Before the Village of Great Neck Board of Trustees even started its Tuesday, March 10, meeting, residents approached the board to dispute tickets they received for not shoveling their sidewalks.
The village issued around 400 summonses to residents for snow-related violations this winter season, with a maximum fine of $350.
“This wasn’t fair,” one resident said as he approached Mayor Pedram Bral before the meeting. “This was a money grab.”
An attendee at the meeting said that people in a WhatsApp group chat had encouraged residents to attend the board meeting to voice their disapproval, and seven residents did.
“I know there are a lot of people who were upset about tickets that they got for this snow,” said Bral, but village officials were only enforcing their code, he said.
The village code requires residents to shovel their sidewalks within 24 hours of the cessation of snow, and the mayor asked inspectors to delay issuing tickets for an additional 24 hours.
Building Superintendent Michael Sweeney said the village first inspected high-traffic areas before following up on residents’ complaints. Sweeney also said residents of Nassau County and the Town of North Hempstead are required to clear their sidewalks of snow, and that the village shares county and town roads.
Deputy Mayor Barton Sobel and Trustee Eli Kashi said they both were issued summonses for snow violations.
“It’s not punitive. It’s not a money grab,” Bral said, adding that the village only has a couple of thousand dollars to gain.
Trustee Anne Mendelson countered that $140,000 could be gained with the volume of summonses, but Clerk/Treasurer Abraham Cohan said many are likely to be dismissed or not given the maximum fine.
“A lot of people didn’t do what they were supposed to do,” Sweeney said. “They got into a false lull because we have not had a winter like this in probably five to seven years.”
Another resident said she was unable to finish her shoveling due to the freezing temperatures.
“The ice became like stone,” she said.
Bral directed her and the rest of the residents to go to their hearings before the village justice if they had valid disputes.
“This is not Iran,” Bral said, assuring the resident that their petition would be heard.
“It’s not Iran, and it’s not Kings Point,” Sobel added.
The board unanimously approved a building permit extension to Northshore Millbrook LLC for the construction of a multi-family housing development at 240-250 Middle Neck Road. The project was first approved in August 2018 and has had several delays due to changes in its building plans and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The board also unanimously approved the demolition of two structures on a property purchased by the Iranian American Jewish Foundation at 157 Steamboat Road — a single-family home in disrepair and a concrete structure. Bral said he believes the Iranian American Jewish Foundation plans to build something on the site, but it has not yet submitted building permits.
The board also approved a measure that would ultimately align the village code with the state building code. The village will no longer enforce building codes that are more stringent than state requirements. Village Attorney Stephen Martir and Sweeney said they would work together to draft an omnibus bill containing the code changes needed to align the village code with the state.
The board scheduled three public hearings for April 14 — one on next year’s budget and two regarding the uniform construction code.
The board will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, March 17.
