Village of Flower Hill Mayor Elaine Phillips on Monday announced the 2016-17 budget with a 1.08 budget increase in spending but a proposed decrease in the village tax rate.
Phillips said the village was able to increase spending while reducing the tax rate was a result in an increase in revenue from village fees, including fencing and building permits.
“It’s a great budget and I’m excited,” she said at the board’s regularly scheduled meeting.
Philips said the trustees are proposing a reduction in the tax rate to 1.05 percent.
The proposed budget calls for $3,566,00 in spending — an increase of 1.08 percent from last year. The budget includes $547,429 for fire safety services.
Philips said village trustees will discuss the budget in more detail at a public meeting at 7:30 p.m. on March 21 at Village Hall.
Trustees gave tentative approval to a proposal by Elona Development LLC to revamp the former Landmark Diner building at 1045 Northern Blvd. in Roslyn to house Roche Bobois, a furniture store.
Chuck Panetta, an engineer who appeared at the hearing on behalf of Elona Development LLC, said the village zoning board reviewed the proposal and are now awaiting a determination from Nassau County before making a final determination on their application.
Pannetta said officials had expressed concerns about the design of the building and traffic that the developer had addressed.
“We were able to reduce the size of the building from the previous diner,” Panetta said. “By reducing the building size we were able to increase the aisle widths.”
He also said the plan would limit staking, traffic would continue to flow freely, and the trees won’t block traffic view because they plan on using sidewalk trees.
Trustee Gary Lewandowski said he had concerns with the parking plan, saying it might lead to a dead zone with the parking lot and create a dead end situation.
“It’s right near a hotspot,” Lewandowski said. “Doesn’t give you much time to make your decision before someone is on your back.”
Panena said the type of parking lot they are designing would allow drivers to pull in and out without a problem.
The trustees also offered suggestions for developers to look into adding more handicap parking spots.
The trustees approved the proposal, subject to approval from the Zoning Board of Appeals.
The board also reviewed a proposal by property owner Michael Cohen to replace a car rental business at 1045 Northern Blvd. in Roslyn with a two-story building that would house a Yoga Works on the second floor and retail space on the first.
“The one property that needed an upgrade is this one so we’re glad you’re here,” Phillips said.
Yoga Works will be take up 5,000 square feet and the first floor would be 500 square feet, according to Anthony Guardino from Farrell Fritz, P.C., who was representing Cohen at the hearing.
“We don’t know who that’s going to be yet,” Guardino said when referring to who will rent out the first floor of the building. “The tenant may have need for additional parking.”
Guardino said the developer is seeking three forms of relief in proposal, including a rear set back to include more parking.
He said Cohen plans to move the building back for reasons of noise and give more privacy and to give Northern Boulevard more breathing room.
Developers are looking into using stone materials and other high-quality materials, which they will present at the next zoning board meeting. The application will also require approval from the Nassau County Health Department, according to Panetta.
Phillips said the proposal could not be approved at the meeting because it hadn’t gone before the zoning board yet. She added the board would continue to work with the developer on the proposal.
“We encourage you to move forward with the tremendous improvement on a site that needs to be improved and it would really be one of the last things in our village,” Phillips said. “Obviously we have to get a lot of issues addressed, but we’re willing to work with you.”
The next zoning board meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. on March 16 at the Village Hall.
