The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Assocation today filed the comments below in response to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Lundy Property. The Oyster Bay Town Board heard the application to rezone the property on March 27.
To: Aldona Lawson, TOB TEQR Division, 150 Miller Place, Syosset, NY 11791
Fr: Patrice Benneward, President, Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association, PO Box 23, Glenwood Landing, NY 11547
Re: MARCH 27 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).
---------------
I understand that the hearing on the above application may be closed but that comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement may be submitted through today. The civic association wishes to add the comments below to the comments made at the hearing by Karen Greene.
• Traffic: Turning right or left onto Glen Head Road from Dumond Place is difficult due to poor visibility. In addition, when traveling eastbound on Glen Head Road, making a left turn onto Dumond Place (as well as onto other side streets in the vicinity) can backup traffic to Glen Cove Avenue. The problem is frequently exacerbated by trains at the Glen Head Station. The proposed subdivision cannot help but worsen these conditions. We believe these traffic issues require more thorough study and that they must be effectively mitigated if the subdivision moves forward, particularly since the only way to enter or leave the subdivision would apparently be via Dumond Place.
• Sewer Line: We question the wisdom of approving a privately financed sewer line without examining the sewer needs of the properties in the surrounding area. We think the public interest would best be served by examining whether hooking up specific areas in the vicinity of the proposed line would improve groundwater quality or water quality in Hempstead Harbor, as well as whether such hookups would help to mitigate any flooding that may occur on some properties. If such an evaluation determines that sewering specific areas would be beneficial, we think the public interest would best be served if the engineering specifications of the sewer line were rethought and mechanisms for funding such hookups were fully explored. We are under the impression that the proposed subdivision and sewer line are in the Hempstead Harbor drainage basin and that at least a portion of the sewer line runs through the special groundwater protection area. But even if this were not the case, we believe the concerns we have outlined relative to sewering would remain valid. Note that a sewer feasibility study is underway in Glenwood Landing, prompted at least in part by a privately funded sewer line that may be constructed along the Glenwood Landing Waterfront.
• Open Space: The density of the proposed subdivision is far greater than in any other subdivision in Glen Head, perhaps with two exceptions. As the area approaches build out, open space has become increasingly important to the public good. We think the community interest requires that the site plan include a generous amount of public open space, as well as private open space that is visible to the public. We urge that at least one single family building and one multi-family building be dropped from the plan with no corresponding increase in lot coverage. We urge open space to be maximized in areas visible to the public, such as front- and side-yard setbacks, particularly at corners. We urge the inclusion in the site plan of public green spaces and the use of creative and innovative architectural, design, and planning techniques that promote a walkable neighborhood ambiance and that minimize the bulk of buildings and the features (such as garage doors) that frequently detract from the perception of open space.
Finally, we thank the Town of Oyster Bay for requiring an environmental review and appreciate the opportunity to comment.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Variance Hearing for Motts Cove Road Subdivision Rescheduled
The Town of Oyster Bay Zoning Board of Appeals hearing on an application for variances to permit a six-unit subdivision on the east side of Motts Cove Road in Glen Head on the Oyster Bay - Roslyn Harbor line (see previous postings) has been rescheduled for Thursday, June 7.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Adjournment Requested for Motts Cove Variance Hearing
The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association and Todd Estate Civic Association have requested an adjournment for the Town of Oyster Bay Zoning Board of Appeals Hearing on a six-lot subdivision proposed for the east side of Motts Cove Road on property sold to a developer by Engineers Country Club.
Five of the requested lots are in Glen Head; one lot is in Roslyn Harbor. The hearing is currently scheduled for Thursday evening, April 26. A neighboring property owner also has requested an adjournment.
The parcel appears to be characterized by a number of features that complicate the application: It spans two jurisdictions permitting two different lot sizes, it is irregularly shaped, it is steeply and irregularly sloped, and it contains two ponds. The civic associations and nearby property owners would like the opportunity to learn more about these matters before the hearing.
We also understand that the two ponds on the property were recently disturbed by activity for which no permits had been issued and that at least one stop work order was issued. Furthermore, many people who frequently travel on Motts Cove Road have commented that the amount of silt escaping from the property has increased dramatically in recent months. This would appear to be inconsistent with the state’s current emphasis on increased stormwater controls. We would like the opportunity to investigate these matters as well.
In addition, the access road shown on the application appears to be uncomfortably close to the neighboring property, which contains a mature garden with many specimen trees, as well as one of the oldest and most beautifully restored homes in Roslyn Harbor. In addition, the use of the right of way would change dramatically, from a little used service drive to an active, full-fledge road. We would like the opportunity to evaluate the impact of these changes on the adjacent property.
