The Town of Oyster Bay (TOB) hearing on the application to rezone the old Lundy site on the south side of Glen Head Road just west of the railroad tracks near Dumond Place in Glen Head has been closed. The applicant seeks a change in zone from industrial use to residential use.
Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) filed in connection with the property will be accepted until April 27. A copy of the DEIS should be available at the Gold Coast Library.
The TOB hearing held earlier this week lasted until after midnight, with a wide range of opinions expressed. The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association stressed the importance of setting aside open space in any site plan filed in connection with the site and emphasized the need to address traffic congestion and visibility at the corner of Dumond Place and Glen Head Road should the zoning change be granted and the project proposed for the site be constructed.
The Todd Estates Civic Association has taken the lead on the application, as Todd Estates borders the north side of the property. After much discussion and outreach, the Todd Estates Civic Association has expressed the view that residential development with the lowest density achievable is preferable to maintaining the current zoning and facing the possibility of a new industrial development.
The applicant proposes 15 single-family homes in an R1-7 District and 41 new townhouse units in a Multi-Family Residential District. Waste would be transported to the sewage treatment plant in Glen Cove via a private sewer line.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Wink Wins District 11 Seat in Nassau County Legislature
Wayne Wink (D) now represents all of Glenwood Landing and Roslyn Harbor, parts of Glen Head and Sea Cliff, and several other communities to the south and west in Nassau County Legislative District 11.
Mr. Wink defeated Republican challenger Louis Chisari in the special election held Tuesday, March 27. The seat was previously held by Craig Johnson (D), who was recently elected to the NYS Senate.
With the election, the Democrats hold 10 seats in the Nassau County Legislature and the Republicans hold nine seats.
Mr. Wink defeated Republican challenger Louis Chisari in the special election held Tuesday, March 27. The seat was previously held by Craig Johnson (D), who was recently elected to the NYS Senate.
With the election, the Democrats hold 10 seats in the Nassau County Legislature and the Republicans hold nine seats.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Wink and Chisari Respond to Questions from Glenwood / Glen Head Civic
On Tuesday, the Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association submitted questions to Wayne Wink (D, I, WF) and Louis Chisari (R, C), the two candidates seeking to represent Nassau County Legislative District 11 in the special election secheduled for Tuesday, March 27.
Mr. Chisari and Mr. Wink have submitted their responses, which are posted below exactly as they were received. As has been noted in many previous postings, all of Glenwood Landing and Roslyn Harbor and part of Glen Head and Sea Cliff make up the northeasternmost portion of Nassau County Legislative District 11.
Be sure to vote. This election determines which party takes the majority in the Nassau County Legislature. Make your opinion known. Local elections turn on a dime. Your vote, whatever it is, counts—and it is no secret that turnout is often appallingly low.
Our right to vote has been won by people who have died, been injured, or been maimed over generations to protect this democracy. Vote! It is the patriotic thing to do! Besides, did you know that if you don't vote, your license to complain expires—and you have to zip it up and wait until November to renew?
1) What is the most important single contribution you hope to make as a county legislator?
Chisari: First, to stop any and all property tax increases and second improve county services that the current County Executive and Legislature has cut while expanding their staffs.
Wink: It is no secret that our tax burden is too high; one way to alleviate that is to eliminate duplication of services between our towns and villages and the County, and to better coordinate other services. As a county legislator, I'll be working on a number of these consolidation projects, such as the transfer of certain county parks and roads from the county to the Town of North Hempstead.Transfers such as these allow the Town to maintain better these local parks and roads, while allowing the County to reallocate existing resources to sites in need of attention.
I also have a track record of working across party lines, as a consensus-builder. In a narrowly divided Legislature, my ability to work with other members of both political parties is going to be important to the taxpayers, citizens, and residents of the 11th LD and the rest of Nassau County.
2) What differences and similarities do you perceive among the communities in District 11, and how might these factors impact your service to those communities?
Chisari: The biggest similarity is the issue of property taxes, the County through the Legislature and the County Executive are oppressively taxing all communities in District 11 to the point that the people can no longer afford. Furthermore, each community is different with their own special needs, which as a County Legislator it would be my obligation to list and address each of those special needs.
Wink: While there are communities of significant affluence in the 11th District, the district also includes people of much lesser means. In the end, we all deserve the same things: clean air, clean water, a better and brighter future for our children, security for our own retirement. The reduction of waste and duplication across different levels of government is not only less expensive for everyone (lower taxes) and less confusing, it benefits all of our communities and encourages growth of the local economy.
3) What is your view of the county's role on the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee and the Manhasset Bay Protection Committee, and how would you advance the water quality improvement efforts of these inter-municipal organizations?
Chisari: I would led and effort by the County to secure more Federal and State grants to help further fund the projects.
Wink: This kind of coordination is exactly what I have been talking about throughout my campaign, and part of the reason I chose to kick off my campaign at Bar Beach. The towns have historically taken the lead in this regard, but there is a larger role for the county to play here. There was a time when the county tested the water quality of Hempstead Harbor and other bodies of water throughout the county on a regular basis. I would work to ensure the county could provide that kind of assistance and support to further the vital goals of the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee.
4) How can the decay of the historic structures and gardens under county jurisdiction be reversed, and what would you do to encourage historic preservation in general?
Chisari: This is one area I feel very strongly about. I believe that preserving the County's historic sites is extremely important. First, the County must secure Federal and State grants that are available for this effort and second, stop the County Executive from cutting the staffs of these sites so he can hire political operatives for his personal staff as he has done in the pass with the full blessing of the Democratically control Legislature.
Wink: Long Island's heritage are a resource for the people of all New York. Their preservation and maintenance are important not only for our local sense of history, but to encourage tourism and indeed attract new residents to Nassau County. It is important that the county commit to the maintenance and improvement of these historic structures, whether through the county's capital plan or by applying for state and federal grants. I have developed close relationships with many of our elected leaders in Albany and Washington, and will work with them wherever possible to secure the resources we need to reverse these deplorable trends.
5) What is your policy on open space, and how would you protect open space in Glenwood Landing and Glen Head?
Chisari: I believe at this juncture in the County's development we must preserve the little open space that is left. The County must either fund an open space acquiring program or secure federal and state grants to fund such a project.
Wink: It would be shortsighted to develop every single inch of space, whether for new homes, new businesses, or even traditional parks. When it comes to our environment, we too often forget that each generation is here not as owners, but as stewards for the generations to come. That is why, wherever appropriate, we seek to redevelop existing sites, rather than squander the limited open space we have in the area. The Town of North Hempstead and Nassau County both have environmental bonds act monies in place to purchase either open space or the development rights of open space throughout the county. I would look to these monies to preserve pristine open space wherever possible in the Glenwood Landing/Glen Head area.
6) What role can the county play in reducing traffic congestion and sprawl, both countywide and in Glen Head and Glenwood Landing in particular?
Chisari: No answer provided.
Wink: To our west, New York City has the most extensive public transportation system in the world. In Nassau, we must work harder to reduce our reliance on the automobile and improve public transit. Development of new office parks and new housing might, for example, include investment in that infrastructure. I would seek to encourage the development of mass transportation and traffic reducing initiatives by the use of Industrial Development Agency bonds for new, and where possible, existing businesses throughout the county. We must find ways to encourage more people to use the bus, and the train, rather than driving.
7) What would you do to ensure that payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) and/or taxes on utility properties in Glenwood Landing are paid and not reduced?
Chisari: This is more an issue for the State Legislature than for the County Legislature as for the payments. The PILOTs are agreements that the utility has with either, the state or county and/or the local municipality. As for the amounts they are contractual and if they are reduced it is agreed upon by the parties involved. As a County Legislator I would make sure that the any amount owed under a PILOT will not be reduced and I would insure the utility pays the amount it originally agreed upon.
Wink: I would work to ensure that existing PILOT agreements be enforced and honored by all the parties to the agreements.
8) What is the county's most significant public safety and disaster vulnerability, and how would you address it?
Chisari: No answer provided.
