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Friday, January 26, 2018
Vol. 78, No. 4
Town passes local law to combat zombie houses
Supervisor Joseph Saladino joins with Town Quality of Life Task Force co-chairs Councilman Louis Imbroto and Town Clerk James Altadonna Jr., as well as Town Councilmen Joseph Muscarella and Thomas Hand, together with members of the Breezy Point Civic Association, in announcing the new ordinance.
The Oyster Bay Town Board has unanimously approved a new law to combat ‘zombie’ homes earlier this month. The new local law strengthens the Town’s authority to: fine property owners and lending institutions in violation of Town Code; recoup costs associated with Town maintenance of vacant properties; and ban the use of plywood in covering residential windows and doors. Together with members of the local Breezy Point Civic Association in Massapequa, Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino announced the new law, with Town Quality of Life Co-Chairs Councilman Louis Imbroto and Town Clerk James Altadonna Jr. They were also joined by Town Councilman Joseph Muscarella and Councilman Thomas P. Hand. “The Town of Oyster Bay strengthened the law to address quality of life concerns caused by dilapidated and vacant homes in our neighborhoods,” said Supervisor Saladino. “Together with residents and civic associations,
we are taking back our neighborhoods by cracking down on code violations and holding absentee landlords and lending institutions accountable. We are also removing eyesores in our neighborhoods by banning the use of plywood on windows and doors.” The new Town Code expands on the definitions of what constitutes an abandoned or vacant building, and also requires that any boarding placed on homes be completed with impact-resistant polycarbonate material, in lieu of typically-utilized plywood, to help avoid a community eyesore. The new Code further strengthens the Town’s ability to address adverse conditions often brought on by ‘zombie’ homes, by establishing a mandated trust account to which the foreclosing entity must deposit $25,000 to cover any potential costs the Town could incur from maintaining the property. Councilman Imbroto, Co-Chairman of the Town of Oyster Bay See page 6
Businesses take lead in Downtown Hicksville revitalization effort BY GARY SIMEONE
The fourth meeting of Hicksville’s Local Planning Committee took place on January 18th and the main focus was on the expansion of JFK Memorial Park and upgrades to Broadway, Barclay Street, Nelson Avenue, and the station plaza near the LIRR tracks. “Downtown Hicksville is on the verge of a major renaissance,” said Town Councilman Anthony Macagnone, who is a member of the Planning Committee. “The downtown’s prime location for transit-oriented development and public support for revitalization, coupled with the state’s investment of funding, will allow downtown Hicksville to achieve the type of revitalization it needs and deserves.”
The Local Planning Committee, (LPC,) which is made up of local leaders, stakeholders, and community representatives, said that they’d like to see Broadway become more pedestrian friendly rather than just serve as a truck route through the center of Hicksville. Some ideas put on the table were for better lighting in the area near the LIRR tracks and increased signage and crosswalks to help protect pedestrian crossing. The re-establishment of the streetwall, bringing the buildings closer to the street line, was also proposed as an idea to reinforce volume of revenue in the area. Another idea was the expansion of JFK Memorial Park so that it could hold more events and become a place to go if additional housing is built in the area. “The majority of the $10 million we’ve received from
the State for downtown revitalization should be spent on the expansion of JFK Park,” said Macagnone. ‘When it comes to community development the value of open space increases the perception of real estate value. People would also take notice of the park passing through in their cars or on bicycles.” Jim McCaffrey, the town’s Deputy Commissioner for Economic Development, said that his department has received numerous proposals from businesses who are looking to relocate to the downtown area. “As part of the downtown revitalization initiative, we’ve had offers from Trinity Lutheran Church for a daycare facility, from Oyster Bay Brewery, and Nassau BOCES, who’d like to set up a training facility in downSee page 6
Levittown shows sumo-sized support PAGE 7 Full STEAM ahead at the Library PAGE 14