Finally, we were puzzled when we learned that the application was originally filed with the county planning commission. We would like the opportunity to contact the county to determine whether the application was accepted; what direction, if any, was given to the applicant; and whether, in the county’s view, a positive declaration and full environmental review with public scoping may be appropriate and what jurisdiction might become the lead agency.
Five of the requested lots are in Glen Head; one lot is in Roslyn Harbor. The hearing is currently scheduled for Thursday evening, April 26. A neighboring property owner also has requested an adjournment.
The parcel appears to be characterized by a number of features that complicate the application: It spans two jurisdictions permitting two different lot sizes, it is irregularly shaped, it is steeply and irregularly sloped, and it contains two ponds. The civic associations and nearby property owners would like the opportunity to learn more about these matters before the hearing.
We also understand that the two ponds on the property were recently disturbed by activity for which no permits had been issued and that at least one stop work order was issued. Furthermore, many people who frequently travel on Motts Cove Road have commented that the amount of silt escaping from the property has increased dramatically in recent months. This would appear to be inconsistent with the state’s current emphasis on increased stormwater controls. We would like the opportunity to investigate these matters as well.
In addition, the access road shown on the application appears to be uncomfortably close to the neighboring property, which contains a mature garden with many specimen trees, as well as one of the oldest and most beautifully restored homes in Roslyn Harbor. In addition, the use of the right of way would change dramatically, from a little used service drive to an active, full-fledge road. We would like the opportunity to evaluate the impact of these changes on the adjacent property.
Finally, we were puzzled when we learned that the application was originally filed with the county planning commission. We would like the opportunity to contact the county to determine whether the application was accepted; what direction, if any, was given to the applicant; and whether, in the county’s view, a positive declaration and full environmental review with public scoping may be appropriate and what jurisdiction might become the lead agency.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Variance Hearing Set for Glenwood Landing Waterfront Condo Application
The Town of North Hempstead Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) application by Glen Harbor Partners for variances to permit a condominium apartment building on the Glenwood Landing Waterfront is on the ZBA agenda for Wednesday, May 16, at 9:30 a.m.
According to the ZBA application, three height-related variances are needed to build the project as proposed: a one-story variance to permit a four-story structure; a two-foot, four-inch height variance for all of the structure except the elevator builkhead; and a six-foot, one-inch variance for the elevator builkhead on the street side of the building.
Last fall, when the town board heard the application to rezone the property from industrial use to multi-family residential use, the board noted that a variance would be need to permit ground-level parking under the building. Subsequently, the town passed a regulation permitting underground parking. Thus, a variance for parking beneath the building is no longer necessary.
At that time, the height of the building appeared to be within the height permited by town code; the need for a variance to permit four stories was identified. For more information, contact TNH Planning / ZBA at 869-7755.
According to the ZBA application, three height-related variances are needed to build the project as proposed: a one-story variance to permit a four-story structure; a two-foot, four-inch height variance for all of the structure except the elevator builkhead; and a six-foot, one-inch variance for the elevator builkhead on the street side of the building.
Last fall, when the town board heard the application to rezone the property from industrial use to multi-family residential use, the board noted that a variance would be need to permit ground-level parking under the building. Subsequently, the town passed a regulation permitting underground parking. Thus, a variance for parking beneath the building is no longer necessary.
At that time, the height of the building appeared to be within the height permited by town code; the need for a variance to permit four stories was identified. For more information, contact TNH Planning / ZBA at 869-7755.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Developer Requests May 16 Zoning Variance Hearing for Glenwood Landing Waterfront Apartments
Glen Harbor Partners has requested a hearing date of Wednesday, May 16, for its application to the Town of North Hempstead Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) for variances in connection with the apartment building proposed for the Glenwood Landing Waterfront south of the Glenwood Landing Power Station.
According to the ZBA application, three height-related variances are needed to build the project as proposed: a one-story variance to permit a four-story structure; a two-foot, four-inch height variance for all of the structure except the elevator builkhead; and a six-foot, one-inch variance for the elevator builkhead on the street side of the building.
Last fall, when the town board heard the application to rezone the property from industrial use to multi-family residential use, the board noted that a variance would be need to permit ground-level parking under the building. Subsequently, the town passed a regulation permitting underground parking. Thus, a variance for parking beneath the building is no longer necessary.
At that time, the height of the building appeared to be within the height permited by town code; the need for a variance to permit four stories was identified.
According to the ZBA application, three height-related variances are needed to build the project as proposed: a one-story variance to permit a four-story structure; a two-foot, four-inch height variance for all of the structure except the elevator builkhead; and a six-foot, one-inch variance for the elevator builkhead on the street side of the building.