Wink: The most likely disaster scenario in Nassau County would likely be hurricanes or Nor'easters, which have the potential to flood low-lying areas and cause devastating erosion to our shorelines. The county, as well as all levels of government, must prepare for the unavoidable consequences of weather-related by establishing a support infrastructure for the provision of life-saving and emergency shelter facilities known as Points of Distribution (PODs). The quicker PODs can spring into action to ensure that residents are treated, clothed and sheltered in emergency situations, the more likely it is that lives can be saved and our homes protected.
9) What measures would you introduce to make county government more efficient and more accessible to the public?
Chisari: First, I believe that County government is very accessible to the public, but I feel that a Public Advocates Office charged with helping the citizens of the county navigate the municipal system is needed. Second, to make County government more efficient one party rule must end. In the last six years county government has cut the staffs of the Buildings Dept., Parks Dept. and Highway Dept., but the staffs of the County Executive and County Legislature has grown. I agree with the Governor waste must be sought out and stopped.
Wink: Throughout this campaign, and my whole career, I have been working towards consolidating services. There are many public services that are better managed locally, and things that are best handled by the county or even the state. Whatever those services are, it is important that we have transparency. People need to know WHAT government is doing, HOW it is doing it, and WHOM to contact when they need something. It's the only way the system works for ALL of its citizens. The maze of overlapping government entities often serves to conceal and frustrate the public, calling into question the very foundation of government accountability.
10) Are you willing to work in a bi-partisan manner, and what will you do to encourage bi-partisan cooperation among your colleagues?
Chisari: Yes, absolutely, but the thing I will never work bi-partisan on is any issue that would result in any type tax or county fee increase. I feel there will always be a better solution then raising taxes of county charged fees.
Wink: I have not only been willing to work in a bi-partisan manner, but I have always worked to encourage such cooperation. In the end, we all want the same things; our philosophical and partisan differences are about the best way to achieve those goals. I have never been one who wants the "issue" to linger as a weapon for some future campaign. I want to be known for real results that help the people of District 11 and all Nassau County live better lives.
Mr. Chisari and Mr. Wink have submitted their responses, which are posted below exactly as they were received. As has been noted in many previous postings, all of Glenwood Landing and Roslyn Harbor and part of Glen Head and Sea Cliff make up the northeasternmost portion of Nassau County Legislative District 11.
Be sure to vote. This election determines which party takes the majority in the Nassau County Legislature. Make your opinion known. Local elections turn on a dime. Your vote, whatever it is, counts—and it is no secret that turnout is often appallingly low.
Our right to vote has been won by people who have died, been injured, or been maimed over generations to protect this democracy. Vote! It is the patriotic thing to do! Besides, did you know that if you don't vote, your license to complain expires—and you have to zip it up and wait until November to renew?
1) What is the most important single contribution you hope to make as a county legislator?
Chisari: First, to stop any and all property tax increases and second improve county services that the current County Executive and Legislature has cut while expanding their staffs.
Wink: It is no secret that our tax burden is too high; one way to alleviate that is to eliminate duplication of services between our towns and villages and the County, and to better coordinate other services. As a county legislator, I'll be working on a number of these consolidation projects, such as the transfer of certain county parks and roads from the county to the Town of North Hempstead.Transfers such as these allow the Town to maintain better these local parks and roads, while allowing the County to reallocate existing resources to sites in need of attention.
I also have a track record of working across party lines, as a consensus-builder. In a narrowly divided Legislature, my ability to work with other members of both political parties is going to be important to the taxpayers, citizens, and residents of the 11th LD and the rest of Nassau County.
2) What differences and similarities do you perceive among the communities in District 11, and how might these factors impact your service to those communities?
Chisari: The biggest similarity is the issue of property taxes, the County through the Legislature and the County Executive are oppressively taxing all communities in District 11 to the point that the people can no longer afford. Furthermore, each community is different with their own special needs, which as a County Legislator it would be my obligation to list and address each of those special needs.
Wink: While there are communities of significant affluence in the 11th District, the district also includes people of much lesser means. In the end, we all deserve the same things: clean air, clean water, a better and brighter future for our children, security for our own retirement. The reduction of waste and duplication across different levels of government is not only less expensive for everyone (lower taxes) and less confusing, it benefits all of our communities and encourages growth of the local economy.
3) What is your view of the county's role on the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee and the Manhasset Bay Protection Committee, and how would you advance the water quality improvement efforts of these inter-municipal organizations?
Chisari: I would led and effort by the County to secure more Federal and State grants to help further fund the projects.
Wink: This kind of coordination is exactly what I have been talking about throughout my campaign, and part of the reason I chose to kick off my campaign at Bar Beach. The towns have historically taken the lead in this regard, but there is a larger role for the county to play here. There was a time when the county tested the water quality of Hempstead Harbor and other bodies of water throughout the county on a regular basis. I would work to ensure the county could provide that kind of assistance and support to further the vital goals of the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee.
4) How can the decay of the historic structures and gardens under county jurisdiction be reversed, and what would you do to encourage historic preservation in general?
Chisari: This is one area I feel very strongly about. I believe that preserving the County's historic sites is extremely important. First, the County must secure Federal and State grants that are available for this effort and second, stop the County Executive from cutting the staffs of these sites so he can hire political operatives for his personal staff as he has done in the pass with the full blessing of the Democratically control Legislature.
Wink: Long Island's heritage are a resource for the people of all New York. Their preservation and maintenance are important not only for our local sense of history, but to encourage tourism and indeed attract new residents to Nassau County. It is important that the county commit to the maintenance and improvement of these historic structures, whether through the county's capital plan or by applying for state and federal grants. I have developed close relationships with many of our elected leaders in Albany and Washington, and will work with them wherever possible to secure the resources we need to reverse these deplorable trends.
5) What is your policy on open space, and how would you protect open space in Glenwood Landing and Glen Head?
Chisari: I believe at this juncture in the County's development we must preserve the little open space that is left. The County must either fund an open space acquiring program or secure federal and state grants to fund such a project.
Wink: It would be shortsighted to develop every single inch of space, whether for new homes, new businesses, or even traditional parks. When it comes to our environment, we too often forget that each generation is here not as owners, but as stewards for the generations to come. That is why, wherever appropriate, we seek to redevelop existing sites, rather than squander the limited open space we have in the area. The Town of North Hempstead and Nassau County both have environmental bonds act monies in place to purchase either open space or the development rights of open space throughout the county. I would look to these monies to preserve pristine open space wherever possible in the Glenwood Landing/Glen Head area.
6) What role can the county play in reducing traffic congestion and sprawl, both countywide and in Glen Head and Glenwood Landing in particular?
Chisari: No answer provided.
Wink: To our west, New York City has the most extensive public transportation system in the world. In Nassau, we must work harder to reduce our reliance on the automobile and improve public transit. Development of new office parks and new housing might, for example, include investment in that infrastructure. I would seek to encourage the development of mass transportation and traffic reducing initiatives by the use of Industrial Development Agency bonds for new, and where possible, existing businesses throughout the county. We must find ways to encourage more people to use the bus, and the train, rather than driving.
7) What would you do to ensure that payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) and/or taxes on utility properties in Glenwood Landing are paid and not reduced?
Chisari: This is more an issue for the State Legislature than for the County Legislature as for the payments. The PILOTs are agreements that the utility has with either, the state or county and/or the local municipality. As for the amounts they are contractual and if they are reduced it is agreed upon by the parties involved. As a County Legislator I would make sure that the any amount owed under a PILOT will not be reduced and I would insure the utility pays the amount it originally agreed upon.
Wink: I would work to ensure that existing PILOT agreements be enforced and honored by all the parties to the agreements.
8) What is the county's most significant public safety and disaster vulnerability, and how would you address it?
Chisari: No answer provided.
