Letter to the Editor: Crocus Lane Project Will Negatively Affect Neighborhood

The following is from Levittown resident Rick Ekberg.

A letter to the editor:

A builder has currently filed plans with the Hempstead Town Board to construct several condominium units in our neighborhood. The first units are proposed to be constructed on the lot between Orchid Road, Blacksmith Road and Crocus Lane. These condos will house about 51 double and single units with parking for about 90 vehicles.

In order for the builder to proceed with such a project, the board of appeals must rule in favor of such a development. If the lot is allowed to be re-zoned by the board of appeals, this will set a precedence to construct similar condos on the lot between Orchid Road, Woodcock Lane, Skimmer Lane and Heron Lane, which the same builder also owns.

If both projects are allowed to be built on the vacant lots, the parking for the condos would be for approximately 180 vehicles (this parking does not include visitor parking which would spill out on the adjacent streets).

If each vehicle left the condo unit and then returned home for only one time during the day, it would mean 360 more vehicles passing each day on the streets between Jerusalem Avenue and Newbridge Road. Add that to the existing congestion from the current local residents. This does not take into account the commercial service vehicles needed to maintain the facilities (garbage carting, snow plows, lawn maintenance, etc.). These vehicles will also travel to and from Jerusalem Avenue and Newbridge Road.

The traffic will affect all residents on the surrounding streets. The enormous increase in traffic will endanger the safety of our children playing in and around the area's streets and parks and create long traffic backups trying to exit on to Jerusalem Avenue and Newbridge Road.

The Hempstead Board of Appeals will hear anyone who would like to speak about this matter on May 8 at Town Meeting Pavilion, 1 Washington St., Hempstead, at 10:30 a.m. The only way to prevent the condos from being constructed is to have a large turnout of people in opposition to appear before the board. If you don't show up, the board could vote in favor of the re-zoning, resulting that the condo project and the increased traffic to follow will be unstoppable.

Please join your fellow neighbors to prevent this project from being built and come to the hearing.

For more information on this please contact LPOA@optonline.net

Thank you,
Rick Ekberg