Last fall, when the town board heard the application to rezone the property from industrial use to multi-family residential use, the board noted that a variance would be need to permit ground-level parking under the building. Subsequently, the town passed a regulation permitting underground parking. Thus, a variance for parking beneath the building is no longer necessary.
At that time, the height of the building appeared to be within the height permited by town code; the need for a variance to permit four stories was identified.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Zoning Hearing Scheduled for Subdivision on Motts Cove Road in Glen Head
Engineers Country Club has sold property along the east side of Motts Cove Road in Roslyn Harbor and Glen Head to a developer who plans a residential subdivision. The Glen Head portion of the property is in the Town of Oyster Bay (TOB). The following hearings are on the TOB Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) calendar for Thursday, April 26, at 7 p.m.
The notices describe all the lots as flags and state that each one has either too little frontage or too little rear yard setback, which would seem to indicated that at least two variances are being requested for each lot. There also is a pond on the parcel, and one wonders what provisions have been made for its protection. For more information, contact the TOB ZBA at 624-6232
• HEARING NO. 19: APPEAL NO. 07-211, GLEN HEAD COUNTRY CLUB DEVELOPERS, LLC: Variance to erect a one-family dwelling, on a sub-divided flag lot, having less rear yard setback than required by Ordinance. (Parcel 1) E/s/o Motts Cove Rd., 409.84 ft. S/o Washington Ave., Glen Head, NY SEC. 20 BLK. F LOT p/o 1076 ZONE R1-7
• HEARING NO. 20: APPEAL NO. 07-212, GLEN HEAD COUNTRY CLUB DEVELOPERS, LLC: Variance to erect a one-family dwelling, on a sub-divided flag lot, having reduced frontage. (Parcel 2) N/s/o Private Right-of-Way, 47 ft. E/o Motts Cove Rd., Glen Head, NY SEC. 20 BLK. F LOT p/o 1076A ZONE R1-7
• HEARING NO. 21: APPEAL NO. 07-213, GLEN HEAD COUNTRY CLUB DEVELOPERS, LLC: Variance to erect a one-family dwelling, on a sub-divided flag lot, having reduced frontage. (Parcel 3) N/s/o Private Right-of-Way, 86.38 ft. E/o Motts Cove Rd., Glen Head, NY SEC. 20 BLK. F LOT 1076B ZONE R1-7
• HEARING NO. 22: APPEAL NO. 07-214, GLEN HEAD COUNTRY CLUB DEVELOPERS, LLC: Variance to erect a one-family dwelling, on a sub-divided flag lot, having reduced frontage. (Parcel 4) N/s/o Private Right-of-Way, 165.42 ft. E/o Motts Cove Rd., Glen Head, NY SEC. 20 BLK. F LOT 36C ZONE R1-7
• HEARING NO. 23: APPEAL NO. 07-215, GLEN HEAD COUNTRY CLUB DEVELOPERS, LLC: Variance to erect a one-family dwelling, on a sub-divided flag lot, having reduced frontage. (Parcel 5) N/s/o Private Right-of-Way, 241.44 ft. E/o Motts Cove Rd., Glen Head, NY SEC. 20 BLK. F LOT 36C ZONE R1-7
The notices describe all the lots as flags and state that each one has either too little frontage or too little rear yard setback, which would seem to indicated that at least two variances are being requested for each lot. There also is a pond on the parcel, and one wonders what provisions have been made for its protection. For more information, contact the TOB ZBA at 624-6232
• HEARING NO. 19: APPEAL NO. 07-211, GLEN HEAD COUNTRY CLUB DEVELOPERS, LLC: Variance to erect a one-family dwelling, on a sub-divided flag lot, having less rear yard setback than required by Ordinance. (Parcel 1) E/s/o Motts Cove Rd., 409.84 ft. S/o Washington Ave., Glen Head, NY SEC. 20 BLK. F LOT p/o 1076 ZONE R1-7
• HEARING NO. 20: APPEAL NO. 07-212, GLEN HEAD COUNTRY CLUB DEVELOPERS, LLC: Variance to erect a one-family dwelling, on a sub-divided flag lot, having reduced frontage. (Parcel 2) N/s/o Private Right-of-Way, 47 ft. E/o Motts Cove Rd., Glen Head, NY SEC. 20 BLK. F LOT p/o 1076A ZONE R1-7
• HEARING NO. 21: APPEAL NO. 07-213, GLEN HEAD COUNTRY CLUB DEVELOPERS, LLC: Variance to erect a one-family dwelling, on a sub-divided flag lot, having reduced frontage. (Parcel 3) N/s/o Private Right-of-Way, 86.38 ft. E/o Motts Cove Rd., Glen Head, NY SEC. 20 BLK. F LOT 1076B ZONE R1-7
• HEARING NO. 22: APPEAL NO. 07-214, GLEN HEAD COUNTRY CLUB DEVELOPERS, LLC: Variance to erect a one-family dwelling, on a sub-divided flag lot, having reduced frontage. (Parcel 4) N/s/o Private Right-of-Way, 165.42 ft. E/o Motts Cove Rd., Glen Head, NY SEC. 20 BLK. F LOT 36C ZONE R1-7
• HEARING NO. 23: APPEAL NO. 07-215, GLEN HEAD COUNTRY CLUB DEVELOPERS, LLC: Variance to erect a one-family dwelling, on a sub-divided flag lot, having reduced frontage. (Parcel 5) N/s/o Private Right-of-Way, 241.44 ft. E/o Motts Cove Rd., Glen Head, NY SEC. 20 BLK. F LOT 36C ZONE R1-7
Community Meeting on Scudders Pond Restoration
If you live in Glenwood Landing, watch your mailbox for an invitation to attend a community meeting about the state of Scudders Pond and the major restoration projects that are about to begin there. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 25, at Sea Cliff Village Hall at 7:30 p.m.
