Chairman Dennis Grossman, Village of Great Neck Zoning Board, solemnly stated that the outcome of the Oct. 1 public hearing would determine the village’s future. By evening’s end, a decision would be made in favor of saving a Long Island suburb for future generations – or not.
Ultimately, Chairman Grossman’s green-light stomped on suburban life, opting for urbanization of the Village of Great Neck. (Transcripts are available at Village Hall). It is anticipated that this approval will trigger an adverse cumulative effect, as Great Neck mayors have approved multi-story apartment complexes for Middle Neck Road without coordination or consideration for each other. Local law does not require it.
Bottom Line: There seems little attempt at striking a balance between time spent protecting taxpayers’ quality-of-life issues vs. the intense hourly demand of reviewing simultaneous and complex new construction blueprints. Who will protect residents from the devaluation of their critical investment – their single-family homes?
History: Weeks earlier, Ron Poons (member of VGN Zoning Board) publicly condemned the construction of 733-741 MNR for its potential “coffin-like” sub-cellar, raising issues of public safety and accessibility in the event of fire. This will be the only apartment complex in Great Neck built with a basement and sub-basement. What about water table issues?
Public Hearing Highlights (733-741 MNR): Noteworthy objections included “too large for the location” (Charles Siegel, board member) and fire-safety access concerns (Ron Poons, former firefighter and board member). This four-story, 60-unit, luxury rental behemoth was approved despite 12 rental buildings (past two years) already approved throughout various Great Neck villages.
Seemingly on steroids, 733-741 MNR loomed larger with every revised blueprint. The developer was quietly amassing additional property in Residential Zones of North Road and Hicks Lane. Should a commercial developer be allowed to extend his reach into clearly designated Residential Zones to advance his project? Chairman Grossman’s approval will surely set precedent for future too large for location, aggressive development.
How can this village go forth and multiply when standards for village life have been slipping for four years? Village insiders and outsiders have long recognized this is a village where “anything goes” and village codes are routinely broken.
The severely under-staffed Building Department is visibly straining under demands to uphold existing village code as well as New York State law (serious suburban quality-of-life issues). What about Building Department personnel who lack sufficient knowledge of village code? How can they protect law-abiding, taxpaying residents if they aren’t up to speed on their job description? Building Department turnover remains a thorny issue.
We already have newcomers in our village who cut their gas lines because they “don’t feel like paying National Grid” and they “don’t feel like telling the village they are taking construction matters into their own hands.” What about threats of physical violence against neighbors? These ugly tell-tale symptoms of urbanization and overcrowding exist in our village today — even before any new construction commences. Don’t forget the summer of 2019 (BOT meeting) and the revelation that physical threats of violence were made against a resident who prioritized public safety at the expense of new construction. What kind of circus is the village running behind closed doors?
In a related matter, isn’t it a rite of passage for young people to grow up and grow out of their parents’ homes and childhood neighborhoods? Traditionally, young married couples relocating from Long Island to Midwood or Kew Gardens are applauded for their independence.
Welcome to the wacky, new world of arrogance and entitlement in the Village of Great Neck. People of privilege, the new millennials, are voicing unreasonable demands on local government (for their personal benefit) to the overall community’s detriment. When these young people grow up, they don’t wish to move away. They don’t wish to live more than a few blocks from their parents, their childhood friends and their temples. Millennials are demanding more and more multi-story housing to accommodate their wish list. Sadly, Great Neck leaders are tossing out their integrity, voting against their better judgment and selling us out — by giving into “it’s all about Me Generation.”
Let’s agree that stagnating vacant storefronts on Middle Neck Road are an eyesore, but there are endless possibilities that would ensure the future of suburban life rather than favoring a mini metroplex.
Suggested Action: If you are dissatisfied with the direction Great Neck is taking, voice your opinion immediately before Long Island suburban life is a distant memory. Email: bosworthj@northhempsteadny.gov, samet@nysenate.gov, lurvey@northhempsteadny.gov. and ebirnbaum@nassaucountyny.gov
Judy Shore Rosenthal
Great Neck
