Friday, February 15, 2019
Vol. 95, No.21
FOUNDED 1923
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LOCALLY OWNED AND EDITED
Fencers medal PAGE 47 n Afternoon tea PAGE 34
BY RIKKI N. MASSAND
Board talks taxes, approves law to permit higher tax levy
At its Wednesday, February 13 meeting the Village Board of Trustees was set to grant final site plan approval for a new two-story, 10,000 square-foot ministry building at the Church of St. Anne, 26 Fairmount Boulevard, in close proximity to the New Hyde Park Road business district in the west section of Garden City. Over the past six months this expansion project went through three village review processes -- starting with the Zoning Board of Appeals (for a parking variance), then the Planning Commission last November and finally to the Architectural Design Review Board (ADRB) on January 23. St. Anne’s plans to accommodate its existing ministries and add multipurpose and meeting spaces to its grounds, while adding a new drop off area for visitors by the rectory building. The site plan for a new ministry office space and public assembly building was recommended for approval by the Planning Commission on November 14, 2018 and the Architectural Design Review Board on January 23. Last October the Zoning Board heard an application for the project to include a 6-foot-high wooden fence at the rear of St. Anne’s School, to replace the four-foot-high fence there, which required modification of its existing use permit. The building proposal before the ADRB in January called for total square footage of 10,56 and one-anda-half stories. Adjustments and configurations have been made according to input from the rounds of prior meetings. Architect Ronald Zakary Jr. of Zakary Hagemann Associates in Oyster Bay worked on the designs for the addition to
The Board of Trustees’ meeting on Wednesday, February 13 became a forum for the state of taxes in Garden City in light of developments with the county and state. The Board also dispelled rumors of the St. Paul’s project compounding the local tax burden. The Board held a public hearing prior to adopting a local law that authorizes the Board to raise the tax levy above the otherwise applicable 2% tax cap set by New York State. The tax levy is the total amount of taxes for all properties in the Village. Village Attorney Peter Bee clarified that the new local law does not raise taxes itself, nor does it require taxes to be raised now or in the future. Bee says he has advised all his municipal clients to adopt this type of law as an insurance policy in case unforeseen circumstances occur and the village decides it must raise taxes above the 2% cap. Without passing the law, the Village of Garden City wouldn’t be able to exceed the cap. Mayor Brian C. Daughney suggested adopting the law, “as it would leave options open for the village in case we need to.” Trustee Robert Bolebruch said it would be prudent for Garden City to approve the local law. Trustee John Delany agreed and added that the new law does not mean the village is exceeding the 2% cap for its 2019-2020 budget. “This becomes an insurance policy in case something comes up. Those who attend our village budget sessions hear what we are doing and how we’re doing it. That is the way residents can know we’re keeping the rate below the tax cap unless a dire emergency or situation arises,” he said. Kristen Pappas, a Huntington Road resident with children in the school district, addressed the Board and said if the village were to pierce the 2% tax cap this year there could be an adverse impact to community support for the school district budget. Pappas hopes no progress or change for the district is hampered by less support in the community with both budgets on residents’ minds in spring. “I know the two entities are separate but the school system and the village are taxing the same residents. Our school district has historically spent less per student than other competitive districts in the area. It has had an impact on our schools.
Village approves St. Anne's new ministry building
See page 18
TITLE WINNERS
BY RIKKI MASSAND
Garden City High School's Boys Varsity Basketball team took its second straight Nassau County A-1 League title in a game against Calhoun. The Trojans won 56-42 and head to the playoffs against Sewanhaka on Saturday. See page 49.
See page 16
Winter break fun at LI Children's Museum PAGE 10 Stewart School presents 81st annual opera PAGES 40-41