The invitation has been extended by the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee (HHPC), the Village of Sea Cliff, and the NYS Dept. of State / Division of Coastal Resources. HHPC will be mailing an invitation to all Glenwood Landing residents. Glen Head and Roslyn Harbor residents, indeed all interested parties, are also welcome.
Nearly a million dollars have been obtained to begin major improvements to the pond and its sub-watershed. The public meeting will review the problems uncovered and the various recommendations to restore the health of this important drainage area.
Press release issued by HHPC
The Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee (“HHPC”) announced today the completion of a two-year study on Sea Cliff’s Scudder’s Pond and the scheduling of a public meeting to discuss the results and the recommended improvements. The public meeting will take place on Wednesday, April 25th at 7:30 p.m. at Sea Cliff Village Hall (corner of Sea Cliff and Summit Avenues) in Sea Cliff.
As a result of the study and through a unique inter-municipal effort, nearly a million dollars’ worth of recommended improvements will be implemented and more are anticipated. These improvements are funded largely through grants.
Though small, Sea Cliff’s historic Scudder’s Pond has a big impact on water quality and wildlife in nearby Hempstead Harbor. However age has taken its toll. Fortunately, as a result of a two-year study recently completed by the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee (“HHPC”), the pond is about to see some major improvements.
According to Sea Cliff Mayor Eileen Krieb, “This small pond is invaluable to our village. It not only protects our harbor from stormwater runoff but has been loved by locals for over 100 years for ice skating and wildlife watching. The pond has given us a lot over the years. It deserves some loving attention”.
Since it was last dredged in 1980, the two-acre pond's natural filtering ability has been significantly impaired as it has filled with silt and sediment. A small weir separating it from another pond upstream has deteriorated, allowing more sediment to reach the pond and fill it in. Invasive plants have taken over large areas in and around the pond. This vegetation not only obscures the public’s view, but chokes out native plants and deprives certain animals of their habitats.
To address these issues, HHPC hired two firms, EEA of Stony Brook and Cameron Engineering & Associates of Woodbury to review conditions in the pond and its subwatershed (the area that drains into the pond) and to prepare recommendations for improvements and cost estimates for implementing these improvements. This study, funded in part by an Environmental Protection Fund grant from the New York State Department of State, is now complete and several of its recommendations have been funded.
The public meeting will explain the results of the study and the anticipated improvements.
“We not only want to restore the pond but also implement measures to help prevent it from filling in again” said William Clemency, Chair of the HHPC which represents the nine municipalities that surround Hempstead Harbor. He explained that one of the recommendations is the installation of a state-of-the-art storm drain system called a “swirl separator” to remove sediment before it can reach the pond. This will be one of the first of the recommendations that will be carried out.
The Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee (“HHPC”) announced today the completion of a two-year study on Sea Cliff’s Scudder’s Pond and the scheduling of a public meeting to discuss the results and the recommended improvements. The public meeting will take place on Wednesday, April 25th at 7:30 p.m. at Sea Cliff Village Hall (corner of Sea Cliff and Summit Avenues) in Sea Cliff.
As a result of the study and through a unique inter-municipal effort, nearly a million dollars’ worth of recommended improvements will be implemented and more are anticipated. These improvements are funded largely through grants.
