Town asks for 45 more days

My conclusion is that the Town of Hempstead has failed the Baldwin community in our downtown redevelopment efforts.”

Steven Greenfield, resident

Neighbors shared concerns about the potential delay of the hamlet’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative with the Hempstead Town Board last week.

Their comments and questions were addressed by an attorney, Steven Losquadro, who was introduced by Town Supervisor Don Clavin’s chief of staff, Jack Libert, to discuss the details of the extensive work planned for downtown Baldwin.

Though the board decided not to issue a moratorium on the projects that comprise the initiative, Losquadro explained that the board requested that he and an associate, William Duffy, re-examine in detail the special zoning districts and environmental impacts of the project, which was designed to bring more people and business to downtown Baldwin, and promote economic growth and development.

The review is required by the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act to ensure that the projects’ infrastructure is sound. Losquadro and the board contend that a previous review, undertaken by VHB Engineering, was not comprehensive enough for the development to begin, and that the town needs to further examine the environmental concerns it raises.

“Traffic, noise pollution, impacts on schools and taxes, library districts, fire districts, police, other first responders, sewer, water usage — all of these things with respect to the codes that were put in place, although with the best of intentions, were not contemplated in a specific way,” Losquadro told the audience, “and specifically, the codes did not provide for project-specific impacts to be evaluated, so that a hard look is taken at them as required by state law.”

Losquadro said he would now help the town create an alternative to the previously proposed moratorium, which would have put a year-long hold on the project.

Clavin said he was “very respectful of everyone’s opinion and moving things forward,” which was why the moratorium was put aside.

“But we did say we want to make sure it’s done correctly,” he added of the environmental review process, “with the proper oversight and open transparent manner, and (Losquadro has) been given a marching order of within 45 days.”

Karen Montalbano, a Baldwin Civic Association government liaison and a past president of the organization, said she was not impressed by the change in procedure, telling the board, “In the past two and a half years … you have had a de facto moratorium, and your alternative proposal is just another delay.” She emphasized that the SEQRA process was completed by VHB, a reputable company that was hired by the town to begin with.

“The SEQRA issue is just a non-issue,” Montalbano said. “No more excuses. Baldwin needs a revitalization. Stop stalling [and] do your job — appoint the Design Review Board.” When she finished speaking, there were scattered calls of “Do your job!” from other attendees.

Steven Greenfield, a Baldwin resident for 21 years, says he had seen project after project be proposed and then stopped or stalled, leading to nothing being done downtown. “I’ve been involved with three downtown development at-tempts,” he said, “I’ve met with the developers. My conclusion is that the Town of Hempstead has failed the Baldwin community in our downtown redevelopment efforts.

“Don’t discard our best opportunity to expedite development,” Greenfield added. “If you insist on each project completing a separate SEQRA and environmental review, you will completely undermine the DRI strategy for facilitating rapid improvement and development.”

He ended his remarks by asking the town to work with the Civic Association and the Chamber of Commerce as partners to move the initiative forward.

County Legislator Debra Mulé, whose 5th District encompasses most of Baldwin, had a simple message for the board: “Allow the process in place to go forward … get this going (and) please develop our downtown.”