Serving Williston Park, East Williston, Mineola, Albertson and Searingtown
$1
Friday, November 23, 2018
Vol. 67, No. 47
!"#$%&%'()$* !+",-
!"#$!%&"'$! ()"*)+,!"-
"$,(*./"01# $,2!(,.%'"'
HOLIDAY GUIDE
BAN ON MARIJUANA STORES EYED
SUOZZI, RICE PRESS PELOSI
PAGES 29-36
PAGE 2
PAGE 6
#)/"567"589:
0)2,!$"')2( ,.%"3"%.4)*
Mineola Main Street plans face criticism
CASE DISMISSED
Conversion of vacant lot and building into new apartments meets opposition BY J E D HENDRIXSON The prospective development of a vacant lot and adjoining vacant building at 86-88 Main St. in Mineola met community opposition based on village parking issues last week. The Mineola Board of Trustees heard arguments for and against the development of the two lots into a four-story mixed-use retail and residential space centered on a lack of!parking!in the area at a public hearing last Wednesday. The hearing was ultimately adjourned until Jan. 9. The village has encountered parking issues consistently while attempting to! revitalize the downtown business district, Mayor Scott Strauss said. “I’ve seen how the village has morphed,” Strauss said. “What is your plan for parking in that area where there is virtually none?” “This area during the day, during the week, is heavily occupied
and there is very little parking available,” engineering consultant Sean Mulryan said. He presented the board with a copy of a November 2016 report on parking from Level G Associates and U.S. Census data. According to census data, 15 percent of renter occupants in the village do not own vehicles, and the development is aiming its marketing at those individuals, Mulryan said. “I can’t believe that,” Trustee Paul Cusato said. The current plans call for a retail space on the first floor and three stories of apartments above. The building would be divided into 11 one-bedroom apartments. The application was submitted by property owner Joseph Puccio and Zambrano Architectural Design under the development incentive bonus law, an effort to continue to revitalize the village’s downtown, a major component of the Comprehensive Master Plan adopted in 2005. Continued on Page 61
PHOTO BY JED HENDRIXSON
Nassau County 3rd District Court Judge Scott Fairgrieve at the bench. See story on page 3.
St. Aidan Pastor James McDonald dies at 77 BY J E D HENDRIXSON
Catholic church Monday night for McDonald, his sister, Anne McDonald, said she was worSt. Aidan Church’s pastor, ried not many people would Monsignor James McDonald, attend. By the end of the night hundreds of St. Aidan School died Friday at the age of 77. At a wake in the Roman students, parishioners and
those who had known McDonald filed through the doors. “The support from the community has been amazing,” Anne! McDonald said. “It’s a very sad time for our family, Continued on Page 51
For the latest news visit us at www.theislandnow.com D on’t forget to follow us on Twitter @Theislandnow and Facebook at facebo ok.com/theislandnow