Biz District Pilot Program Approved With Conditions

To help further beautify Garden City's business districts, trustee Dennis Donnelly, on behalf of the Garden City Chamber of Commerce, made a resolution Thursday that would enable merchants to place flowers and potted planters outside their storefronts.

The pilot program would take effect immediately and run through Nov. 30 on Seventh Street, Franklin Avenue and New Hyde Park Road. Seasonal decor would be located on a merchant's property and all sidewalks would remain unobstructed.

Not trying to be a "bureaucrat," trustee Andrew Cavanaugh questioned height restrictions and referred to building superintendent Mike Filippon for clarification.

Filippon, who heard the resolution for the first time Thursday evening, said whenever the department adopts resolutions of this nature, parameters are established in terms of size, footprint, height and more in order to "ensure a safe environment."

Mayor Don Brudie suggested the board approve the resolution with conditions. Cavanaugh agreed, urging the board to adopt and fully support its intent since the spring season is upon us. He suggested chamber representatives consult with the building department "forthwith" to develop "workable and reasonable standards."

Filippon said he wasn't trying to create a "bureaucratic boondoggle" but only trying to create uniformity. The chamber's outdoor dining proposal years ago, for example, was referred to the Architectural Design Review Board (ADRB) for standards.

"It worked well but that obviously was a time consuming process," he said. "In the interest of getting this going this season, maybe the mayor's suggestion is the way to go. Approve this for a temporary amount of time while the appropriate board can review and come up with a set of standards."

Filippon said the objective is to avoid a "haphazard collection of paraphernalia you might find undesirable," adding that once those standards are established "what was already done may have to be undone."

Althea Robinson, executive director of the chamber, thanked the board for approving the pilot program.

"As a long, long time member of the civic beautification committee representing the East I kind of overflow into the business district as well and of course we consider Franklin Avenue the face of our village and Seventh Street is our community shopping center ," she said.

"I think this will do nothing but give it a beautiful aesthetic feel in the summer season, even into the fall when all the mums are out. I will certainly check with Mr. Filippon to see what kind of parameters should be set and we will deal with that."