Friday, June 29, 2018
Vol. 94, No.40
FOUNDED 1923
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LOCALLY OWNED AND EDITED
Irish Eyes PAGE 30 n Sun safety PAGE 38
CONGRATULATIONS, CLASS OF 2018
Board approves zoning change for 555 Stewart Ave. BY RIKKI N. MASSAND
Garden City High School's Valedictorian Brandon Gong and Salutatorian Kaylah Bozkurtian took a moment to stand together one last time before the 84th Commencement on June 23rd. See pages 40-41.
Interim schools superintendent reflects on year in Garden City BY RIKKI N. MASSAND
This week marked the completion of the academic year during which Dr. Alan Groveman has served as the interim superintendent of schools for the Garden City Union Free School District. Dr. Groveman took over for Dr. Robert Feirsen in the middle of summer 2017. In an interview with The Garden City News on Tuesday, June 26, Dr. Groveman
spoke about the many transitions that he, the schools’ administration as well as the community has made over the past 11 months, after facing a variety of issues such as the higher than anticipated enrollment in lower grades last fall, to school bullying and interventions, infrastructure needs and the addressing the security of both students and school district employees.
Security in the schools
Schools’ security was one area of expertise Superintendent Groveman provided the district with at a critical time, as needs and interests evolved in the 20172018 school year. The board voted and approved a contract with Suffolk County-based Covert Investigations. In an update he emailed to Board of Education See page 24
At its meeting on June 21st, the Garden City Board of Trustees took some first steps towards approving the application for 150 new rental apartments at 555 Stewart Avenue. The Board enacted a zoning change (local law) for the area, determined a standard for the new four-story building’s height and then instructed village counsel to draft an agreement in which applicant, 550 Stewart Acquisitions LLC, would be responsible to pay its share of Village taxes. The Village Board voted to approve the new zoning law, which permits the new building in the RT district of Garden City, and called for a maximum height on the project not to exceed 45 feet. The trustees voted 7 to 1, with only Trustee Robert Bolebruch voting against. A resolution approving a “draft decision” in preparation for a July 10 vote on the approval of the project was also passed at the June 21 meeting. Terms and conditions of the agreement with the developer, the “draft decision” were detailed by special zoning counsel to Garden City, A. Tom Levin of Meyer, Suozzi, English and Klein P.C. Levin explained the next steps with a forthcoming draft and a “use permit plan” for 555 Stewart Avenue. He expects the Board of Trustees to vote July 10 on the proposal for the development, and the specific site plan would be evaluated by the Board of Trustees and the village’s Architectural Design Review Board (ADRB) in the near future. The village does not yet have the site plan with engineering details and drainage layout, such details that traditionally are submitted for municipal authorities and departmental review. “All of the development of the property would be a QRD development, the affordable housing development as classified in Village Code amendments that were previously adopted. Any approval by the Board (July 10) would be conditional upon subsequent review and approval of site plans. All approved plans would be subject to review by the ADRB ‘to the extent required by Village Code and the procedures the village customarily follows,” he said. See page 24
Rotary honors Garden City Fire Department PAGES 48-49 Garden City High School 2018 Senior Awards PAGES 46-47