Prior to the last New Hyde Park Village Board meeting, the village board held a hearing to determine what exactly is designated as a “loading zone.”
According to Schedule XX, the following locations are designated as loading zones:
Second Avenue-north-from a point 94 feet west of South 5th Street Westerly 71 feet to a point 37 feet West of South 4th Street,
Brooklyn Avenue: North from Cherry Lane to a point 100 feet east thereof.
Cherry Lane: (Repealed 12-20-’94) east
(added 12-20’94 amended 4-27-’95)-From a point 192 feet north of the northeast corner of Brooklyn Avenue to a point 92 feet north thereof.
Cherry Lane: North (added 11-21-2000)-From a point 184 feet north of Brooklyn Avenue running north 176 feet to a point 360 feet from Brooklyn Avenue.
It is proposed that Section No. 189-71 (Schedule XX Loading Zones) be amended to read as follows:
Second Avenue-North-From a point 45 feet west of South 5th Street westerly,133 feet to a point 24 feet east of South 4th Street.
Second Avenue-South-from a point at the intersection of the easterly side of South 4th Street extended running easterly for a distance of 262 feet.
After the change was read, New Hyde Park Village Mayor Daniel Petruccio then asked for any comments from the audience. Mayor Petruccio said, “These loading zones have been in use, but further looking into the code it was determined that these loading zones had not been put through the code and these resolutions will codify an existing situation at these locations.”
A resident of South 5th Street in New Hyde Park then came to the microphone and said, “I would like to know why 127 is being added to this loading zone and a loading zone, by law, is just that, a loading zone, not a parking lot and that is what this is being used as, a parking lot on a daily and weekend basis. At 6:45 a.m. Saturday morning I was awakened by reverse trucks cleaning out the building. I live there, but to tell me to add another address on South 4th Street to this zoning, doesn’t it need qualification from Nassau County. I have a problem with that.”
Another resident, from First Avenue, came to the microphone, he explained he lives about a half a block from what he called the “controversial area.” He added, “I don’t understand many aspects of what is going on here. First of all, I don’t understand how a contracting company could have a loading zone that is not in front of its own place of business. Further, I would like to know how a criteria is decided on by the number of trucks a business is entitled to load at the same time. They basically are being given what is the equivalent to five tractor-trailer trucks. On the other side are about three tractor-trailer trucks. Living down the block, I have never seen the trucks load at the same time. If they did, I think we would have other complicated issues considering it is bordering on a highly residential area. What we are doing is changing this from a light industrial zone into a heavy industrial zone, which is basically what is being done by increasing the loading zones.”
The mayor then thanked both residents and called for a motion to close the hearing and reserve decision and that motion was approved by the board.
Regular Meeting
The regular meeting was then opened and the board approved a Block Party for North 7th Street, application for September 10 but did not approve the rain date for Sept.17 because that is the date of the forthcoming New Hyde Park Street Fair. Also approved was a car wash on Sept. 3 for the New Hyde Park Memorial Model UN Club.
Floor Open for Residents’ Comments
Mrs. Carney was at the meeting to thank the board for providing a space in the park to play bridge during the summer and in September she said they will also have a room at the Hillside Library to play bridge.
Also, a resident, commented about the weeds at the LIRR on the Southside of the station. She wanted to know if there was a way to contain the weeds or could someone just go down and get rid of the weeds. Mayor Petruccio said they will be taken care of, but he commented that due to the budgetary constraints, in the village, there was no summer help hired in the village this summer.
A resident said that he would like to see further enforcement of parking on Second Avenue. He said that he observes the same cars parked there for almost the entire day. The mayor pointed out that enforcement marks the tires at one time and then, hopefully comes back in four hours to give a ticket, but that is not a guarantee.
Trustee Reports
Trustee Richard Coppola
Trustee Coppola once again reminded residents that the police urge them to call 911 if they see a problem not the local precinct, as the 911 system is much quicker in response.
Coppola mentioned that the new ambulance is set and ready. He said he attended the dedication which was very nice.
New Hyde Park Little League
He announced that once again the girls are doing so well and winning almost all their games.
Parks and Recreation
Coppola also announced the multi-purpose court that opened in Memorial Park for volleyball and basketball. He added they are trying to limit the play to one hour.
Further, the village is trying to install additional safety cameras in both Nuzzi and Memorial Park to make sure the parks are safe for residents.
Summer Camp, Coppola said, is very successful and when the heat is too oppressive they transfer to the basement at village hall.
Mayor Petruccio
Mayor Petruccio gave his report on public works and it was established that the company will be trimming trees on their down weeks, so the village will be saving money. The trees are set to be trimmed twice and mayor Petruccio said, “If you have given us your name, it is on the list and we will eventually get to your area to trim your tree.”