Though small, Sea Cliff’s historic Scudder’s Pond has a big impact on water quality and wildlife in nearby Hempstead Harbor. However age has taken its toll. Fortunately, as a result of a two-year study recently completed by the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee (“HHPC”), the pond is about to see some major improvements.
According to HHPC Director Eric Swenson, “New York State and Nassau County have recognized the importance of these efforts by earmarking $ 821,000 from two New York State Environmental Protection Fund grants and from the first Nassau County Environmental Bond Act”. In addition, the Village of Sea Cliff has committed itself to providing $145,000 in matching funds. Additional funding has been nominated for the county’s second Environmental Bond Act.
These funds will be used for a number of improvements including the removal of sediment and invasive plants from the pond; the installation of a swirl separator; reinforcing channel banks leading from the swirl separator to the pond; creating natural treatment wetlands; replacing a deteriorated weir and planting native vegetation in place of the invasive plants.
Patrice Benneward, President of the Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association stated that “this is an excellent example of many levels of government working with citizens to benefit the community”.
The Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee is an inter-municipal committee, formed in 1995 to work cooperatively on improving the water quality of Hempstead Harbor. It is comprised of the County of Nassau, the Towns of Oyster Bay and North Hempstead, the City of Glen Cove, and the Villages of Sea Cliff, Roslyn Harbor, Roslyn, Flower Hill and Sands Point. Since its inception, the HHPC has obtained 22 grants totaling more than $1.3 million for the betterment of the harbor and its watershed.
The invitation has been extended by the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee (HHPC), the Village of Sea Cliff, and the NYS Dept. of State / Division of Coastal Resources. HHPC will be mailing an invitation to all Glenwood Landing residents. Glen Head and Roslyn Harbor residents, indeed all interested parties, are also welcome.
Nearly a million dollars have been obtained to begin major improvements to the pond and its sub-watershed. The public meeting will review the problems uncovered and the various recommendations to restore the health of this important drainage area.
Press release issued by HHPC
The Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee (“HHPC”) announced today the completion of a two-year study on Sea Cliff’s Scudder’s Pond and the scheduling of a public meeting to discuss the results and the recommended improvements. The public meeting will take place on Wednesday, April 25th at 7:30 p.m. at Sea Cliff Village Hall (corner of Sea Cliff and Summit Avenues) in Sea Cliff.
As a result of the study and through a unique inter-municipal effort, nearly a million dollars’ worth of recommended improvements will be implemented and more are anticipated. These improvements are funded largely through grants.
Though small, Sea Cliff’s historic Scudder’s Pond has a big impact on water quality and wildlife in nearby Hempstead Harbor. However age has taken its toll. Fortunately, as a result of a two-year study recently completed by the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee (“HHPC”), the pond is about to see some major improvements.
According to Sea Cliff Mayor Eileen Krieb, “This small pond is invaluable to our village. It not only protects our harbor from stormwater runoff but has been loved by locals for over 100 years for ice skating and wildlife watching. The pond has given us a lot over the years. It deserves some loving attention”.
Since it was last dredged in 1980, the two-acre pond's natural filtering ability has been significantly impaired as it has filled with silt and sediment. A small weir separating it from another pond upstream has deteriorated, allowing more sediment to reach the pond and fill it in. Invasive plants have taken over large areas in and around the pond. This vegetation not only obscures the public’s view, but chokes out native plants and deprives certain animals of their habitats.
To address these issues, HHPC hired two firms, EEA of Stony Brook and Cameron Engineering & Associates of Woodbury to review conditions in the pond and its subwatershed (the area that drains into the pond) and to prepare recommendations for improvements and cost estimates for implementing these improvements. This study, funded in part by an Environmental Protection Fund grant from the New York State Department of State, is now complete and several of its recommendations have been funded.
The public meeting will explain the results of the study and the anticipated improvements.
“We not only want to restore the pond but also implement measures to help prevent it from filling in again” said William Clemency, Chair of the HHPC which represents the nine municipalities that surround Hempstead Harbor. He explained that one of the recommendations is the installation of a state-of-the-art storm drain system called a “swirl separator” to remove sediment before it can reach the pond. This will be one of the first of the recommendations that will be carried out.
The Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee (“HHPC”) announced today the completion of a two-year study on Sea Cliff’s Scudder’s Pond and the scheduling of a public meeting to discuss the results and the recommended improvements. The public meeting will take place on Wednesday, April 25th at 7:30 p.m. at Sea Cliff Village Hall (corner of Sea Cliff and Summit Avenues) in Sea Cliff.
As a result of the study and through a unique inter-municipal effort, nearly a million dollars’ worth of recommended improvements will be implemented and more are anticipated. These improvements are funded largely through grants.
