Community Grapples With Assisted Living Issue

The issue of allowing construction of an assisted living facility on property owned by the Cathedral of the Incarnation has become a divisive issue among residents. At the last few Board of Trustees meetings, including the most recent one on October 20, people have been voicing their opinions on the controversial topic.

Sunrise Assisted Living wants to lease the land from the Cathedral and build a three-story, 56,206-square-foot, 74-unit facility. The area is currently zoned R-20, which means it can be used for one-family residences with plot areas measuring a minimum of 20,000 square feet. Some additional uses are allowed by special permit. Sunrise, in conjunction with the Cathedral, has requested that assisted living be permitted as a special exception use in this zone on parcels measuring three acres or more.

Daniel Karas, president of the Central Property Owners' Association, announced that the CPOA has officially taken a position against the proposal. Karas presented the Board with a resolution which stated the group is against any commercial development or subdivision on Cathedral property.

Garden City resident Ed Finneran has been a vocal opponent of the proposal and believes that assisted living would be an improper use since the property is in a one-family housing zone. "It's not about traffic. It's not about property value," he said. "It's all about quality of life and what we want to see in the central part of the village. It's about zoning." At previous meetings Finneran has said that he is against assisted living at that location but does not oppose it elsewhere in the village.

Harry Irwin, another Garden City resident, is for the proposal and questioned how people's quality of life will be affected. Irwin argued that the assisted living building should not be considered a medical facility and dismissed some opponents' claims that people suffering from dementia will be allowed to wander through the streets.

Diane Moody, a lifetime resident of Garden City, has spoken at several meetings for the plan. She reiterated her position that assisted living is needed and the Cathedral property would be an appropriate site.

Trustee Nicholas Episcopia is currently chairing a committee, comprised of Trustees John Watras and Donald Brudie, to meet and discuss the issue with all parties involved, including residents and representatives from the Cathedral and Sunrise. The Board has not said when, or if, they will make a decision. They are legally under no obligation to act on Sunrise's petition. They have several options: they can choose not to act; they can deny the petition; they can entertain the petition and start the legal process to change the code; or they can agree with the petition's concept, but not the recommended procedure, and may choose some other method. If they start the legal process to change the code, the process could take 18 months to two years.

In other meeting news, Althea Robinson, executive director of the Garden City Chamber of Commerce, reminded Board members and residents that the 27th Annual Fall Festival Street Fair will be held on Saturday, October 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Seventh Street. She also announced that Chamber members have donated the cornstalks along Seventh Street and a section of Franklin Avenue. She thanked the Village, its police and public works departments, and Lieutenant Kenneth Jackson and Village Clerk Brian Ridgway for their assistance.

Village Auditor James Olivo gave a presentation on the status of this year's budget. He explained that the Village's past conservative budgeting practices have allowed them to more easily absorb economic blows, such as the current spike in energy costs. The additional energy costs expected this year will be covered by contingency funds.

The Village is diligent in maintaining its infrastructure and has recently converted to gas where possible, replaced windows and lighting with more energy efficient systems, installed thermostat controls and replaced the boiler at Village Hall. The Village has received a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for nine consecutive years, and according to Olivo, expect to receive it again this year.