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Vol. 33 No. 13
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MARCH 24 - 30, 2022
Residents fight builder’s plans on E. Beech St. By JAMeS BeRNSteIN jbernstein@liherald.com
A battle is shaping up between a group of residents and one of Long Beach’s largest developers over his ambitious plans for a half-centuryold piece of property in the city’s well-kept Eastholme section. The fight was set to take center stage Thursday night, wh e n d eve l o p e r C h a rl e s Mayeri, of Great Neck, was scheduled to appear before the Long Beach Zoning Board of Appeals. On its face, the meeting may
sound like a yawner. Mayeri is seeking to overturn a decision last June by the city building commissioner, Scott Kemins, who issued a stop-work order prohibiting the developer from continuing to construct two driveways at 355 E. Beach St., a Georgian-style two-family home that Mayeri bought for $879,000 at an estate sale. Building inspectors arrived on June 11, but the driveways had been completed the day before. Mayeri has not been asked to remove them. The property had been owned for near 50 years by the late Larry and Hope Fischer.
Joe Abate/Herald
NeIGHBoRS GAtHeReD outSIDe a house at 355 E. Beach St. to discuss their next moves in an effort to block what they believe will be a subdivision of the property. If Mayeri is unsuccessful in overturning Kemins’s decision, he is expected to ultimately seek a variance for the finished driveways. He is arguing that Kemins misinterpreted city building codes when he issued the stop-work order. But what has members of the Block Alliance Association, a grouo of Eastholme resi-
dents, particularly upset is that they believe Mayeri ultimately may want to subdivide the property and build another house on it. Jessica Rone, an association member who lives near the Mayeri property, and other members say they are certain the developer plans to subdivide. Mayeri could not be reached
for comment. His attorney, Albert D’Agostino, did not return calls seeking comment. Association members note that Mayeri appeared before the ZBA in October 2020 and requested that the property be subdivided so that he could demolish the existing garage and build a new two-family Continued on page 12
L.B. uncovers over $600,000 in unspent community funds By JAMeS BeRNSteIN jbernstein@liherald.com
The City of Long Beach has disclosed that it has uncovered $658,667 in unspent funds that were intended for community development programs between 2014 and 2018. The federal funds come to the city through Nassau County, and are earmarked for such things as park improvements, roads and other city facilities. The disclosure came at a recent City Council meeting, as the council was preparing to file for a new round of community development funds for the 48th year.
In the U.S., community development programs date back to the late 1960s, and are administered by the federal department of Housing and Urban Development. Funds from the federal government are distributed to local municipalities, and are used for housing and publicworks projects and for expanding economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents. The $658,667 was authorized by the county, but went unused. The City Council was unable to immediately explain why the money was not spent. In an email to the Herald earlier this week, the city wrote,
N
obody was happy when they heard about it. Roy leSteR
City councilman “This administration has uncovered $658,667 in unspent funds from the 41st through the 45th years of funding.” In a statement earlier this week, City Manager Donna Gayden said, “We have worked diligently with Nassau County’s office of Community Develop-
ment to identify funds unspent by previous administrations and ensure they are properly deployed to the benefit of our residents. “As we restore the county’s confidence in our ability to effectively invest these funds,” Gayden continued, “we hope to see the allotment dedicated to Long Beach increase.”
Between 2014 and 2018 — the years the money went unspent — the city manager was Jack Schnirman. In an unrelated matter, Long Beach in 2020 filed a $2.4 million lawsuit, alleging fraud, conspiracy and breach of duty, against Schnirman, who was then Nassau County comptroller, and RobContinued on page 12