New local laws for Island Park village
The Island Park Village Board will be holding public hearings on new 2015 local laws at its next meeting this week, June 18, at a new time, 7:45 p.m.
Proposed Local Law Six calls for changes for people who are raising their homes. The garage stairs to the main part of a raised house will have to be inside the house instead of outside, and the village wants to require closed foundations instead of just pilings under a house. New York Rising, the governor’s community reconstruction program, has said it would not pay for the walls to enclose the area under a raised house but instead wants houses on pilings. However, the program has to abide by local laws. Mayor Michael McGinty said the village board discussed this with the former head of N.Y. Rising, Jamie Rubin, and the special adviser on Hurricane Sandy relief to Governor Andrew Cuomo, Jon Kaiman.
Local Law Seven amends Local Law One of 1999 and involves traffic signs. New traffic signs are proposed for the intersections of Truxton Road and Suffolk Road, and at Marina Place and Waterford Road. If enacted the village will put in the two new signs.
Local Law Eight involves the maintenance of properties within the village. McGinty said it pertains to things like keeping the grass cut and maintaining the exterior of properties.
The final local law to be considered calls for the sale of snacks at village owned properties, such as the beach. McGinty said there would also be various forms of merchandise for sale at village hall. For now, T-shirts and sweatshirts will be sold, but more items may be on sale soon.
McGinty explained a plan by the Army Corps of Engineers to make changes to the waterways around Island Park, which will, in turn, help drainage problems on Barnum Island. Speaking to the Island Park Business and Residential Chamber on June 11, McGinty said several roads would see improvements if the plan goes ahead, Nassau Lane, Kildare Road and Marina Place.
He added that the village has been working with Standard & Poor’s to improve the village’s bond rating. An improvement would mean lower interest rates and more available funds if needed.
