Govern With Transparency

To the Editor:

At the Board of Trustees meeting on March 6, it was very interesting and enlightening to hear Mayor Martin of Mineola explain the apartment building that is planned for Old Country Rd. It seems, in Mineola, they govern with transparency. What a novel idea! He explained the project, the process and ALL the concessions they were able to get because they negotiated from strength. Mayor Martin told us that when Avalon Bay indicated interest in the Keyspan building, but would need tax concessions. Mineola flatly said NO. This brought a round of applause from our residents attending the meeting.

When Trustee Mauk forced the vote which left Avalon Bay as the only proposal still available, many in the audience, with foresight, commented that this would weaken Garden City's position in negotiations. We have, unfortunately, seen that this has come to pass. Trustee Lamberti had tried to have the Canus proposal and the Avalon Bay one presented side by side, but he was overridden by Trustee Maul who went ahead with that vote.

Maybe it is time for Garden City to start showing some transparency. Bring the Canus proposal back and let the residents compare Canus and Avalon Bay and really share in the choice. This is too big a project to be decided by just the trustees who are not even unanimous on the issue.

Nancy Poz

Context Needed

To the Editor:

Mr. Ryder's recent eloquent demands for advice from Sen. Hannon, while emotionally weighty, need some context, with respect to taxes. (The project he represents requires subsidies via taxes for the benefit of the St. Paul's developer.)

At the current annual property tax rate of increase (approximately 6 percent,) our taxes will double every 12 years. (simple compounding.) So, if someone is now paying $20,000 per year, it will rise to $40,000 in 2020; $80,000 in 2032, and so on. In the same time window, there is also some small chance that there will be significant increases in income taxes, sales taxes, Medicare taxes, Social Security taxes, etc. etc.

We should note here that this tax legacy, to which we would add the subsidies, will be significantly borne by the next generation of Garden City taxpayers, including many of our own children. Many of us will have gone to our reward, or be quietly rotting away in Florida. That new group will also be struggling with $100,000 per year College tuitions for each of their children.

With respect to what Sen. Hannon will need to help him decide about a "Home Rule" act to facilitate the development, it seems to me that a referendum, such as for a major bond issue, would be appropriate. Get a professional to define all the tax costs for the 35 years of the PILOT period, (including the value of the 7 acre gift to the developer.) Put it up on our voting machines, schedule a vote, (Yes or NO) and give Sen. Hannon the results. The project backers and the developer would probably want to pick up the costs. I can't imagine any way to give Sen. Hannon more, and nothing less would be acceptable

Now, we need to walk a mile in Sen. Hannon's shoes. Let's imagine that the tally is 75% for and 25% against. He will have to give some thought to the reaction of the 25% of his Garden City constituents who would get tax increases for a project they don't want, and which has no measurable value.

'Nuff said.

Frank Kiernan

No Comparison

To the Editor:

I understand the Mayor of Mineola came to the Board of Trustees meeting last Thursday to discuss the proposed "Winston" development on Old Country Road. There were a number of attendees at the Board meeting who felt that Mineola, as compared to Garden City and St. Paul's, is better organized and did a good job of negotiating with the developer because there were no "sweet-heart" deals in connection with the proposed development.

There is absolutely no comparison to be made with St. Paul's and the Winston. The Winston, as proposed, will have approximately 140 units per acre which is almost twice as dense and any other residential development in Nassau County. If the same density were to be applied at St. Paul's, there would be well over 900 apartment units built. Of course it appears Mineola got a good deal from the developer, because Mineola let the developer do whatever the developer wanted to do. The developer didn't need any "sweetheart" deals. Just imagine a nine-story wall fifteen feet from the sidewalk on Old Country Road. I doubt our residents would want anything with this mass and density built in Garden City. How can anyone compare the Winston project with St. Paul's?

The Village of Garden City has put many restrictions on the St. Paul's project which allows for approximately 20 apartment units per acre. Our Board of Trustees has no intention of letting AvalonBay do whatever it wants to do.

Let's be patient and let the Mayor's Committee and AvalonBay make the presentation before we throw any more brickbats at the proposal.

Jerie Newman

Need Common Sense

To the Editor:

We are now in the fifth month since the objectionable green plastic-style replacement fence has been constructed by the Garden City Country Club along Edgemere Road.

In this period of time, affected residents have organized a Petition to the Garden City Architectural Design Review Board & Mayor against the obstructive green plastic eyesore (see petition below).

The Petition is signed by the Garden City residents in the immediate neighborhood of Edgemere Road. The Petition includes:

* 121 signatures ....

* Representing 91 households.

"The residents listed below object to the different style replacement fence that fully blocks any view of the natural landscape of trees, shrubs and rolling hills that have been a desirable attribute of our neighborhood for decades. This undesirable replacement fence is obstructive and devalues our properties and the neighborhood. A return to the prior open green style chain link fence with green posts is sought."

We implore the Architectural Design Review Board to turn down any overtures to keep the current fence structure hastily constructed without following the Garden City building code process.

Many letters have been written by individual residents to the Garden City newspapers, Buildings Department and the Town officials opposing this new fence structure.

The Western Property Owners Association fully supports the position of the Petitioners. In addition, the WPOA has written a letter to Town officials, the Buildings Department and the Garden City Architectural Design Review Board stating its opposition to this style fence. They asked that appropriate actions are taken to return to the former more tasteful fence structure.

I have been approached by many Garden City residents in the other areas of the town who find the fence objectionable to their Community and are concerned that such a style fence may sometime be constructed in their area because of this precedent. Even many members in the Garden City Country Club were surprised the fence was altered and see no reason for it....except for some adamant golfers.

What more is needed by the residents to have their highly touted resident-governed town take action about an infraction of its ordinances and building code procedures ?

All of us residents who have remodeled our homes or made construction additions know the Building Department well. They vehemently adhere to the Building Code and Garden City town procedures and enforce every detail of the code down to the fine print. Our town is known for its enforcement of its rules of good appearance and conduct which has, in retrospect, made our town a highly respected and desirable community in which to live.

To individual residents, the Building Department and Town's actions are firm and unrelenting. In addition to their enforcement actions for private renovations, let's not forget the recent flag pole controversy; How about the basketball backboards. And yet, with the Garden City Country Club there is coddling, sweet talk and generous flexibility given them to think about their position and alternatives.... and stalling.

When will the Town and Buildings Department issue the Garden City Country Club the appropriate citations and summons to enforce compliance, coupled with daily monetary penalities until remedied ?

The word now is that the Garden City Country Club is going to have their lawyers fight to maintain the fence as it is constructed, regardless of what residents want or the Town code and procedures require. Here we go again - more lawyers, their lawyers versus town lawyers. Good taste and lowly residents versus arrogance and power. More taxpayer money poured down the drain to retain lawyers resulting in escalating local taxes. For what good purpose ?

In reality, this is a simple situation where good common sense should prevail in a timely manner. It is no wonder that our town cannot come to conclusion on major issues when so much time and money is exhausted on simple problems. We could not readily come to decisions on the Garden City Hotel construction, the Wyndham Housing complex and now Saint Paul's future. The founders and architects of Garden City kept the good of the whole Community as its guiding principle. We seem now to be overtaken by the self interest of small groups.

The future of Garden City is not well served by petty self interests being championed by high priced lawyers at every turn. We need to return to the principals that favor its residents and the Community at large.

This hideous fence is a good starting place.

Richard P. Bankosky