The-Leader_1990-09-27

              Freeport •^aldwin
T H E L 56th Year, No. 39 Frceport.N.Y. 11520 OfTicial newspaper of the Village of Freepon»Freeport and Baldwin School Districts Thursday, September 27. 1990 250
Public hearing on waterfront revitalization coming
by Sue Morgan
The future of one of Frceport's most
valuable assets, its ten plus miles of
waterfront, will be the subject of an ,
October 17 public hearing on ihe
village's long-awaited Draft Local
Waterftont Revitalization Program.
The plan, four to five years in the
drafting, is spelled out in an inch-thick
document which outlines both general
policies and specific proposals for
managing development in the coastal
area of the village below Atlantic
Avenue, between Mill Road to the east
and Milbum Creek to the west When
finalized, which could take as little as
six months, it will be implemented in
part by use of the village's zoning
powers.
The draft plan combines information
from a number of studies, including an
aquatic study, with input from meetings
held with "waterfront community
people and concerned groups such as
fishing and . boating interests,"
explained Director of planning and
Cominunity Development Eric
Hemphill. Also incorporated is .
material from a' variety of
governmental agencies. .
But Mr. Hemphill emphasized that,
public comment and reaction to the
plan will be considered with "the -
distinct possibility that future revisions
could be made, to what he called "a .
flexible, fluid document."
Although the report recognfzcs thit
• "the developed nature of the Village of
Freepori generally precludes large
. changes in land use," future
development in the plan's area will be
regulated with an eye toward
maintaining and, where possible.
expanding water related uses,
especially on the "working waterfront"
along Woodcleft Avenue, Also aimed
at are improvements and increased
' accpss to sites which provide public use
of the.waterfront, including the Town
of Hempstead Guy Lombardo Marina
Properly, Nassau Couiily's Cow
Meadow Park, and-village sites at
Waterfront Park, Albany Avenue and
ProspectPariL
The.widening of Front Street, the
restriping of Woodcleft Avenue, and
the addition of more off-street parking
. in the area is pro'posed to improve
public access to the NauticalMile and
Randal Park.
The village would also like to.
develop a marine museum in t^e
• waterfront area, but a separate study
wxHild be required to determine sources
of funding, possible sites, and subject
matter to be displayed.
Fishing Industry
To preserve the village's "very
significant" fishing industry, which
represents a $16 million industry in
Freeport and "a significant economic
boost" to the restaurants and fish
markets on Woodcleft Avenue, but has
been suffering from rising dockage
costs on the Nautical Mile, the draft
Task Force tours hospital
LYDIA HALL VISTTORS: Members of the Mayor's Advisory Task Force on Lydia Hall Hospital recently joined Mayor
Dorothy Stwrn and Tnjstee Anna Jean Cacciatore in a tour Of the now Villageowncd property prior to its boarding up
for security purposes. At right. Task Force Chairman Dr. David Westring examines a piece of outdated dlialysis
equipment. Looking on are, from left, members Wiinam White Jr., former M ^ Robert Sweeney, Eugene Turner, Ms.
Cacciatore, Harvty Brfnd. Wilma Tootle, Kevin Wotese, Trudy Steingrueboer, Mafx Storm and Paul DetGukfice. Task
Fbrce members not in ptioto. are George Boulutos and VtDage Superintendent of Pubre Woite DavkJ Lovejoy. Jt Is
anticipated that the Task Force; already reviewing many proposals, will take sU to nine nxHiths b come up with
retiorornendations to the Village Board of trustees regarding the firtt;re use of the square block site.
Where to read the LWRP
Copl«* of a *anim»Y report which
alto give* backsround Information
on tba draft Local Waterfront
RevHallzatio« Program ar* avaSablo
la tba Vltaea Clerk'* Office. Copies
of the entire document are on file at
the Clerk'* Offlca and al*o at the
Freeport Memorial Ubrary.'
: The Publio Hearing wd take p<jice
Wedneaday, Octbiier 17, at 7:30
pjit,')a the VIRaCe'H«ll Confeterxe
R o o m . - . ' • • • . • • • ; • • ; • - • • • • ' • ; - • ; ••
plan suggests five sites where the
industry could be centralized..
Aldiougb there has been opposition
from commercial fisherrnen to the
suggestion that their operations be
relocated to less costly space off of
Woodcleft, three of the five sites
proposed in the plan are kxxiled at the '
Town Marina property, on the other side
of the canal. Two suggested sites on
Woodcleft Avenue, a waterfront parcel
slated for condominiums by the
Johansen Organization and a privately
' owned parcel straddling Woodcleft just
Dctlh of Ihe waterfront would be ideal
but costly, involving public subsidy of""
the industry, according to the repoit.
Six areas analyzed
The draft plan inventories and'
analyzes individually six segments of
. Freepoit's waiterfront area relating to'
existing. land 'nse, development
: potential, and problem . are&t,
partictdarly uses which are not related
lb the water, Mr. Hemphill told The
Leader. ^ '' '
. I. ..Industrial A.rea: . The area
surrounding Freeport Creek and
' Staduun Pari: Canal is mainly (we of
industrial and commercial use. The'
plan, recommends that while'
Tccrealional fiacilities in this area such
as Ihe Albany Avtnne boat ramps and
Cow Meadow Park sfaoiild be
msintaibed' and improved, son-conforming
residential iise should be
ledevek^ied over the long term.
2. Residential East: The krea
between Ailantit; Avenge and Cow
' ' (cofidnued on page 13)