Wink: The most likely disaster scenario in Nassau County would likely be hurricanes or Nor'easters, which have the potential to flood low-lying areas and cause devastating erosion to our shorelines. The county, as well as all levels of government, must prepare for the unavoidable consequences of weather-related by establishing a support infrastructure for the provision of life-saving and emergency shelter facilities known as Points of Distribution (PODs). The quicker PODs can spring into action to ensure that residents are treated, clothed and sheltered in emergency situations, the more likely it is that lives can be saved and our homes protected.
9) What measures would you introduce to make county government more efficient and more accessible to the public?
Chisari: First, I believe that County government is very accessible to the public, but I feel that a Public Advocates Office charged with helping the citizens of the county navigate the municipal system is needed. Second, to make County government more efficient one party rule must end. In the last six years county government has cut the staffs of the Buildings Dept., Parks Dept. and Highway Dept., but the staffs of the County Executive and County Legislature has grown. I agree with the Governor waste must be sought out and stopped.
Wink: Throughout this campaign, and my whole career, I have been working towards consolidating services. There are many public services that are better managed locally, and things that are best handled by the county or even the state. Whatever those services are, it is important that we have transparency. People need to know WHAT government is doing, HOW it is doing it, and WHOM to contact when they need something. It's the only way the system works for ALL of its citizens. The maze of overlapping government entities often serves to conceal and frustrate the public, calling into question the very foundation of government accountability.
10) Are you willing to work in a bi-partisan manner, and what will you do to encourage bi-partisan cooperation among your colleagues?
Chisari: Yes, absolutely, but the thing I will never work bi-partisan on is any issue that would result in any type tax or county fee increase. I feel there will always be a better solution then raising taxes of county charged fees.
Wink: I have not only been willing to work in a bi-partisan manner, but I have always worked to encourage such cooperation. In the end, we all want the same things; our philosophical and partisan differences are about the best way to achieve those goals. I have never been one who wants the "issue" to linger as a weapon for some future campaign. I want to be known for real results that help the people of District 11 and all Nassau County live better lives.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Chisari, Wink in News 12 Long Island Debate
According to Cablevision's News 12 Long Island assignment desk, a debate between Louis Chisari (R, C) and Wayne Wink (D, I, WF) will air on News 12 Long Island tonight at 11:30 p.m.; Saturday at 8:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 4:30 p.m.; and Sunday at 6 a.m., 10 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. The debate may turn up at other times, as well.
Mr. Wink and Mr. Chisari are competing for a seat in District 11 in the Nassau County Legislature. The balance of power in the county is at stake, as the party composition of the legislature is tied at nine Republican seats and nine Democratic seats.
As has been posted many times on the Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Spot in recent days, all of Glenwood Landing and Roslyn Harbor and part of Sea Cliff and Glen Head are in District 11.
The election is scheduled for Tuesday, March 27, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Vote at your usual polling place, and look for a mailing from the Nassau County Board of Elections notifying you of the election if you are in District 11. For more information, consult previous postings below, including questions the civic association submitted to the candidates and the answers the candidates provided.
Mr. Wink and Mr. Chisari are competing for a seat in District 11 in the Nassau County Legislature. The balance of power in the county is at stake, as the party composition of the legislature is tied at nine Republican seats and nine Democratic seats.
As has been posted many times on the Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Spot in recent days, all of Glenwood Landing and Roslyn Harbor and part of Sea Cliff and Glen Head are in District 11.
The election is scheduled for Tuesday, March 27, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Vote at your usual polling place, and look for a mailing from the Nassau County Board of Elections notifying you of the election if you are in District 11. For more information, consult previous postings below, including questions the civic association submitted to the candidates and the answers the candidates provided.
Hearing to Rezone Lundy Property in Glen Head Set for March 27
The following hearing is the first item on the Town of Oyster Bay Agenda for the Town Board Meeting on Tuesday, March 27, at 7 p.m.
"HEARING – Z-3-04 To consider the application of DUMOND ENTERPRISES, LLC, contract vendee, and TRANSTECHNOLOGY, CORPORATION, fee owner, for a Change of Zone, from an “LI” District (Light Industry) and “R1-7” District (One-Family Residence) to an “RMF-16” District (Multi-Family Residence) and “R1-7” District (One-Family Residence), to allow the development of 15 new single-family residences and 41 new townhouse units, which would replace an existing 112,135 square foot one-story industrial building on property located at One Robert Lane, Glen Head, New York. (M.D. 2/13/07 #22)."
This property is located in central Glen Head on the south side of Glen Head Road (see the following 2006 postings: August 28, Unavailability of Sewer Line May Affect Developments Proposed for Glen Head & the Glenwood Landing Waterfront; March 24, Lundy Site: Closer to Cleaner Soil).
The south side of the property borders Todd Estates. The east side of the property borders the railroad tracks. To reach the property from Glen Head Road turn south onto Dumond Place one block west of the railroad tracks.
The Todd Estates Civic Association has taken the lead on following the application.
"HEARING – Z-3-04 To consider the application of DUMOND ENTERPRISES, LLC, contract vendee, and TRANSTECHNOLOGY, CORPORATION, fee owner, for a Change of Zone, from an “LI” District (Light Industry) and “R1-7” District (One-Family Residence) to an “RMF-16” District (Multi-Family Residence) and “R1-7” District (One-Family Residence), to allow the development of 15 new single-family residences and 41 new townhouse units, which would replace an existing 112,135 square foot one-story industrial building on property located at One Robert Lane, Glen Head, New York. (M.D. 2/13/07 #22)."
This property is located in central Glen Head on the south side of Glen Head Road (see the following 2006 postings: August 28, Unavailability of Sewer Line May Affect Developments Proposed for Glen Head & the Glenwood Landing Waterfront; March 24, Lundy Site: Closer to Cleaner Soil).
The south side of the property borders Todd Estates. The east side of the property borders the railroad tracks. To reach the property from Glen Head Road turn south onto Dumond Place one block west of the railroad tracks.
The Todd Estates Civic Association has taken the lead on following the application.
Wink, Chisari Debate Issues Affecting Nassau County, Glen Head, Glenwood Landing
Candidates for the District 11 seat in the Nassau County Legislature appeared last night at Meet the Candidates Night sponsored by the Port Washington-Manhasset League of Women Voters at the Port Washington Library. District 11 includes all of Glenwood Landing and Roslyn Harbor and parts of Glen Head and Sea Cliff (see previous postings for more information).
The candidates, Louis Chisari (R,C) and Wayne Wink (D, I, WF), agreed that District 11 voters have a historic opportunity to affect the direction the county takes at this juncture because, with the departure of District 11 Legislator Craig Johnson (D) to the NYS Senate, the legislature is evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats.
The March 27 election will determine which party takes the majority.
Mr. Chisari, who was a prosecutor in the Nassau County District Attorney 's Office, said that under no circumstances would he ever raise taxes or fees for services. He pointed to increased property taxes and increased golf fees as unacceptable. He said he would attempt to hold the line on costs by seeking savings in the executive office and the legislature. He said that these two branches of county government probably have too many people on staff. He said he would not seek savings in the budgets of the departments that deliver services.
Mr. Wink said that sharing and consolidating services can help hold the line on taxes. He said that the Town of North Hempstead, where he currently serves as a councilman, has entered into inter-municipal agreements that make the town sign shop available to incorporated villages. He said that Hempstead Harbor Park, a county facility adjacent to Bar Beach, a town facility, will soon be transferred to town jurisdiction.
Mr. Wink said these arrangements will save money because the town sign shop can provide services at a lower cost than the open market and because the beaches will now be maintained by one staff instead of two. He said the county will redeploy Hempstead Harbor Park staff to other county facilities where they are needed.
Mr. Chisari said he is an independent thinker and that Mr. Wink would vote in lockstep with the “tax and spend” policies of the Democrats.
Mr. Wink said he maintains an independent voice and pointed to his vote to deny the Glen Harbor application in Glenwood Landing for a change in zone from industrial use to multi-residential use as an example. “I was one of two votes against,” Mr. Wink said. “Five of my colleagues, including the one Republican on the town board, voted in favor.”
