Friday, June 2, 2017
Vol. 93, No.37
FOUNDED 1923
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LOCALLY OWNED AND EDITED
Swim Across GC PAGE 14 n Field Night PAGE 43
Board considering easing new business parking requirements
HOME OF THE FREE
BY RIKKI N. MASSAND The Garden City Board of Trustees is considering changing parking requirements for new businesses on Seventh Street. A municipal zoning change aimed at alleviating the parking requirements was introduced at the May 4 Board of Trustees’ meeting by Superintendent of Building Ausberto Huertas. That was followed up two weeks later at the May 18 meeting with a presentation from Georges Jacquemart of Manhattan-based BFJ Planning and also the director of the firm’s transportation practice. .
Children at Garden City Nursery School recently commemorated Memorial Day with flags, patriotic music and their very own parade. See page 44.
HS science students impress board with research at annual symposium BY RIKKI N. MASSAND Some of the busiest of Garden City’s teenagers showcased their talents at the High School Science Research program’s 11th annual symposium on Tuesday night. Members of their families, the Garden City community, schools’ administration and the school board vice president all enjoyed learning about the latest wave of bright
scholars in the village and their passion for in-depth research and applying science and engineering lessons to the world around them. Dr. Steven Gordon, teacher for high school science research and a respected mentor to students in GCHS’ program, said it’s always a bittersweet occasion when June is upon us and the graduating seniors have a last hurrah in sci-
ence. “The symposium has grown into a nice occasion with great projects. But we have this chance a couple weeks before graduation to hear about some of the projects they have done not just this year but over two, three and even four years in science research. Goals in research start with students first learning what is out there, read papers and See page 47
Jacquemart cited an example of the firm’s work as Princeton University’s traffic and parking studies from the late 1990s, and said Garden City and Princeton both are affulent towns with walkable shopping. He cited a longstanding need for Garden City to “improve pedestrian conditions” as to-date the village’s parking resources are steady, as per a year 2000 comprehensive parking study his firm completed. Jacquemart is a registered professional engineer in New York, New Jersey and Luxembourg and a registered civil and traffic engineer in See page 47
Village hires consulting firm to review LIRR document BY RIKKI N. MASSAND Nearly 60 days after then-Mayor Nicholas Episcopia participated in a joint press conference in New Hyde Park with local municipalities united against the LIRR Third Track project, the Village of Garden City has taken its first step in response to the project’s Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). At the Board of Trustees’ May 18 meeting an update from one member of the board’s LIRR Third Track Committee set up approval of a new contract. Deputy Mayor John DeMaro explained the latest move to retain engineering, construction and environmental solutions consulting firm Vertex, which is based in Weymouth, Massachusetts. Last year the village hired Vertex and the law firm of Beveridge & Diamond, P.C.
to combat the proposed LIRR Third Track and its initial 1,000-page environmental impact statement. “As you recall the Board approved the consulting service of Vertex to review and analyze the LIRR Third Track Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The FEIS has been issued (in April) and we have had discussions with Vertex to assist the village in analyzing and responding to this. We’ve had numerous conversations with Vertex and what we’d like them to do is focus on the issues that are important to Garden City. Vertex proposed a contract to us not to exceed $12,500 and in the agenda the not-to-exceed number ($15,000) will fund what is necessary for the contract,” DeMaro said. Approval by the Board required a budget transfer of $15,000 from the See page 50
GCHS Baseball falls to Wantaugh in County Finals PAGES 64-65 Varsity Boys LAX repeats County Championship PAGE 61