Rockville Centre Letters to the Editor

AvalonBay isn’t approved yet

To the Editor:

AvalonBay’s Phase ll has not yet been approved by the village’s Board of Zoning Appeals. The hearings are still open. The SEQR comment period is open until Dec. 5. The next hearing schedule by the BZA is on Jan. 7. These dates are important.

AvalonBay ll held an open house on Nov. 22. The proposal is not approved, but you can add your name to the waiting list for the new apartments.

Tell me, Rockville Centre: Has the deal already been approved under the proverbial table? Residents must remember AvalonBay l started building under a temporary certificate of occupancy before approval. Is this the next step as the hearings continue?

The BZA is waiting on a traffic study. Well, I can tell you the car traffic volume right now. According to the state Department of Transportation, 118,000 cars in less than a half-mile radius travel through Rockville Centre every day. The AvalonBay people and traffic experts say their new development with 177 units, will add only four to six additional cars an hour on the road.

The proposed project exceeds the village code in four areas by 10 to 500 percent. Let me put that in perspective: Homeowners can only build on 33 percent of their property. The front setback is 25 feet and the side is 10 feet. Would the BZA approve your house to cover 100 percent of your property with no setback? Build four stories high? Put 25 cars under your house? No, because the code prevents this and protects your property values.

This mayor and the BZA pick and choose for the favored few. Ask the Pretzel Stop owner on Long Beach Road. Why does Leggz get the same requested parking variance and the Pretzel Stop is denied?

Joseph Thrapp

Rockville Centre