Though small, Sea Cliff’s historic Scudder’s Pond has a big impact on water quality and wildlife in nearby Hempstead Harbor. However age has taken its toll. Fortunately, as a result of a two-year study recently completed by the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee (“HHPC”), the pond is about to see some major improvements.
According to HHPC Director Eric Swenson, “New York State and Nassau County have recognized the importance of these efforts by earmarking $ 821,000 from two New York State Environmental Protection Fund grants and from the first Nassau County Environmental Bond Act”. In addition, the Village of Sea Cliff has committed itself to providing $145,000 in matching funds. Additional funding has been nominated for the county’s second Environmental Bond Act.
These funds will be used for a number of improvements including the removal of sediment and invasive plants from the pond; the installation of a swirl separator; reinforcing channel banks leading from the swirl separator to the pond; creating natural treatment wetlands; replacing a deteriorated weir and planting native vegetation in place of the invasive plants.
Patrice Benneward, President of the Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association stated that “this is an excellent example of many levels of government working with citizens to benefit the community”.
The Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee is an inter-municipal committee, formed in 1995 to work cooperatively on improving the water quality of Hempstead Harbor. It is comprised of the County of Nassau, the Towns of Oyster Bay and North Hempstead, the City of Glen Cove, and the Villages of Sea Cliff, Roslyn Harbor, Roslyn, Flower Hill and Sands Point. Since its inception, the HHPC has obtained 22 grants totaling more than $1.3 million for the betterment of the harbor and its watershed.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Glen Harbor Partners Files Application for Glenwood Landing Building Permits
Glen Harbor Partners has filed an application for building permits in connection with a 60-unit condominium apartment building proposed for the west side of Shore Road in the Town of North Hempstead (TNH) portion of Glenwood Landing just south of the Glenwood Landing Power Station.
The application was filed with the TNH Building Department on March 28. In many cases, Building Department review can take several months. In this case, the review appears to have been completed in two days. Following standard procedure, the Building Department denied the application because the project requires one or more variances.
The property includes two lots owned by TNH that will be sold to the developer. The entire parcel was rezoned from industrial use to multi-family residential use last fall after several hearings that drew large numbers of residents, most of whom objected to an apartment complex on the waterfront.
Based on plans presented at that time, the project requires two variances: one for ground-level parking beneath the building and one for the number of floors in the building. The proposed height of the building shown during the rezoning processes complied with the requirments specified in the zoning code for multi-family residential use.
The next step will likley be a hearing before the TNH Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), possibly in mid-May. The TNH ZBA usually meets during the day.
According to TNH and to the applicant, the project is contingent upon a sewer line to Glen Cove. Last fall, after a meeting with the Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association and No GWL Condos, Glen Cove Mayor Ralph Suozzi notified TNH that a sewer line would not be considered until Glen Cove had completed various studies of its own, a process that could take some time. Mayor Suozzi said that when those studies were completed, if sewer lines were accepted, areas with demonstrated need based on comprhensive study would be given preference.
No such study has been completed in Glenwood Landing. However, last fall, the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee, an inter-municipal organization made of of the nine municipalities surrounding Hempstead Harobr, applied for a grant to fund a sewer feasibility study for Glenwood Landing with the support of the Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association. Whether Mayor Suozzi's position on the sewer line has changed is unknown.
At the rezoning hearing, the applicant also said that the project would include a waterfront walkway with public access at the northern and southern entrances.
The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association maintains that vacant waterfront property is too valuable a recreational resource to be developed for any use other than open space—particularly in this case since the parcel includes two publically-owned lots that TNH plans to sell to the developer. In fact, several years ago, the civic association filed an application under the first TNH bond act requesting that the town purchase the privately owned portion of the parcel, combine it with the town-owned land, and manage the area as open space. The suggestion did not make the town's approved list of purchases.
In fact, over the last decade, TNH has systematically divested itself of publically owned land in Glenwood Landing. The three houses on the west side of Shore Road just north of the Swan Club are built on land that the TNH chose to sell. That sale, which caught the community off guard at the time, prompted many people to pay more attention to activities in that area and is, in fact, one of several alarming trends that prompted formation of the civic association.
Many residents of the TNH and Town of Oyster Bay portions of Glenwood Landing, Glen Head, Sea Cliff, and Roslyn Harbor have said they are willing to pay to clean up the site and to create and maintain a park. However, for unknown reasons, TNH has not been willing to explore this option or the mechanisms by which it might be achieved.
