Friday, April 21, 2017
Vol. 93, No.32
FOUNDED 1923
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LOCALLY OWNED AND EDITED
It Can Wait PAGE 52 n Underage in the Cage PAGE 54
Mexican restaurant proposed for Seventh St.
EASTER EGG HUNT
BY RIKKI N. MASSAND
tribute to chronic sleep deprivation in adolescents. The Steering Committee has conducted surveys of students, parents and staff and also worked with the district’s Transportation Department
On Monday, April 17 an application to the village’s Zoning Board of Appeals for the former Feldis’ Florist location at 160 Seventh Street aimed at converting the store into a Mexican restaurant, as the lineup of what new Mayor Brian Daughney once called Garden City’s “restaurant row” continues to evolve. The application is listed as filed by a Floral Park-based corporation, “160 Garden City LLC.” Its agent on the Building Department records is Sergio DeCiantis, owner of Cara Mia Restaurants, Fine Italian cuisine with two locations; Seaford and Queens Village. He is also co-owner of Park Place Restaurant & Bar, bordering Stewart Manor and Garden City at 41 Covert Avenue in Floral Park. DeCiantis’ application asks the village ZBA for variances to permit a change of use from retail to restaurant: “The proposed use is not expressly permitted in the C-2 zone but is identical to the existing uses. There are many restaurants in the C-2 district and many which have received variances.” In its second weekly update section for The Garden City News, which replaces the Mayor’s Column, the Village of Garden City included for the April 14 edition a paragraph on “Changes to T-Zone.” “The Garden City Chamber of Commerce has suggested and requested that the Board of Trustees remove certain commercial zoning restrictions within the T-Zone area, which primarily includes Seventh Street and Franklin Avenue, which are located in the C-2 District. The proposed changes would no longer require Zoning Board of Appeals approval when a request is made for a storefront to become a restaurant. The Legal Committee of the Board of Trustees is working with Counsel to draft appropriate changes to the Zoning Code. Any changes would not affect residential zoning. A public hearing will be held in regards to this matter on a date to be determined.” Kevin Walsh of Seventh Street-based Walsh, Markus, McDougal & DeBellis LLC is the attorney for the new restaurant application. In a February 28 letter he sent to Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) Chairman Robert Cunningham, Walsh detailed the request for a variance expressing a need for an additional 18 parking spaces with the proposed restaurant’s operations and dimensions. “There are many restaurants in the C-2 districts. Although many of their patrons are anticipated to be Garden City residents who will likely walk to and from the restaurant during the day, when the municipal lot is at peak demand, there is also a parking variance needed for (18) spaces,” Walsh wrote along with the application documents. Allowable space usage comes for approval, as the total proposed occupied area of the 5,504-square foot parcel (the property’s footprint) would equal 4,539 square feet, exceeding the code and requiring a variance. The village has a permitted area for the space of 4,128 square feet, calculated
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This past Saturday morning, children eagerly gathered at St. Paul’s field with their Easter baskets in hand to participate in the annual Easter Egg Hunt. Pictured: Friends, Claire LeLeonnec and Amelia Moran happily check out their treats. It was a wonderful morning filled friends, music and laughter. A special thanks to the Recreation Department Staff for a wonderful event!
Forum on changing school starting time At a community forum on May 1st, the Garden City Public Schools will be seeking public comment on the possibility of changing school starting times. In 2016 the Board of Education created the School
Starting Time Steering Committee to research the possibilities of changing school day start times in the district. According to research by the American Academy of Pediatrics, too early school start times con-
Girls lacrosse continues its winning streak PAGE 66 Teen Project supports Winthrop Swim-a-thon PAGE 53