The Village of Great Neck passed a law at its Tuesday meeting changing how it punishes property owners who mislead the village board or violate their permits.
“The board wanted to have the authority and to give the authority to the board of appeals in certain instances to take action when applicants violate conditions imposed upon them or violate other conditions of the law,” village attorney Stephen Limmer said.
The proposed law expands on current code, which grants the village the right to reconsider or revoke permits if an applicant gained the permit based on a “material representation.” The new law would allow the village to also revoke permits if an owner violates conditions, and would establish more detailed hearing procedures for owners accused of violations.
The law also grants the village more latitude in how it treats violators by allowing boards allow a violated or misrepresented permit to continue for a probationary period of up to one year – an expansion of the board’s existing powers to either revoke such permits or decide to take no action.
Resident Rebecca Gilliar objected to the change, saying that the law would allow the village to let developers who lie during permit hearings off easy.
Limmer said she had misinterpreted the law, and that it was designed to expand and clarify the board’s latitude in dealing with both misrepresentations and permit violations.
“The feeling was when people are given conditional variances and conditional permits, just fines and summonses are not sufficient,” Limmer said.
Should the village board of zoning appeals or board of trustees find either a substantial permit violation or continuous violations after the property owner had been notified of the problem, the proposed law would allow the village to place the permit under a probationary period, impose additional conditions, suspend the use the property until the violation is resolved or revoke the permit.
The law would allow the board of trustees the same latitude if a property owner is found to have violated the law.
Paired with the more detailed enforcement powers are specific hearing procedures, which guarantee property owners the right to a hearing to contest the violations.
Also at the meeting, representatives from the Great Neck Library presented plans for a proposed $10.4 million renovation of the library’s Main Branch, which will be put to a public vote in a Nov. 19 referendum.
Village of Great Neck Mayor Ralph Kreitzman thanked the library’s board the building advisory committee and voiced support for the project.
“Form what I understand it seems like the right way to go,” Kreitzman said.
