Mineola OKs application for 8-story building

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Hochul’s New York Housing Compact included local participation requirements to achieve housing growth while requiring municipalities with MTA stations like Mineola to rezone for higher-density resi- dential development.

“I believe this process is one that is transparent and is not shoved down our throats from Albany,” Pereira said. “It’s certainly a give-and-take from people who are clearly involved in the community.”

Dalimonte said the LIRR service changes to accomadate trains running to and from Grand Central Madison immediately posed problems when all express trains to Penn Station were initially proposed to be removed when service to Grand Central began. She, along with other government officials, fought to get the express trains reinstated.

Six express trains were reinstated: three in the morning and three in the evening.

Dalimonte said the main need of Port Washington Branch riders is reinstating all express trains running to and from Penn Station, a service that commuters previously had and were accustomed to.

She said the service change combining two trains, both of which are partially express and skip differing stations along the branch, is another example of the LIRR diminishing train services with shorter travel times for commuters.

“We need more express trains,” Dalimonte said. “We need more service to and from Penn Station.”

As a former 14-year-long commuter on the LIRR, Dalimonte said the mass transit service needs to suit everyone’s needs, which it is not doing as of late.

“So I am very frustrated with their changes as of Sept. 5 that they did not think of Port Washington in these changes,” Dalimonte said.

Dalimonte is advocating on behalf of her constituents to get the train service along the Port Washington Branch that commuters need. She said she has continuously called the governor’s Long Island representative to voice her frustration and explain the commuting needs of her constituents.

She said she has also written letters to the LIRR and Interim President Catherine Rinaldi, asking for ridership data and expressing her concerns with the train service.

Dalimonte has also met with LIRR representatives about the design process for the third track at the Port Washington Train Station, but has not received any updates despite reaching out to them.

“I will advocate as much as I can for my district,” Dalimonte said. “I know as a former commuter how much I relied on the train schedule.”