Should the project proceed, the civic association is committed to achieving the maximum amount of open space possible, particularly on the west side of Shore Road (the project also includes a small, virtually unbuildable parcel on the east side of Shore Road). The civic association applauds the inclusion of a waterfront esplanade with northern and southern access points. However, we are concerned about the quality of the materials that would be used to construct the esplanade, the hours of access, and short-term and long-term maintenance. Furthermore, we believe it is essential that all the land between the walkway and the building be managed for wildlife. Finally, we feel strongly that the only way to guarantee that these practices continue indefinitely is for them to be clearly specified in a conservation easement held by a nonprofit conservation organization. The North Shore Land Alliance, a Long Island group formed for this purpose, has manifested a strong interest in doing so.
With regard to the sewer line, we are concerned about the number of times that Shore Road may be opened to build sewer lines given the availablity of other vacant lots in the area, particularly the Shore Realty property just south of the proposed Glen Harbor project. We also think it imprudent to build a privately funded sewer line to service one development with no possibility of servicing other properties, especially if hooking up other properties would significantly improve water quality in Hempstead Harbor.
The application was filed with the TNH Building Department on March 28. In many cases, Building Department review can take several months. In this case, the review appears to have been completed in two days. Following standard procedure, the Building Department denied the application because the project requires one or more variances.
The property includes two lots owned by TNH that will be sold to the developer. The entire parcel was rezoned from industrial use to multi-family residential use last fall after several hearings that drew large numbers of residents, most of whom objected to an apartment complex on the waterfront.
Based on plans presented at that time, the project requires two variances: one for ground-level parking beneath the building and one for the number of floors in the building. The proposed height of the building shown during the rezoning processes complied with the requirments specified in the zoning code for multi-family residential use.
The next step will likley be a hearing before the TNH Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), possibly in mid-May. The TNH ZBA usually meets during the day.
According to TNH and to the applicant, the project is contingent upon a sewer line to Glen Cove. Last fall, after a meeting with the Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association and No GWL Condos, Glen Cove Mayor Ralph Suozzi notified TNH that a sewer line would not be considered until Glen Cove had completed various studies of its own, a process that could take some time. Mayor Suozzi said that when those studies were completed, if sewer lines were accepted, areas with demonstrated need based on comprhensive study would be given preference.
No such study has been completed in Glenwood Landing. However, last fall, the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee, an inter-municipal organization made of of the nine municipalities surrounding Hempstead Harobr, applied for a grant to fund a sewer feasibility study for Glenwood Landing with the support of the Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association. Whether Mayor Suozzi's position on the sewer line has changed is unknown.
At the rezoning hearing, the applicant also said that the project would include a waterfront walkway with public access at the northern and southern entrances.
The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association maintains that vacant waterfront property is too valuable a recreational resource to be developed for any use other than open space—particularly in this case since the parcel includes two publically-owned lots that TNH plans to sell to the developer. In fact, several years ago, the civic association filed an application under the first TNH bond act requesting that the town purchase the privately owned portion of the parcel, combine it with the town-owned land, and manage the area as open space. The suggestion did not make the town's approved list of purchases.
In fact, over the last decade, TNH has systematically divested itself of publically owned land in Glenwood Landing. The three houses on the west side of Shore Road just north of the Swan Club are built on land that the TNH chose to sell. That sale, which caught the community off guard at the time, prompted many people to pay more attention to activities in that area and is, in fact, one of several alarming trends that prompted formation of the civic association.
Many residents of the TNH and Town of Oyster Bay portions of Glenwood Landing, Glen Head, Sea Cliff, and Roslyn Harbor have said they are willing to pay to clean up the site and to create and maintain a park. However, for unknown reasons, TNH has not been willing to explore this option or the mechanisms by which it might be achieved.
Should the project proceed, the civic association is committed to achieving the maximum amount of open space possible, particularly on the west side of Shore Road (the project also includes a small, virtually unbuildable parcel on the east side of Shore Road). The civic association applauds the inclusion of a waterfront esplanade with northern and southern access points. However, we are concerned about the quality of the materials that would be used to construct the esplanade, the hours of access, and short-term and long-term maintenance. Furthermore, we believe it is essential that all the land between the walkway and the building be managed for wildlife. Finally, we feel strongly that the only way to guarantee that these practices continue indefinitely is for them to be clearly specified in a conservation easement held by a nonprofit conservation organization. The North Shore Land Alliance, a Long Island group formed for this purpose, has manifested a strong interest in doing so.
With regard to the sewer line, we are concerned about the number of times that Shore Road may be opened to build sewer lines given the availablity of other vacant lots in the area, particularly the Shore Realty property just south of the proposed Glen Harbor project. We also think it imprudent to build a privately funded sewer line to service one development with no possibility of servicing other properties, especially if hooking up other properties would significantly improve water quality in Hempstead Harbor.
