Village of Port North Adjourns Hearing on Public Parking Spaces

By Alice M. Peckelis
(appeared in the 1-25-02, Vol 11, No. 19 edition)

Much to the consternation of some residents of the Village of Port Washington North the Board of Trustees once again adjourned a public hearing on the definition of the term "Parking Space' at its January 14th meeting.

Mayor Thomas Pellegrino said the Board wanted to wait until the Board of, Zoning & Appeals (BZA) adopts its decision on an application pending before it from Acadia Management regarding the Soundview Marketplace that involves parking spaces and relocation of the drop off box for Blockbuster Video which has been a problem for years with cars stopping in the narrow 'fire lane' in front of the store to drop Off videos.

Pellegrino added that the BZA is expected to grandfather the existing parking plan when it meets on January 24th since the application has been pending long before the Board started to consider amending the code.

The problem has been that the width and length of the existing parking spaces are too narrow and short to accommodate the sport utility vehicles driven today making it -difficult to get in and out vehicles.

Resident Steve Kaplan who has provided the Board with information on the specifications of parking spaces in other shopping centers and has urged the Board to adopt new specifications, charged that this was an example of the "tail wagging the dog". This doesn't make any sense ... You've been talking about this for nine months ... The Board of Trustees is giving up its rights."

Mayor Pellegrino defended the Board's decision stating that, "We've told the BZA what we want. They're going to vote on the 24th. He added that, "This Board is giving the BZA an opportunity to finalize something that's been going on for a year."

Kaplan retorted, "If the Board had voted, there would be a law on the books)."

Trustee Ross Altman said the Board needs to determine "the right sized space, the right sized aisle" before voting.

Another resident, Marvin Siegel, said there is "something wrong (with the existing code) if everybody is asking for a variance."

But Trustee Levi said variances may be needed to deal with "changing economic situations" in the shopping center.

Building Inspector Matthew Korn added that when "an application is filed, every case has its own issues." The hearing was adjourned until February 6th.

In other business, the Board amended the local law adopting a historic district to exclude all of the homes on Pleasant Avenue west of the Happy Montessori School. A resident complained that the sale of her home was going to fall through because the prospective purchaser might not be permitted to make the renovations contemplated.

It was also announced that grievance day will be held on February 19th from 5:00 p. in. to 9:00 p. m. for taxpayers who wish to protest their tax assessments. The Village election will be held on March 19th

During the public comment period, Kaplan asked how much interest the Village had lost on the bond taken out to finance the purchase of the Belanich property on Manhasset Bay, formerly occupied by Fearon Marine. The property failed to close because contamination was found on the site that had to be remediated. The Village wants the property because it is located in its recently created waterfront district.

Village Treasurer Don Silver said the. Village had lost about $1,500.

Mayor Pellegrino said the closing on the property is expected to take place soon. But Kaplan noted that it will cost each Village taxpayer about $1,000. Pellegrino said the Board is hoping to receive some grant money it has applied for to reduce the cost to property owners.

Kaplan also complained, that the Village should get some of the penalty money back when it was unable to close pursuant to the contract. The current delay, he said, is on the part of the seller.

Siegel asked why the Village has not issued summonses on a daily basis to Dallas Realty, the owner of the 41 acre parcel slated to be rezoned for 327 units of senior housing. "There's crap all over the place. There's a lot of favoritism." He added that "if we enforced our laws and had fined Dallas Realty we'd own the property."

Resident Hank Ratner complained that the hearing held in December on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was "a well choreographed public relations event." Many of the people, he said, were either related or employees of the Scotto's (principals of Dallas Realty).