Rockaway Avenue proposal dead

The developer who requested a rezoning of 62 Rockaway Ave. so he could build six townhouses on the property has withdrawn his petition to the village’s board of trustees, effectively killing the proposal.

The applicant, a company known as 62 Rockaway LLC and owned by local developer Jim O’Reilly, requested a change in zoning of the property from single-family Residence A to multi-family Residence B.

The developer’s decision came on the heels of a resolution by the Nassau County Planning Commission recommending that the rezoning be rejected. Given the commission’s action, the village board would have needed a supermajority to approve the rezoning — in this case, four trustees instead of the usual three. But after the developer withdrew his request, the board struck the item from Monday’s meeting agenda and did not comment on the issue.

The planning commission’s recommendation echoed some of the concerns voiced by residents. Its resolution stated that the proposed development “encroaches into a single-family neighborhood,” and that it could create a precedent for similar rezoning requests in the area. “The project results in a significant departure from what is permitted under prevailing zoning, which is a single-family home,” the decision read.

David Leno, the attorney representing the developer, sent a letter to the board of trustees on May 30 requesting that the application be withdrawn. He declined to comment on the reason for the withdrawal.