Mr. Wink said that the Republicans in the county legislature virtually always vote as a block and rarely, if ever, break rank. He said that the Republicans do not encourage debate. He said the Democrats might be appear to be “messy,” but at least they permit discussion.
The candidates, Louis Chisari (R,C) and Wayne Wink (D, I, WF), agreed that District 11 voters have a historic opportunity to affect the direction the county takes at this juncture because, with the departure of District 11 Legislator Craig Johnson (D) to the NYS Senate, the legislature is evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats.
The March 27 election will determine which party takes the majority.
Mr. Chisari, who was a prosecutor in the Nassau County District Attorney 's Office, said that under no circumstances would he ever raise taxes or fees for services. He pointed to increased property taxes and increased golf fees as unacceptable. He said he would attempt to hold the line on costs by seeking savings in the executive office and the legislature. He said that these two branches of county government probably have too many people on staff. He said he would not seek savings in the budgets of the departments that deliver services.
Mr. Wink said that sharing and consolidating services can help hold the line on taxes. He said that the Town of North Hempstead, where he currently serves as a councilman, has entered into inter-municipal agreements that make the town sign shop available to incorporated villages. He said that Hempstead Harbor Park, a county facility adjacent to Bar Beach, a town facility, will soon be transferred to town jurisdiction.
Mr. Wink said these arrangements will save money because the town sign shop can provide services at a lower cost than the open market and because the beaches will now be maintained by one staff instead of two. He said the county will redeploy Hempstead Harbor Park staff to other county facilities where they are needed.
Mr. Chisari said he is an independent thinker and that Mr. Wink would vote in lockstep with the “tax and spend” policies of the Democrats.
Mr. Wink said he maintains an independent voice and pointed to his vote to deny the Glen Harbor application in Glenwood Landing for a change in zone from industrial use to multi-residential use as an example. “I was one of two votes against,” Mr. Wink said. “Five of my colleagues, including the one Republican on the town board, voted in favor.”
Mr. Wink said that the Republicans in the county legislature virtually always vote as a block and rarely, if ever, break rank. He said that the Republicans do not encourage debate. He said the Democrats might be appear to be “messy,” but at least they permit discussion.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Asks—The Candidates Respond
On Tuesday, the Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association submitted questions to Wayne Wink (D, I, WF) and Louis Chisari (R, C), the two candidates seeking to represent Nassau County Legislative District 11 in the special election secheduled for Tuesday, March 27.
Mr. Chisari has submitted his responses; they are posted below exactly as they were received. Mr. Wink has notified us that his answers will be submitted shortly. For more information about the special election, consult previous postings; there are several.
As has been noted in many previous postings, all of Glenwood Landing and Roslyn Harbor and part of Glen Head and Sea Cliff make up the northeasternmost portion of Nassau County Legislative District 11.
Be sure to vote. This election determines which party takes the majority in the Nassau County Legislature. Make your opinion known. Local elections turn on a dime. Your vote, whatever it is, counts—and it is no secret that turnout is often appallingly low.
Our right to vote has been won by people who have died, been injured, or been maimed over generations to protect this democracy. Vote! It is the patriotic thing to do! Besides, did you know that if you don't vote, your license to complain expires—and you have to zip it up and wait until November to renew?
The questions for the Nassau County Legislative District 11 candidates and Mr. Chisari's answers follow exaclty as there were received. Mr. Wink's answers will be posted exactly as they are received as soon as they arrive:
1) What is the most important single contribution you hope to make as a county legislator?
Chisari: First, to stop any and all property tax increases and second improve county services that the current County Executive and Legislature has cut while expanding their staffs.
Wink: Response pending.
2) What differences and similarities do you perceive among the communities in District 11, and how might these factors impact your service to those communities?
Chisari: The biggest similarity is the issue of property taxes, the County through the Legislature and the County Executive are oppressively taxing all communities in District 11 to the point that the people can no longer afford. Furthermore, each community is different with their own special needs, which as a County Legislator it would be my obligation to list and address each of those special needs.
Wink: Response pending.
3) What is your view of the county's role on the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee and the Manhasset Bay Protection Committee, and how would you advance the water quality improvement efforts of these inter-municipal organizations?
Chisari: I would led and effort by the County to secure more Federal and State grants to help further fund the projects.
Wink: Response pending.
4) How can the decay of the historic structures and gardens under county jurisdiction be reversed, and what would you do to encourage historic preservation in general?
Chisari: This is one area I feel very strongly about. I believe that preserving the County's historic sites is extremely important. First, the County must secure Federal and State grants that are available for this effort and second, stop the County Executive from cutting the staffs of these sites so he can hire political operatives for his personal staff as he has done in the pass with the full blessing of the Democratically control Legislature.
Wink: Response pending.
5) What is your policy on open space, and how would you protect open space in Glenwood Landing and Glen Head?
Chisari: I believe at this juncture in the County's development we must preserve the little open space that is left. The County must either fund an open space acquiring program or secure federal and state grants to fund such a project.
Wink: Response pending.
6) What role can the county play in reducing traffic congestion and sprawl, both countywide and in Glen Head and Glenwood Landing in particular?
Chisari: No answer provided.
Wink: Response pending.
7) What would you do to ensure that payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) and/or taxes on utility properties in Glenwood Landing are paid and not reduced?
Chisari: This is more an issue for the State Legislature than for the County Legislature as for the payments. The PILOTs are agreements that the utility has with either, the state or county and/or the local municipality. As for the amounts they are contractual and if they are reduced it is agreed upon by the parties involved. As a County Legislator I would make sure that the any amount owed under a PILOT will not be reduced and I would insure the utility pays the amount it originally agreed upon.
Wink: Response pending.
8) What is the county's most significant public safety and disaster vulnerability, and how would you address it?
Chisari: No answer provided.
Wink: Response pending.
9) What measures would you introduce to make county government more efficient and more accessible to the public?
Chisari: First, I believe that County government is very accessible to the public, but I feel that a Public Advocates Office charged with helping the citizens of the county navigate the municipal system is needed. Second, to make County government more efficient one party rule must end. In the last six years county government has cut the staffs of the Buildings Dept., Parks Dept. and Highway Dept., but the staffs of the County Executive and County Legislature has grown. I agree with the Governor waste must be sought out and stopped.
Wink: Response pending.
10) Are you willing to work in a bi-partisan manner, and what will you do to encourage bi-partisan cooperation among your colleagues?
Chisari: Yes, absolutely, but the thing I will never work bi-partisan on is any issue that would result in any type tax or county fee increase. I feel there will always be a better solution then raising taxes of county charged fees.
Wink: Response pending.
Mr. Chisari has submitted his responses; they are posted below exactly as they were received. Mr. Wink has notified us that his answers will be submitted shortly. For more information about the special election, consult previous postings; there are several.
As has been noted in many previous postings, all of Glenwood Landing and Roslyn Harbor and part of Glen Head and Sea Cliff make up the northeasternmost portion of Nassau County Legislative District 11.
Be sure to vote. This election determines which party takes the majority in the Nassau County Legislature. Make your opinion known. Local elections turn on a dime. Your vote, whatever it is, counts—and it is no secret that turnout is often appallingly low.
Our right to vote has been won by people who have died, been injured, or been maimed over generations to protect this democracy. Vote! It is the patriotic thing to do! Besides, did you know that if you don't vote, your license to complain expires—and you have to zip it up and wait until November to renew?
The questions for the Nassau County Legislative District 11 candidates and Mr. Chisari's answers follow exaclty as there were received. Mr. Wink's answers will be posted exactly as they are received as soon as they arrive:
1) What is the most important single contribution you hope to make as a county legislator?
Chisari: First, to stop any and all property tax increases and second improve county services that the current County Executive and Legislature has cut while expanding their staffs.
Wink: Response pending.
2) What differences and similarities do you perceive among the communities in District 11, and how might these factors impact your service to those communities?
