Great Neck Plaza trustees discuss aid for restaurants, small businesses ahead of reopening

Dan Offner
Trustees from the Village of Great Neck Plaza discussed potential aid for local businesses and restaurants ahead of their reopening. (Photo from Google Maps)

Great Neck Plaza is looking to help its local restaurants and businesses reopen in the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“We’re trying to help our restaurants recover and get back on their feet,” Mayor Jean Celender said during a Zoom conference call on June 3. “It’s not just a question of turning the clock back on. There has to be some creativity used to create some outdoor seating. Having six seats is better than no seats.” 

In response to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s decision to begin easing some of the restrictions imposed on local businesses since a state of emergency was declared in March, the Board of Trustees voted 5-0 to adopt a resolution providing measures at its disposal to aid local businesses, while also being mindful of public health and safety concerns. 

According to the resolution, which is available online at https://www.greatneckplaza.net, this will require businesses to acquire a conditional use permit to have outside dining and allows delivery from restaurants subject to conditions that balance public health and safety with the recovery needs of businesses.  

Celendar said the village will approach reopening business with caution following a recent incident in the Village of Farmingdale, where Nassau County Executive Laura Curran ordered fire marshals to shut down the outdoor operation of 45 restaurants after close to 1,500 people gathered on Main Street on a Friday night. 

However, the issue was not in the gathering of people, but the county and state permitting processes that require tables and chairs be provided by the village, rather than the restaurants themselves. 

“I think we need to take the lead to help them,” Celendar said. “They’ve been out for two months. Some started to do takeout and then closed and now they’re opening again.” 

Based on the resolution, the Village of Great Neck Plaza will authorize its building superintendent for a period of six months to suspend enforcement proceedings against restaurants which make outgoing deliveries, convert parking spaces for other uses to facilitate outside dining and curbside pickup, and provide stamped approval applications for restaurants if they have determined that there is a safe location for delivery vehicles and socially distant diners. 

Trustees Pam Marksheid and Deputy Mayor Ted Rosen also agreed that the resolution was a smart move for the village as the state and county start to loosen restrictions. 

“This could increase the opportunity for walking and social distancing aside from the restaurants,” Rosen said. “We’re looking at doing this and increasing outdoor seating.” 

Some of the restaurants that will benefit from this program include the Great Neck Diner, the Inn at Great Neck, La Rotunda and The Organic. 

Plans for a proposed five-story structure at 16 Maple Drive, which would include mixed-use retail and residential space, were approved at the last Board of Trustees meeting on May 20. However, there was still some disagreement on the wording. 

According to village Attorney Richard Gabriele, he worked with Chris Prior, an attorney with McLaughlin & Stern, who is representing the applicant, the Spiegel Associates, to work out the language and present a permit after more than an hour and a half of discussion last month. 

Rosen said he had just received the final documents at 4 p.m. and hadn’t had time to read them over yet. 

In order to give officials more time to ensure that the plans are an accurate reflection of the project, the board voted to adjourn the approval of conditions to the next meeting on June 17. 

The board also voted to authorize Mayor Celender to sign an LIRR lease extension agreement, which extends the agreement for one more year until April 30, 2021. 

“This has not been voted on very much,” Gabriele said. “The long-term lease agreement with LIRR has been in effect for 20 years and expired in 2018.”

Gabriele explained that this is the exact same agreement that was approved in past years, except the dates have changed. The measure was approved 5-0.

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