Great Neck Plaza mulls moratorium on new developments

Janelle Clausen
Great Neck Plaza village officials were weighing a moratorium on new developments in some parts of the village. (Photo from Google Maps)
Great Neck Plaza village officials were weighing a moratorium on new developments in some parts of the village. (Photo from Google Maps)

Great Neck Plaza village officials will hold a public hearing June 19 for a proposed law that would implement a nine-month moratorium on new developments in the village in hopes of studying the issue and possible changes to the village code.

The village had its first public hearing last Wednesday, but adjourned the matter to June 19 so the Nassau County Planning Commission could weigh in on the law. The moratorium would specifically relate to new buildings with three or more new dwelling units, according to the public notice, and amend Chapter 225 of the village code.

Great Neck Plaza Mayor Jean Celender said the proposed moratorium, which comes in response to a wave of development activities and inquiries, could allow the Board of Trustees to “pause, reflect and look at conditions without new applications being filed.”

“We want to study what’s recently been built, what’s under construction, what’s in the pipeline, and whether we need to modify any of the provisions in the village code,” Celender said in a follow-up call Monday.

According to a draft of the law, trustees, the Zoning Board of Appeals and Department of Public Services could not grant a conditional use permit, site plan approval, variance or permit of compliance involving a large residential project. It would also not consider any applications during those nine months.

This would not affect projects that were pending before the law’s approval or prevent modification of previously approved use, provided it does “not result in a more intensive use of the building or structure.”

Village officials passed laws amending Chapter 225 of the village code last year to incentivize affordable housing in the RT and RD zoning districts.

The changes give more lenience on side and rear yard setbacks, increase the allowable floor ratio, cap the number of floors at four, and set a lower minimum apartment size. In exchange, 20 percent of the units must be reserved for “affordable housing.”

If the moratorium is approved, Celender said, the village board would likely engage a consultant. She also said the village board hopes the moratorium would not need to extend beyond nine months, even though it could technically be extended.

The public hearing will take place on Wednesday, June 19, at 8 p.m. at 2 Gussack Plaza.

The next village Board of Trustees meeting will be Wednesday, June 5, at 8 p.m.

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