The Village of North Hills Board of Trustees is considering plans to refurbish the grounds around North Hills Village Hall, including repair or replacement of 300 feet of cyclone fencing along Searingtown Road.
“There are sections of the fence that are in need of repair. Cars have run into it,” North Hills Deputy Mayor Dennis Sgambati said.
Sgambati said the weight of last winter’s snowfalls had also damaged the fence in some places.
Village Trustee Gail Cohen said the fence is “rusty” and “things are growing through it.”
She suggested replacing the existing fence with estate fencing that would be more aesthetically appealing.
But Sgambati said the village to stick with the same type of fence design it currently has in place for appearance and function.
“I like an open look. It’s an open area,” he said, referring to the Village Hall grounds. “I prefer cyclone fence. A car goes into it, you can replace it.”
After the meeting, Sgambati said gave $10,000 as a “ballpark” figure for replacing the fence, depending on use of some estate fencing. He said it would cost the village less than $10,000 to “patch and repair” the fence.
The trustees also discussed whether to permanently eliminate existing gates in the fence that are no longer being used for entrances or exits. The board’s consensus was too leave the fence’s structure as it is for the moment.
“You never know when you’re going to have to open it up. Better to do it now than later,” North Hills Mayor Marvin Natiss said.
The trustees agreed to solicit bids for replacing the fence or repairing it, as Sgambati suggested. They also decided to have a survey conducted of the grounds to determine the area they have to work on.
“One way or the other we need a survey for Village Hall property so we know where we are,” Natiss said.
Donald Alberto, village director of engineering and building, said the village needs to have a survey of the 50 or 60 trees on the grounds to determine the number of trees and their condition. He said trees with trunk circumferences of six inches should be included in the survey.
Alberto said new plantings would replace trees that need to be taken down.
Sgambati said North Hills Village Hall sit on approximately one acre of land.
• The trustees discussed expanding the parking lot designated for residents using the free shuttle bus to and from Village Hall and the Manhasset Long Island Rail Road station.
Alberto said it cost approximately $35,000 to add 11 more spaces to the lot.
Natiss said use of the village’s free shuttle to and from Village Hall and the Manhasset Long Island Rail Road station had increased since last year.
He said 520 village residents used the morning shuttle in April this year compared to 460 in April 2013 and 487 people used the evening shuttle this year compared to 464 last year. And based on recent observation one morning, Natiss said he sees increased usage.
“The parking lot was full and people were still coming in to use the shuttle,” Natiss said, adding he still hears consistently positive comments. “Those people who use the shuttle love it.”
• The village board voted to raise the maximum penalty for parking violations from $50 to $200 per violation.
