The proposed $130 million West Shore Road rental project has had its draft environmental impact statement accepted by North Hempstead and a public hearing will be held Sept. 28.
The public hearing will be at 7 p.m. in the Town Board Room at Town Hall, 220 Plandome Road, Manhasset. The hearing will consider the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for West Shore Residences with a petition for a zoning change from “Residence-AAA” to “Multiple Residence.”
Zoning refers to the specifications that permit and prohibit the use of real estate in certain areas. Under the present Residence-AAA zoning regulations, which govern the size and scope of developments, the project could not proceed as planned.
Development under Residence-AAA zoning would cause the subdivision of the property into four single-family residential lots and the construction of single-family residences on those lots. In its Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Southern Land Company, a Tennessee-based developer, said this is not a reasonable alternative.
However, the developer could build its planned seven-story, 176-unit multiple residences with a 29-slip public marina if the Town rezoned the area to Multiple Residence.
Council Member Mariann Dalimonte outlined the potential upcoming procedures last month. She said Southern Land will summarize its findings and conclusions at the hearing. The rest of the session will then be open for public comments.
Brief questions concerning specific procedures or facts could receive prompt answers. Most remarks will be noted and considered for the Final Environmental Impact Statement.
The deadline for written public comments will now be Oct. 31; it had been Oct. 17. The Planning Department, on behalf of the Lead Agency, will then direct Southern Land to address all pertinent public comments in the final statement.
The Town Board may accept the Final Environmental Impact Statement three to four months after the closing date. They would also establish a date for a public hearing on the rezoning application.
The Town will have a public hearing on the rezone application three to four weeks afterward. They will likely set a continuation date for the decision.
The Town Board will deliver its Findings Statement three to four weeks after the rezoning hearing. They will likely close the public hearing and vote on whether to approve the rezoning.
The Findings Statement will be the first time the Lead Agency expresses an opinion of Southern Land’s study and results. It also establishes the dimensions and constraints of the development proposal. Southern Land does not take part in the development of the Findings Statement.
The Board of Zoning Appeals will hold a hearing on any necessary variances four to six months after the publishing of the Findings Statement. If approved, the Town Board will have a hearing for site plan review and the marina two to three months later.
Anyone who wants to send a comment through email to be recorded can do so at [email protected].