The mayor also announced that notices have been sent out to merchants on Jericho Turnpike to notify them of the change in the parking meters. Quarter meters used to cover an hour parking, but now they only cover a half-hour of parking and that rule became effective on August 1. The mayor added, “It brings us in line with other municipalities. Basically, now when you put the quarter in the meter it will show you the time you will have to park. This change is not done to catch shoppers, but rather to create additional sources of revenue. Also, we are working on changing rates in voucher parking from $3 to $4 and basically this applies to non-village parking and we will try to communicate that change the best way we can.”
Trustee Donald Barbieri
Trustee Barbieri then listed a few of the previous events in Memorial Park.
Trustee Barbieri said that they are working with both Marilyn McClean and Frank Sanchez to develop shows that will be shown at the William Gill Theatre. He added that he will have further information on this at the next village board meeting.
Trustee Barbieri said, “We have received word from the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) that they will begin a part of their construction on Jericho Turnpike in probably the October and November time frame. They are going to go in and change the traffic signal on Jericho Turnpike in the Village of New Hyde Park. The traffic signal at North 10th Street will be removed. The traffic signal at North Sixth Street by the Diner and Dunkin Donuts that will also be removed. The good thing that is coming is that at all the crossings in the Village of New Hyde Park they will add count-down devices to tell you how many seconds you have to cross Jericho Turnpike.
New Hyde Park Museum
Trustee Barbieri said, “Prior to this meeting, we met with a group that is calling itself The New Hyde Park Museum. We are looking forward to utilizing a space downstairs in village hall where the old library was where we will set up a history of the Village of New Hyde Park. Mildred Tassone is on the committee and we are hoping to contact people who have lived in New Hyde Park who can give us an oral history of how it was growing up in New Hyde Park which we will put down on tape. Our first booth will be set up at the New Hyde Park Street Fair. I’m looking forward to putting all of this on audio and visual and it will be available on the internet and downstairs. We have a face book page where people can “friend” us at New Hyde Park Museum. We are also seeking grant money and donations to make this project viable.”
Trustee Lawrence Montreuil
Trustee Montreuil announced that the Building Department has issued 62 permits for the month of June. Most of those are either building permits or plumbing permits. He added, “It looks like there is some work being done in the village. May was a big month so we are happy about that.”
He added, “That the Architectural Review Board and the Planning Review Board met. Three cases were on the schedule. One was the Asian Buffet. They came in for a new sign application and it wasn’t heard until the sign was taken off the roof, which it was. Therefore, we anticipate that Asian Buffet will be back in with new management for a new sign permit. The other permit was for Taco Bell for some cosmetic improvements they would like to make. This is in response to the residents of South 17 Street in regard to the driveway. The village has a no right turn posted and apparently, many folks exit to the right and down South 17 Street.”
Montreuil also announced that the next Zoning Board Meeting will be held on Aug. 10 at 7:30 p.m. He also urged residents to notify the village of any properties that have allowed their property to become overgrown such as happened with a house in bank foreclosure.
Montreuil added, “Residents may have noticed that there is a regular group who goes around and removes the cans and bottles when they are put out for recycling. I think it will take only one or two encounters to convince these people that there is ‘slim pickins’ in New Hyde Park.”
The mayor added, “I think, on a practical level, it is our responsibility as homeowners not to put deposit items out for recycling. These people are not going to take old tomato cans, they want something that can be redeemed for five or ten cents.”
Mayor Petruccio then mentioned that he was playing tennis in Memorial Park last week and a teenager was present playing basketball. He said, “The language of our children today has degraded so much that the use of four letter expletives is now considered common jargon. They don’t look to see if there is a lady present or an elderly person. It just doesn’t matter. They speak in a language that is just horrible and it is very loud. I listened as I played tennis for about five minutes and walked over, identified myself and said, ‘If this continues, you will be asked to leave the park.’ He wasn’t happy, but for the remainder of the time I was playing tennis he did stop. Now, when I left he probably made up for it. I am going to urge parents to be aware of how children speak. This is a public plea for better language. And, please approach use our staff to obtain satisfaction because it could escalate into an ugly situation.”
The mayor also mentioned that he met with the owners of Walk Street to respond to complaints of their outdoor music, which the village gave them permission to do, but it has become very loud, due to the amplifiers. He said the Walk Street owners mentioned that the village has concerts in the park, but he pointed out they are over by 9 p.m. He said the owner was very cooperative and will work with the village to solve this problem.
The meeting was adjourned and the next meeting will be held on Aug. 16 at 8 p.m. at New Hyde Park Village Hall.