Chisari: The biggest similarity is the issue of property taxes, the County through the Legislature and the County Executive are oppressively taxing all communities in District 11 to the point that the people can no longer afford. Furthermore, each community is different with their own special needs, which as a County Legislator it would be my obligation to list and address each of those special needs.
Wink: Response pending.
3) What is your view of the county's role on the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee and the Manhasset Bay Protection Committee, and how would you advance the water quality improvement efforts of these inter-municipal organizations?
Chisari: I would led and effort by the County to secure more Federal and State grants to help further fund the projects.
Wink: Response pending.
4) How can the decay of the historic structures and gardens under county jurisdiction be reversed, and what would you do to encourage historic preservation in general?
Chisari: This is one area I feel very strongly about. I believe that preserving the County's historic sites is extremely important. First, the County must secure Federal and State grants that are available for this effort and second, stop the County Executive from cutting the staffs of these sites so he can hire political operatives for his personal staff as he has done in the pass with the full blessing of the Democratically control Legislature.
Wink: Response pending.
5) What is your policy on open space, and how would you protect open space in Glenwood Landing and Glen Head?
Chisari: I believe at this juncture in the County's development we must preserve the little open space that is left. The County must either fund an open space acquiring program or secure federal and state grants to fund such a project.
Wink: Response pending.
6) What role can the county play in reducing traffic congestion and sprawl, both countywide and in Glen Head and Glenwood Landing in particular?
Chisari: No answer provided.
Wink: Response pending.
7) What would you do to ensure that payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) and/or taxes on utility properties in Glenwood Landing are paid and not reduced?
Chisari: This is more an issue for the State Legislature than for the County Legislature as for the payments. The PILOTs are agreements that the utility has with either, the state or county and/or the local municipality. As for the amounts they are contractual and if they are reduced it is agreed upon by the parties involved. As a County Legislator I would make sure that the any amount owed under a PILOT will not be reduced and I would insure the utility pays the amount it originally agreed upon.
Wink: Response pending.
8) What is the county's most significant public safety and disaster vulnerability, and how would you address it?
Chisari: No answer provided.
Wink: Response pending.
9) What measures would you introduce to make county government more efficient and more accessible to the public?
Chisari: First, I believe that County government is very accessible to the public, but I feel that a Public Advocates Office charged with helping the citizens of the county navigate the municipal system is needed. Second, to make County government more efficient one party rule must end. In the last six years county government has cut the staffs of the Buildings Dept., Parks Dept. and Highway Dept., but the staffs of the County Executive and County Legislature has grown. I agree with the Governor waste must be sought out and stopped.
Wink: Response pending.
10) Are you willing to work in a bi-partisan manner, and what will you do to encourage bi-partisan cooperation among your colleagues?
Chisari: Yes, absolutely, but the thing I will never work bi-partisan on is any issue that would result in any type tax or county fee increase. I feel there will always be a better solution then raising taxes of county charged fees.
Wink: Response pending.
Candidates for Nassau County Legislative District 11 to Appear at League of Women Voters Meeting in Port Washington
The candidates for County Legislature in Nassau County Legislative District 11 will appear at the Port Washington Library tonight, Wednesday, March 21, at 8 p.m. The meeting is sponsored by the Port Washington-Manhasset League of Women Voters and will be held in the Lapham Meeting Room.
The Port Washington Library (883-4400) is located at One Library Drive, just off Main Street in Port Washington.
The Port Washington Library (883-4400) is located at One Library Drive, just off Main Street in Port Washington.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Submits Questions to Special Election Candidates in Nassau County Legislative District 11
The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association has submitted the questions below to Louis Chisari (R, C) and Wayne Wink (D, I, WF), the two candidates who are seeking to represent Nassau County Legislative District 11 in the special election secheduled for Tuesday, March 27. We look forward to receiving reponses from both candidates and plan to post their answers. For more information about the special election, consult previous postings.
1) What is the most important single contribution you hope to make as a county legislator?
2) What differences and similarities do you perceive among the communities in District 11, and how might these factors impact your service to those communities?
3) What is your view of the county’s role on the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee and the Manhasset Bay Protection Committee, and how would you advance the water quality improvement efforts of these inter-municipal organizations?
4) How can the decay of the historic structures and gardens under county jurisdiction be reversed, and what would you do to encourage historic preservation in general?
5) What is your policy on open space, and how would you protect open space in Glenwood Landing and Glen Head?
6) What role can the county play in reducing traffic congestion and sprawl, both countywide and in Glen Head and Glenwood Landing in particular?
7) What would you do to ensure that payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) and/or taxes on utility properties in Glenwood Landing are paid and not reduced?
8) What is the county’s most significant public safety and disaster vulnerability, and how would you address it?
9) What measures would you introduce to make county government more efficient and more accessible to the public?
10) Are you willing to work in a bi-partisan manner, and what will you do to encourage bi-partisan cooperation among your colleagues?
1) What is the most important single contribution you hope to make as a county legislator?
2) What differences and similarities do you perceive among the communities in District 11, and how might these factors impact your service to those communities?
3) What is your view of the county’s role on the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee and the Manhasset Bay Protection Committee, and how would you advance the water quality improvement efforts of these inter-municipal organizations?
4) How can the decay of the historic structures and gardens under county jurisdiction be reversed, and what would you do to encourage historic preservation in general?
5) What is your policy on open space, and how would you protect open space in Glenwood Landing and Glen Head?
6) What role can the county play in reducing traffic congestion and sprawl, both countywide and in Glen Head and Glenwood Landing in particular?
7) What would you do to ensure that payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) and/or taxes on utility properties in Glenwood Landing are paid and not reduced?
8) What is the county’s most significant public safety and disaster vulnerability, and how would you address it?
9) What measures would you introduce to make county government more efficient and more accessible to the public?
10) Are you willing to work in a bi-partisan manner, and what will you do to encourage bi-partisan cooperation among your colleagues?
Monday, March 19, 2007
Conservation League Endorses Wink
The New York League of Conservation Voters has endorsed Wayne Wink (D, I, WF) in the special election to fill the vacant seat in the county legislature. The other candidate is Louis Chisari (R, C). The vacancy is in District 11. All of Glenwood Landing and Roslyn Harbor and portions of Glen Head and Sea Cliff are in District 11.
The election will be held on Tuesday, March 27. Vote at your usual polling place. More information about the candidates and the special election can be found below in several previous postings.
To find out if your are in District 11 and where to vote, contact the Nassau County Board of Elections (571-2411)). The Board of Elections says it plans a mailing to households in District 11 notifying them about the election.
The election will decide which party holds the majority in the Nassau County Legislature, which is currently tied at 9 Republican seats and 9 Democratic seats.
For details about the NY League of Conservation Voter's endorsement of Mr. Wink, visit the league's website website.
Mr. Wink, who currently is a councilman on the North Hempstead Town Board, voted to deny the Glen Harbor application for a change of zone from industial use to multi-family residential use for the property on Shore Road in Glenwood Landing just south of the Glenwood Landing Power Station. The board ruled in favor of the applicant by a vote of 2 against, 5 in favor. At the time, Mr. Wink said he voted against the application because too many unanswered questions remained.
The election will be held on Tuesday, March 27. Vote at your usual polling place. More information about the candidates and the special election can be found below in several previous postings.
To find out if your are in District 11 and where to vote, contact the Nassau County Board of Elections (571-2411)). The Board of Elections says it plans a mailing to households in District 11 notifying them about the election.
The election will decide which party holds the majority in the Nassau County Legislature, which is currently tied at 9 Republican seats and 9 Democratic seats.
For details about the NY League of Conservation Voter's endorsement of Mr. Wink, visit the league's website website.
Mr. Wink, who currently is a councilman on the North Hempstead Town Board, voted to deny the Glen Harbor application for a change of zone from industial use to multi-family residential use for the property on Shore Road in Glenwood Landing just south of the Glenwood Landing Power Station. The board ruled in favor of the applicant by a vote of 2 against, 5 in favor. At the time, Mr. Wink said he voted against the application because too many unanswered questions remained.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Supports Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor's County Open Space Bond Nominations
The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association has lent its support to a Nassau County Open Space Bond application submitted to the county by the Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor. The application nominates several properties around Hempstead Harbor for open space acquisition, including the fully remediated propane field in Glenwood Landing. The propane field was recommend and accepted for acquisition under the first county bond act, but money was not appropriated to move forward with purchase.