Friday, April 06, 2007
Glenwood Landing and Glen Head Turnout Low in Special Election for Nassau County Legislator
According to the Nassau County Board of Elections, overall turnout in the special election for Nassau County Legislator in District 11 was 7%.
Nassau County Board of Elections statistics show that turnout in Glenwood Landing, which is all in District 11, and the District 11 portion of Glen Head was even lower.
Of 3,197 registered voters in Glenwood Landing and the District 11 portion of Glen Head, 40 people voted—a turnout of 1.25%, compared to 9.86% in Port Washington, 4.56% in Roslyn, and 1.43% in Roslyn Harbor.
Nassau County Board of Elections statistics show that turnout in Glenwood Landing, which is all in District 11, and the District 11 portion of Glen Head was even lower.
Of 3,197 registered voters in Glenwood Landing and the District 11 portion of Glen Head, 40 people voted—a turnout of 1.25%, compared to 9.86% in Port Washington, 4.56% in Roslyn, and 1.43% in Roslyn Harbor.
Study Addresses Community Character in Glenwood Landing and Glen Head
Acknowledging the unique architectural, environmental, and topographical reseources in Glen Head and Glenwood Landing, the Town of Oyster Bay (TOB) is conducting a zoning and planning study to map various land use and topographical features in the residential neighborhoods of Glen Head and Glenwood Landing west of the railroad tracks.
The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association, Todd Estates Civic Association, and other neighborhood groups are participating in the study and reaching out to interested neighbors (see postings of April 2 and March 12). The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association has taken some 150 photos of neighborhood features, including homes, wet spots, and slopes, to document the characteristics of the study area.
“The residential neighborhoods of both Glen Head and Glenwood Landing have unique architectural, environmental, and topographical resources that have attracted people to the area for years,” TOB Supervisor John Vendiotto is quoted as saying in an April 5 article about the study published in the Glen Cove Record Pilot. “Unfortunately, residents in these neighborhoods have seen an alarming trend toward knockdowns, McMansions and boxlike structures that are built to maximize every square foot of buildable property."
According to the Glen Cove Record Pilot item, the study will map the area and the data will be evaluated by the town's planner, who will then prepare planning and zoning recommendations to review with residents.
The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association, Todd Estates Civic Association, and other neighborhood groups are participating in the study and reaching out to interested neighbors (see postings of April 2 and March 12). The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association has taken some 150 photos of neighborhood features, including homes, wet spots, and slopes, to document the characteristics of the study area.
“The residential neighborhoods of both Glen Head and Glenwood Landing have unique architectural, environmental, and topographical resources that have attracted people to the area for years,” TOB Supervisor John Vendiotto is quoted as saying in an April 5 article about the study published in the Glen Cove Record Pilot. “Unfortunately, residents in these neighborhoods have seen an alarming trend toward knockdowns, McMansions and boxlike structures that are built to maximize every square foot of buildable property."
According to the Glen Cove Record Pilot item, the study will map the area and the data will be evaluated by the town's planner, who will then prepare planning and zoning recommendations to review with residents.
Monday, April 02, 2007
Civic Documents Architectural Styles of Glen Head & Glenwood Landing Homes
The Glenwood / Glen Head Civic Association has assembled and submitted to the Town of Oyster Bay (TOB) a portfolio of some 150 photographs showing the architectural variety of the homes in Glen Head and Glenwood Landing.
At the request of 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, TOB is conducting a zoning and planning study focusing on the residential districts in Glen Head and Glenwood Landing west of the railroad tracks (see March 12 posting, Land Use Research Underway in Glenwood Landing and Glen Head).
TOB has hired Frederick P. Clark, a planning firm that frequently works for the town, to conduct the study and asked the civic association to assemble the Glenwood / Glen Head photographic portfolio as a means of limiting cost.
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.
Thus far, Frederick P. Clark has created three draft maps of the study area: an aerial view, steep slopes and wet areas, and lot size. The firm is currently working on a fourth map that will illustrate lot frontages.
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.
At the request of 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, TOB is conducting a zoning and planning study focusing on the residential districts in Glen Head and Glenwood Landing west of the railroad tracks (see March 12 posting, Land Use Research Underway in Glenwood Landing and Glen Head).
TOB has hired Frederick P. Clark, a planning firm that frequently works for the town, to conduct the study and asked the civic association to assemble the Glenwood / Glen Head photographic portfolio as a means of limiting cost.
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.
Thus far, Frederick P. Clark has created three draft maps of the study area: an aerial view, steep slopes and wet areas, and lot size. The firm is currently working on a fourth map that will illustrate lot frontages.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)