on its past this morning, when a wrecking ball crashed into the Townsend House, a home that has stood at the corner of Glenwood Road and Kissam Lane for more than a century. Originally, the home overlooked a pastoral scene of rolling hills, farmland, and ponds. In more recent years, the view has been dominated by the Glenwood Landing Post Office, which is built over one of these ponds. For the last few decades and until recently, the home was occupied as a two-family residence.

According to a study commissioned by the Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association, the Townsend House was an excellent example of vernacular architecture, a building form that is fast disappearing from the Glenwood Landing landscape (see “Subdivision Review Reveals A Pre-Colonial Past,” May 11). The study also identifies the original owners of the home as the Townsend family, who were among the area’s first settlers.

At many hearings, the civic association suggested that the building be preserved and its present use be maintained. Unfortunately, this goal could not be achieved. In April, after prolonged county and town review of a seven-unit subdivision proposed for the site, the Town of Oyster Bay issued a permit that cleared the way for demolition. The site plan calls for construction of five homes at the rear of the 2-plus-acre-parcel, two homes at the front, and a new cul-de-sac that opens onto Kissam Lane near the stop sign. Much of the existing slope will be removed to accommodate seven new structures and extensive retaining walls will be required.

Stormwater Controls Implemented at GWL Site

A commendable effort to contain runoff has been made at the construction site on the northwest corner of Glenwood Road and Kissam Lane, where a seven-unit subdivision is planned. Earlier this month, an absence of stormwater control measures followed by several days of heavy showers permitted a great deal of mud to escape from the site and wash into Hempstead Harbor via Glenwood Road and a nearby storm drain.

Construction runoff is a key component of non-point source pollution. The Hempstead Harbor Water Quality Improvement Plan identifies non-point source pollution as a major cause of contamination and silt build up in the Hempstead Harbor. The harbor is particularly vulnerable to the impact of construction activities at the Glenwood Road / Kissam Lane site because of the site’s slope, close proximity to the harbor, and close proximity to the nearest storm drain.

To help reduce the impact of construction runoff on New York State waterways, the state recently mandated implementation of certain stormwater control measures at all construction sites of one or more acres. The Glenwood Road / Kissam Lane site is just over two acres. Developers and property owners are responsible for implementing the measures. Local municipalities and the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation are responsible for enforcement. Noncompliance can result in heavy fines.

Containing runoff at the Glenwood Road / Kissam Lane site is challenging because of the site's slope and proximity to the storm drain. Nevertheless, less runoff can be expected from today forward thanks to the installation of straw bales in front of a silt fence and around several mounds of exposed soil. Most importantly, the straw bales have been trenched into the soil a few inches in compliance with New York State guidelines. Additional measures, such as seeding and mulching of the open soil piles are still needed, however. Experts say these measures are fast, relatively inexpensive, and highly effective.