For some reason, the county has required that properties accepted for acquistion under its last open space bond act but not purchased be renominated under the second bond. The propane field also has been accepted for acquisition under both of the Town of Oyster Bay's open space bonds, and TOB has received a state grant to direct to funding and reclamation of the property. Thus, several funding sources are in place. The holdup is anybody's guess. We understand that TOB also may have refiled an application for public acquisition of the propane field under the current county bond act.
Acquisition of the propane field and other Glenwood Landing waterfront properties would be consistent with the Glenwood Landing Waterfront Revitalization and Redevelopment Plane, the Water Quality Improvement Plan for Hempstead Harbor, and the Hempstead Harbor Management Plan. In addition, establishing a Glenwood Landing Waterfront Greenway is a specific priority cited in the New York State Open Space Plan, thanks largely to the efforts of the civic association and the support of the Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor and the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee.
Text of Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor's nomination letter
The Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor is pleased to have an opportunity to nominate four waterfront parcels of land along Hempstead Harbor for open-space acquisition and support the nominations for two other waterfront parcels. The acquisition of these parcels would be the most aggressive and significant action taken to date to help improve the water quality of Hempstead Harbor, improve and preserve the local habitat for marine life, birds, and other wildlife, and enhance the quality of life for over 46,000 residents who live in the communities immediately surrounding Hempstead Harbor, including Sands Point, Flower Hill, Roslyn, Roslyn Harbor, Glenwood Landing, Glen Head, Sea Cliff, and Glen Cove, as well as for thousands more in adjacent communities and beyond who work around Hempstead Harbor or use the harbor as a recreational resource.
Our nominations are for the Shore Realty property at Mott's Cove, the adjacent Glen Harbor property (formerly the Harbor Fuel site (aka HinFin property) south of the KeySpan plant on the southeast shore of Hempstead Harbor, the Gladsky property (marine salvage and marina) north of the KeySpan plant, and the Sea Isle property on the south side of Glen Cove Creek and adjacent to Brewer's Marina. The applications along with maps and photos for these sites are attached. We also support the applications for acquisition of the BITI, LLC property adjacent to the creek in Roslyn (referenced in our January 8, 2007, letter to you) and the KeySpan property (the two parcels adjacent to the Tappen Beach Park, nominated by the Town of Oyster Bay). Nominations for all six above-referenced properties are also supported by the Glenwood/Glen Head Civic Association (Patrice Benneward, President).
Several of these properties are threatened with imminent residential development. The irony is that as the ecosystem and habitat for Hempstead Harbor continue to improve, the development pressures increase. If development is allowed to proceed along the waterfront at a scale similar to that of the Bryant Landing development in Roslyn, for example, all that the stakeholders around Hempstead Harbor have worked long and hard to improve and preserve will be threatened with degradation once again–not from industrial assaults, but from overly dense residential development, which could have equally adverse impacts. (The once bucolic lower harbor now ends in a jarring view of large multistoried buildings that are in extreme contrast to the historic homes that dot the shore of Roslyn Harbor, including the William Cullen Bryant Estate at Cedarmere. The view corridor that once existed from the Roslyn Viaduct looking north to the harbor and Long Island Sound as you travel westbound is nearly obliterated.)
We fear that increased impervious land areas around the harbor and increased emissions from increased traffic will also increase storm-water runoff problems and compromise the harbor's water quality and habitat as well as change the human habitat from suburban–with critical recreational resources– to unchecked sprawl that is out of line with the municipal local waterfront redevelopment plans or shoreline studies that have been undertaken around the harbor (including the Hempstead Harbor Water Quality Improvement Plan, the Hempstead Harbor Management Plan, and the Glenwood Landing Waterfront Redevelopment and Revitalization Plan). This is also out of line with the county's new Healthy Nassau initiative.
In addition, local waterfront development projects have failed to adequately plan for building in flood zones in the past and do not address the future vagaries of climate change, global warming, and rising sea levels (see The New York Times, Real Estate, section 11, "The Real Riddle of Changing Weather: How Safe Is My Home," March 11, 2007). As the previously cited article states, the designation of a 100-year flood zone means "a flood has a 26 percent chance of occurring in any 30-year period." This combined with estimates of a 5-inch rise in sea level by 2030 can spell economic as well as environmental disaster for irresponsibly developed areas along the waterfront. (Also note that Allstate Insurance Company has pulled out of the Long Island residential market for new policies due to concerns about the risk of climate change on coastal properties.)
Our goal, simply put, is to preserve as much of the Hempstead Harbor waterfront as possible for open space or low impact use. We feel that this will be most in line with the desires of the stakeholders around the harbor, which has been designated by the New York State Coastal Management Plan as a significant coastal fish and wildlife habitat and cited by Audubon as a critical flyway for migratory birds. This action would also parallel efforts to create stewardship sites around Long Island Sound (Hempstead Harbor is one of the stewardship sites selected under the newly enacted Long Island Sound Stewardship Act). Further, by preserving these waterfront parcels, we can move forward with every harbor community's efforts to create a harborwide trailway, a soft shoreline, and wetlands restoration, which can all help to mitigate the damage from storm surge and flooding. (Note that the Town of North Hempstead has already made a significant investment in beach plantings, land acquisition, and the waterfront trail on the west shore of the harbor.) Also, establishing a Glenwood Landing Waterfront Greenway is a designated priority in the New York State Open Space Plan.
We would be happy to provide additional information on these parcels at a later date as you begin your examination of open-space nominations. If necessary, we would also be happy to elicit additional formal support by community members and groups for the above nominations.
For some reason, the county has required that properties accepted for acquistion under its last open space bond act but not purchased be renominated under the second bond. The propane field also has been accepted for acquisition under both of the Town of Oyster Bay's open space bonds, and TOB has received a state grant to direct to funding and reclamation of the property. Thus, several funding sources are in place. The holdup is anybody's guess. We understand that TOB also may have refiled an application for public acquisition of the propane field under the current county bond act.
Acquisition of the propane field and other Glenwood Landing waterfront properties would be consistent with the Glenwood Landing Waterfront Revitalization and Redevelopment Plane, the Water Quality Improvement Plan for Hempstead Harbor, and the Hempstead Harbor Management Plan. In addition, establishing a Glenwood Landing Waterfront Greenway is a specific priority cited in the New York State Open Space Plan, thanks largely to the efforts of the civic association and the support of the Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor and the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee.
Text of Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor's nomination letter
The Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor is pleased to have an opportunity to nominate four waterfront parcels of land along Hempstead Harbor for open-space acquisition and support the nominations for two other waterfront parcels. The acquisition of these parcels would be the most aggressive and significant action taken to date to help improve the water quality of Hempstead Harbor, improve and preserve the local habitat for marine life, birds, and other wildlife, and enhance the quality of life for over 46,000 residents who live in the communities immediately surrounding Hempstead Harbor, including Sands Point, Flower Hill, Roslyn, Roslyn Harbor, Glenwood Landing, Glen Head, Sea Cliff, and Glen Cove, as well as for thousands more in adjacent communities and beyond who work around Hempstead Harbor or use the harbor as a recreational resource.
Our nominations are for the Shore Realty property at Mott's Cove, the adjacent Glen Harbor property (formerly the Harbor Fuel site (aka HinFin property) south of the KeySpan plant on the southeast shore of Hempstead Harbor, the Gladsky property (marine salvage and marina) north of the KeySpan plant, and the Sea Isle property on the south side of Glen Cove Creek and adjacent to Brewer's Marina. The applications along with maps and photos for these sites are attached. We also support the applications for acquisition of the BITI, LLC property adjacent to the creek in Roslyn (referenced in our January 8, 2007, letter to you) and the KeySpan property (the two parcels adjacent to the Tappen Beach Park, nominated by the Town of Oyster Bay). Nominations for all six above-referenced properties are also supported by the Glenwood/Glen Head Civic Association (Patrice Benneward, President).
