The Eastern Property Owners' Association recently passed a resolution asking the Board of Trustees to approve zoning changes to allow residential development near the eastern border of Garden City, announced Trustee Nicholas Episcopia at the May 19th Board of Trustees meeting. Residents do not want to see an office building built on the site because they say it would add significant traffic to an already congested area.

The property consists of two separate parcels of land on the north and south sides of Stewart Avenue. The north side at one time was a parking lot for the building on the south side, which was most recently home to the Long Island Children's Museum and offices. At one time, Newsday occupied the building before moving to Melville. Last year, the building was demolished to make way for new development. The north side is 4.45 acres and the south side measures 5.29 acres.

550 Stewart Avenue LLC, the corporation that purchased the property, has proposed building 36 attached single-family townhouse units on the north side, and a four-story, 150-unit multi-family dwelling on the south side. The owners have said they would like to complement and improve the entranceway to the east with significant landscaping, lighting and pillars. They have met informally with the Eastern Property Owners' Association and residents of nearby Raymond Court.

The zoning would have to be changed to allow for residential use. The property is currently zoned C-3, which permits office buildings and a series of uses that had been previously been allowed on the property such as publishing, production and manufacturing of filing materials.

According to a traffic study commissioned by the owners, residential housing would greatly improve traffic along Stewart Avenue as opposed to an office use. The 36 townhouse units would generate approximately 30 vehicles, whereas commercial development would generate 150.

Trustee Episcopia acknowledged that a residential development would have an impact on taxes and may add more children to the school district. "That increase in population is minimal compared to the risk that we're taking by allowing commercial zoning to remain in place," he said.

Other News

Robert Mangan, the Village's director of public works, gave a presentation to the Board on the sanitary sewer relining program. Employees insert cameras through manholes to inspect the 68.3 miles of sanitary sewer line throughout the Village. When lines are blocked with roots, a clipper can also be dropped down to try to clear the area. The Village also tries to use chemicals to kill the roots. Only 16 percent of the pipe needs to be completely relined. According to Mangan, that number is surprisingly low since the pipes are old.

Trustee Episcopia announced that the Environmental Advisory Board plans to get very involved in the Long Island Rail Road Main Line Corridor Improvement Project. The rail road has mailed brochures to approximately 18,000 homes as an introduction to the proposed project. Residents also can obtain a copy at Village Hall.

According to the LIRR's Web site, project scoping meetings will be held on: Tuesday, June 14, at Jericho Terrace, 249 Jericho Turnpike in Mineola; Thursday, June 16, at Floral Terrace, 250 Jericho Turnpike in Floral Park; and Tuesday, June 21, at Antuns, 244 West Old Country Road in Hicksville. The meetings will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m.

Village Administrator Robert Schoelle said the Village is currently interviewing for the position of Fire Chief and plans to make a hiring anouncement soon.