Village of Great Neck rezoning gets smart growth award

Adam Lidgett

Vision Long Island has awarded the Village of Great Neck a Smart Growth Award for its rezoning of Middle Neck Road and Steamboat Road – an issue that has divided the candidates running in the June 16 village elections.

Vision Long Island, a smart growth advocacy non-profit, said in a statement the rezoning improves downtown walkability in the Village of Great Neck, enhancing the resident and community experience.

“This project, which was developed with expert and significant community input and support, is one of the many initiatives the ‘Old Village’ has undertaken to encourage a vibrant downtown and a better village,” Village of Great Neck Mayor Ralph Kreitzman said in a statement. “Our trustees and I look forward to implementing this effort, making pedestrian and traffic improvements with non-tax, community benefit funds, and to further projects that are beneficial to our great Village of Great Neck.”

The rezoning, passed by Village of Great Neck trustees in October, condensed the village’s business district in an effort to revitalize the downtown area.

The rezoning permits apartments above commercial businesses in the central business core and apartments and townhomes at the northern and southern ends of Middle Neck Road. Under the rezoning, townhomes are also allowed on portions of Steamboat Road.

Kreitzman, who along with trustees Mitch Beckerman and Jeff Bass are running for re-election on the Better Government Party ticket, has defended the rezoning against criticism from opposition candidates.

Anne Mendelson, who is running for trustee on the Voice of the Village Party ticket, recently said the rezoning will put a burden on the village.

“The zoning has changes such that it expanded residential areas so that apartment buildings can be put in,” Mendelson said. “As a result, we will have greater traffic and greater stress on our aquifers.”

Along with Mendelson, a technical software product manager for Thomson Reuters, Raymond Plakstis Jr. is also running for trustee on the Voice of the Village Party ticket, and Pedram Bral is running for mayor on the ticket.

Efforts to reach Plakstis and Bral were unavailing. Rebecca Gilliar,  campaign manager for the Voice of the Village Party, said Great Neck’s downtown was walkable before the rezoning.

“The business district is already ‘walkable’ but thanks to our village officials, no one walks there because there is nothing to walk to, the storefronts are empty,” Gilliar said in an email.

Sam Yellis, a Village School teacher running for trustee as the lone Bridge Party candidate, has also criticized the rezoning.

“You don’t save it by shrinking it,” Yellis has said. “We need more stores and customers, and their plans will eliminate stores that have been around for generations.”

Voting will take place from 12 p.m.-9 p.m. on June 16 at Great Neck House at 14 Arrandale Ave.

The villages of Lake Success and Kings Point will also see elections.

In Lake Success, trustees Adam Hoffman, Gene Kaplan and David Milner will all run unopposed.

Voting will take place from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Lake Success Village Hall, located at 318 Lakeville Road.

Village of Kings Point trustees Ron Horowitz and Hooshang Nematzadeh will also run unopposed.

Voting will take place from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Kings Point 32 Steppingstone Lane.

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