Several of these properties are threatened with imminent residential development. The irony is that as the ecosystem and habitat for Hempstead Harbor continue to improve, the development pressures increase. If development is allowed to proceed along the waterfront at a scale similar to that of the Bryant Landing development in Roslyn, for example, all that the stakeholders around Hempstead Harbor have worked long and hard to improve and preserve will be threatened with degradation once again–not from industrial assaults, but from overly dense residential development, which could have equally adverse impacts. (The once bucolic lower harbor now ends in a jarring view of large multistoried buildings that are in extreme contrast to the historic homes that dot the shore of Roslyn Harbor, including the William Cullen Bryant Estate at Cedarmere. The view corridor that once existed from the Roslyn Viaduct looking north to the harbor and Long Island Sound as you travel westbound is nearly obliterated.)
We fear that increased impervious land areas around the harbor and increased emissions from increased traffic will also increase storm-water runoff problems and compromise the harbor's water quality and habitat as well as change the human habitat from suburban–with critical recreational resources– to unchecked sprawl that is out of line with the municipal local waterfront redevelopment plans or shoreline studies that have been undertaken around the harbor (including the Hempstead Harbor Water Quality Improvement Plan, the Hempstead Harbor Management Plan, and the Glenwood Landing Waterfront Redevelopment and Revitalization Plan). This is also out of line with the county's new Healthy Nassau initiative.
In addition, local waterfront development projects have failed to adequately plan for building in flood zones in the past and do not address the future vagaries of climate change, global warming, and rising sea levels (see The New York Times, Real Estate, section 11, "The Real Riddle of Changing Weather: How Safe Is My Home," March 11, 2007). As the previously cited article states, the designation of a 100-year flood zone means "a flood has a 26 percent chance of occurring in any 30-year period." This combined with estimates of a 5-inch rise in sea level by 2030 can spell economic as well as environmental disaster for irresponsibly developed areas along the waterfront. (Also note that Allstate Insurance Company has pulled out of the Long Island residential market for new policies due to concerns about the risk of climate change on coastal properties.)
Our goal, simply put, is to preserve as much of the Hempstead Harbor waterfront as possible for open space or low impact use. We feel that this will be most in line with the desires of the stakeholders around the harbor, which has been designated by the New York State Coastal Management Plan as a significant coastal fish and wildlife habitat and cited by Audubon as a critical flyway for migratory birds. This action would also parallel efforts to create stewardship sites around Long Island Sound (Hempstead Harbor is one of the stewardship sites selected under the newly enacted Long Island Sound Stewardship Act). Further, by preserving these waterfront parcels, we can move forward with every harbor community's efforts to create a harborwide trailway, a soft shoreline, and wetlands restoration, which can all help to mitigate the damage from storm surge and flooding. (Note that the Town of North Hempstead has already made a significant investment in beach plantings, land acquisition, and the waterfront trail on the west shore of the harbor.) Also, establishing a Glenwood Landing Waterfront Greenway is a designated priority in the New York State Open Space Plan.
We would be happy to provide additional information on these parcels at a later date as you begin your examination of open-space nominations. If necessary, we would also be happy to elicit additional formal support by community members and groups for the above nominations.
Majority Seat in Nassau County Legislature Up for Grabs in Special Election March 27
Voters in Glenwood Landing, portions of Glen Head and Sea Cliff, and the rest of Nassau County Legislative District 11 hold the key to which party takes the majority in the county legislature (see previous postings, including VOTE March 27 in Special Election to Select Nassau County Legislator Representing Glenwood Landing and Western Glen Head, March 15; Musical Chairs Upstate Affect Glenwood Landing & Glen Head, February 18).
The number of Republican and Democratic seats in the Nassau County Legislature is currently tied at nine since Craig Johnson (D), who represented District 11, was elected to the NYS Senate in a special election earlier this winter.
Wayne Wink of Roslyn is the Democratic candidate. Louis Chisari of Garden City Park is the Republican candidate. Mr. Wink also is endorsed by the Working Family and Independent parties. Mr. Chisari also is endorsed by the Conservative Party. Both candidates are attorneys.
The number of Republican and Democratic seats in the Nassau County Legislature is currently tied at nine since Craig Johnson (D), who represented District 11, was elected to the NYS Senate in a special election earlier this winter.
Wayne Wink of Roslyn is the Democratic candidate. Louis Chisari of Garden City Park is the Republican candidate. Mr. Wink also is endorsed by the Working Family and Independent parties. Mr. Chisari also is endorsed by the Conservative Party. Both candidates are attorneys.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
VOTE March 27 in Special Election to Select Nassau County Legislator Representing Glenwood Landing and Western Glen Head
A special election is scheduled for the 11th Nassau County Legislative District, which includes Glenwood Landing and western Glen Head, on March 27 (see Civic Spot posting Musical Chairs Upstate Affect Glenwood Landing & Glen Head, February 18).
Wayne Wink of Roslyn is the Democratic candidate. Louis Chisari of New Hyde Park is the Republican candidate. Mr. Wink also is endorsed by the Working Family and Independent parties. Mr. Chisari also is endorsed by the Conservative Party. Both candidates are attorneys.
Mr. Chisari, 38, ran unsuccessfully for North Hempstead town clerk two years ago and for State Assembly last year.
Mr. Wink, 40, currently serves on the North Hempstead Town Council. He was an aide to the late Barbara Johnson when she was a North Hempstead Town Board member and a county legislator representing the 11th District. Mr. Wink voted no on the Glen Harbor application for a change of zone from industrial to multi-family residential, saying that there were still too many unresolved issues to grant the request.
Glenwood Landing and western Glen Head are the Nassau County 11th Legislative District's northeasternmost communities. A special election is necessary to fill the county seat vacated by Democrat Craig Johnson, who recently won another special election to fill the New York State Senate seat vacated by Republican Michael Balboni, the state's recently appointed homeland security chief.
According to the Nassau County Board of Elections, voting will take place at your usual polling place. To find out if you are in the 11th Legislative District and to confirm where to vote, contact the Board of Elections (571-2411). A map of Nassau County Legislative District 11 is posted on the county website. The Board of Elections said it plans a mailing notifying registered 11th District voters about the election and telling them where to vote.
Glen Head is not listed, although the western portion of Glen Head does appear to be in the district and legislative aides have confirmed that it is. In any case, District 11 voters, you know who you are!
Before the advent of zip codes, Glenwood Landing extended east, into portions of what are now known as Glen Head. This may, possibly and at least partly, account for why Glen Head does not appear on the Board of Elections list of District 11 communities. Of course, it may also be because it is difficult even for professionals to keep track of so many election and special districts, especially in areas such as Glen Head and Glenwood Landing, which seem to be so often divided by so many weirdly drawn lines.
The Nassau County Republican Committee refers to Mr. Chisari as "an attorney from New Hyde Park." The October 21, 2005 edition of the Great Neck Record states that Mr. Chisari has been a resident of Garden City Park for almost his entire life." Although the Nassau County Board of Elections lists Garden City Park as being partly in District 11, New Hyde Park does not appear on the list.
Considering how difficult it often is for ordinary citizens to keep track of election districts and to get any information at all about candidates in local elections, it would be helpful if the Republican Committee would refer to Mr. Chisari's proper residence, which is, presumably, in District 11 and is, presumably, in Garden City Park.
Barbara Johnson, Mr. Johnson's mother and predecessor in the 11th district, never represented Glenwood Landing or Glen Head, as she died while in office in 2000, before the new district line was drawn. Mr. Johnson first won his county seat in a special election shortly after his mother's untimely passing.
Wayne Wink of Roslyn is the Democratic candidate. Louis Chisari of New Hyde Park is the Republican candidate. Mr. Wink also is endorsed by the Working Family and Independent parties. Mr. Chisari also is endorsed by the Conservative Party. Both candidates are attorneys.
