An Open Letter to ALL of Russell Gardens
Enough!
Before I begin, a note of sincerity that there is no animosity, nor divisiveness, nor any effort to continue the reality of the ‘two’ Russell Gardens.
I hope this letter will be received as intended to enlighten the private homeowners as to the living conditions of their fellow Russell Gardeners who live in the four multiple dwellings on South Middle Neck Road in Great Neck
List Penance
1. The unrealistic, unfair, punitive street ordinances on the three streets adjacent to our four buildings we call home.
2. Three of the four buildings were built prior to the building code requiring one parking space for each apartment.
3. Result: A large and critical shortage of garage spaces, coupled with an inadequate and unrealistic allowable parking spaces on Melbourne. Darley, and Dunster.
4. Result: Many of us have to park three or four blocks away in Great Neck Plaza. We must walk back in the heat of summer and the depth of winter cold, ice, and snow.
5. We desperately need the good will and willingness of the private homeowners to set aside some unreasonable sensitivity that now allows cars to park all day, part of the night, but comes 2:00 a.m. we must move until 8:00 the next morning! It doesn’t make sense!
6. We disproved the argument of ‘security’ as a reason by speaking to the 6th police precinct that stated, “There is no evidence that security is compromised. On the contrary, one car parked in front of a home may even discourage crime.”
7. We are asking for only one space per house, each painted on the three streets adjacent to where we live.
Almost all homes in Russell Gardens have 80’ frontage. What is the harm of a 15’ space allowed for one car and one car only?
What possible reason is there? How will it affect this private home? One car? It cannot!
And yet it will go a long way to alleviate a great deal of suffering. Now there is sometimes as many as 3 or 4 cars, however we will limit it to only 1.
8. Just a reminder — many private homeowners may not know the 4 apartment buildings pay a disproportionate amount of taxes — especially school taxes, yet we have less than 20 school age children!
9. Out of the nine villages that comprise Great Neck, Russell Gardens is unique as being the only one that has the mixture of pre-code apartment buildings that did not require one garage space per apartment and no provision for municipal parking!
All of the other eight villages can post, ‘No Parking’ on village street signs and it will not affect one residence!
10. Russell Gardens was founded in 1931 and in all those 84 years, there has never been one person from the apartment buildings ever elected to the local government! Isn’t there something un-American about that?
Extend a kindness at no cost to you.
Finally treat your fellow Russell Gardeners as you would be treated. All too long, ordinances, fines (98 percent of parking fines are given to the multiple dwellers!)
By the way, we are all still smarting over the outrageous, and probably illegal – and certainly corrupt financing, leasing, and then purchase of the park with tax money, which excludes all multiple apartment dwellers from the opportunity for membership — many of whom own their apartment!
At the very least, we find this discriminatory and question whether there is personal liability of the politicos — both past and present.
I am an old man now; a veteran of World War II in the Pacific theater.
Since I’ve moved to Russell Gardens I’ve realized that I can live in the greatest democracy, yet my everyday living is micro-managed by the local government.
I cannot visit a sick friend, go to the doctor, go out to dinner, go to the movies, or do any other activity that runs much past 4:00 p.m., because after this time the few allotted parking spaces are all taken!
I am literally subject to a curfew! Did I wade ashore at Iwo Jima and Okinawa to live under this type of local government?
Richard S. Miroe
Great Neck
