I.P. Civic touches many problems

The Waterview Land Development apartments proposed by John Vitale were a hot topic of discussion at the Jan. 10 Island Park Civic Association meeting. Plans call for 88 one and two bedroom apartments, with marketing aimed at young commuters, at the site of the former Patty McGees on Waterview Road.

“We approve of and support this project,” President Anna Califano said, noting that most of the speakers at a Town of Hempstead public hearing earlier in the day also favored the new development, “but we have questions and concerns.” Vice President Felicia Nicholas attended the hearing and presented in favor of the project.

One concern is the residential tax abatement PILOT program. It would lower the property taxes of the new development. In order to encourage economic development, industrial or commercial property is sometimes exempted from property taxes. In these cases, the exemption may be offset by payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) made by the original private owner to an industrial development agency. At the end of the project, title reverts to the original owner, who then pays property taxes in a normal manner. Board member Patti Ambrosia was going to get more information.

The members praised the Village of Island Park, and the Town of Hempstead for filling potholes promptly when they are notified.

There were questions relating to the new traffic lights that are supposed to be installed at the intersection of Kingston Boulevard and Austin Road. Poles for the lights were installed, but no lights.

That day there was news of monies applied for by the Town of Hempstead for Oceanside that had been granted by the state, but there had been no word on any similar grants applied for to cover the town portion or the village part of Island Park. The Board of the Civic was going to look into why.

The meeting ended with a presentation by former Island Park School District counsel, Nick DeSibio, on zoning and how to approach zoning boards of appeal.