Mr. Chisari, 38, ran unsuccessfully for North Hempstead town clerk two years ago and for State Assembly last year.
Mr. Wink, 40, currently serves on the North Hempstead Town Council. He was an aide to the late Barbara Johnson when she was a North Hempstead Town Board member and a county legislator representing the 11th District. Mr. Wink voted no on the Glen Harbor application for a change of zone from industrial to multi-family residential, saying that there were still too many unresolved issues to grant the request.
Glenwood Landing and western Glen Head are the Nassau County 11th Legislative District's northeasternmost communities. A special election is necessary to fill the county seat vacated by Democrat Craig Johnson, who recently won another special election to fill the New York State Senate seat vacated by Republican Michael Balboni, the state's recently appointed homeland security chief.
According to the Nassau County Board of Elections, voting will take place at your usual polling place. To find out if you are in the 11th Legislative District and to confirm where to vote, contact the Board of Elections (571-2411). A map of Nassau County Legislative District 11 is posted on the county website. The Board of Elections said it plans a mailing notifying registered 11th District voters about the election and telling them where to vote.
In search of Nassau County Legislative District 11
According to the Board of Elections, Nassau County's 11th District includes all of Glenwood Landing and Roslyn Harbor and part of Sea Cliff, as well as all or portions of Albertson, East Hills, Flower Hill, Garden City Park, Herricks, Manorhaven, Plandome Manor, Port Washington, Port Washington North, Roslyn, Roslyn Estates, Roslyn Heights, Sands Point, and Searingtown.Glen Head is not listed, although the western portion of Glen Head does appear to be in the district and legislative aides have confirmed that it is. In any case, District 11 voters, you know who you are!
Before the advent of zip codes, Glenwood Landing extended east, into portions of what are now known as Glen Head. This may, possibly and at least partly, account for why Glen Head does not appear on the Board of Elections list of District 11 communities. Of course, it may also be because it is difficult even for professionals to keep track of so many election and special districts, especially in areas such as Glen Head and Glenwood Landing, which seem to be so often divided by so many weirdly drawn lines.
The Nassau County Republican Committee refers to Mr. Chisari as "an attorney from New Hyde Park." The October 21, 2005 edition of the Great Neck Record states that Mr. Chisari has been a resident of Garden City Park for almost his entire life." Although the Nassau County Board of Elections lists Garden City Park as being partly in District 11, New Hyde Park does not appear on the list.
Considering how difficult it often is for ordinary citizens to keep track of election districts and to get any information at all about candidates in local elections, it would be helpful if the Republican Committee would refer to Mr. Chisari's proper residence, which is, presumably, in District 11 and is, presumably, in Garden City Park.
A brief history of Nassau County Legislative Distrct 11
The Nassau County Legislature and all original legislative district boundaries were established in 1993, replacing the Board of Supervisors. The original district boundaries were redrawn in 2003. Originally, Glen Head and Glenwood Landing, Sea Cliff, Glen Cove, and Locust Valley were included in one cohesive district. Glenwood Landing and Glen Head's previous legislative representatives include Democrat Brian Muellers and Republican John Canning.Barbara Johnson, Mr. Johnson's mother and predecessor in the 11th district, never represented Glenwood Landing or Glen Head, as she died while in office in 2000, before the new district line was drawn. Mr. Johnson first won his county seat in a special election shortly after his mother's untimely passing.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Land Use Research Underway in Glenwood Landing and Glen Head
In response to requests from the United Civic Associations of Glen Head and Glenwood Landing, a group made up of the Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association, the Todd Estates Civic Association, Hill Terrace Civic Association, and representatives from the Plymouth Drive, Harbor View, and Radcliff Manor neighborhoods, the Town of Oyster Bay (TOB) is conducting a zoning and planning study focusing on the residential districts in Glen Head and Glenwood Landing west of the railroad tracks.
The study ties in with land use measures that TOB recently adopted in Oyster Bay hamlet, many of which will soon be rolled out town wide if approved after appropriate public hearings. The main purpose of the measures is to curb three recent construction trends: knockdowns, so-called “MacMansions,” and boxlike structures built to minimum setback lines.
Some of the measures also are aimed at reducing runoff from construction sites and at protecting steep slopes. New York State has mandated that local municipalities adopt so-called “minimum stormwater control measures” by 2008.
The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association has been working to encourage these types of measures for many years. Last month, TOB hired Frederick P. Clark Associates, a consulting firm that handles much of TOB’s land use work, to conduct the Glenwood / Glen Head study. Thus far, three draft maps have been created: an aerial view of the study area, steep slopes and wet areas, and lot size.
Frederick P. Clark is currently working on a fourth map that will illustrate lot frontages. To minimize the cost of the study, TOB has asked the civic associations to submit digital photos of selected homes throughout the study area. About 150 photos illustrating the wide diversity of housing styles in the study area have been taken so far.
The measures the town is considering are accepted by planning professionals as tools for helping to maintain the character, history, and architectural resources of residential neighborhoods. They include a tool new to TOB called the maximum permitted gross floor area requirement (FAR) and a reduction in an existing tool regulating the maximum inclined plane permitted for rooflines (known as height / setback ratios).
Both of these tools have been adopted in many nearby communities. The hope is that, taken together, they will encourage additions, renovations, and new construction to be more consistent with the scale of existing homes and inspire architects and builders to produce more creative, sensitive designs.
Structures built where these tools exist often tend to be less imposing and to exhibit more architectural details than those built in areas where such tools do not exist. The research being conducted by Frederick P. Clark may reveal details peculiar to certain Glenwood Landing and Glen Head neighborhoods that will help zoning, planning, and building code officials more effectively implement FAR, height/setback ratios, and other planning tools.
More than one professional planner has said that several recent subdivisions in Glenwood Landing and Glen Head might well have been prevented or at least modified if such tools had been available during the permitting and review process.
More information about the study will be posted as it becomes available.
The study ties in with land use measures that TOB recently adopted in Oyster Bay hamlet, many of which will soon be rolled out town wide if approved after appropriate public hearings. The main purpose of the measures is to curb three recent construction trends: knockdowns, so-called “MacMansions,” and boxlike structures built to minimum setback lines.
Some of the measures also are aimed at reducing runoff from construction sites and at protecting steep slopes. New York State has mandated that local municipalities adopt so-called “minimum stormwater control measures” by 2008.
The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association has been working to encourage these types of measures for many years. Last month, TOB hired Frederick P. Clark Associates, a consulting firm that handles much of TOB’s land use work, to conduct the Glenwood / Glen Head study. Thus far, three draft maps have been created: an aerial view of the study area, steep slopes and wet areas, and lot size.
Frederick P. Clark is currently working on a fourth map that will illustrate lot frontages. To minimize the cost of the study, TOB has asked the civic associations to submit digital photos of selected homes throughout the study area. About 150 photos illustrating the wide diversity of housing styles in the study area have been taken so far.
The measures the town is considering are accepted by planning professionals as tools for helping to maintain the character, history, and architectural resources of residential neighborhoods. They include a tool new to TOB called the maximum permitted gross floor area requirement (FAR) and a reduction in an existing tool regulating the maximum inclined plane permitted for rooflines (known as height / setback ratios).
Both of these tools have been adopted in many nearby communities. The hope is that, taken together, they will encourage additions, renovations, and new construction to be more consistent with the scale of existing homes and inspire architects and builders to produce more creative, sensitive designs.
Structures built where these tools exist often tend to be less imposing and to exhibit more architectural details than those built in areas where such tools do not exist. The research being conducted by Frederick P. Clark may reveal details peculiar to certain Glenwood Landing and Glen Head neighborhoods that will help zoning, planning, and building code officials more effectively implement FAR, height/setback ratios, and other planning tools.
More than one professional planner has said that several recent subdivisions in Glenwood Landing and Glen Head might well have been prevented or at least modified if such tools had been available during the permitting and review process.
More information about the study will be posted as it becomes available.
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