New home sought for 7th

Nassau County is looking for a new home for the Police Department’s 7th Precinct. The current facility, at Merrick Road and Neptune Avenue in Seaford, has been deemed outdated, and plans for a new building are in the works.

The precinct includes all or parts of Seaford and Massapequa, as well as parts of Wantagh, North Wantagh, North Massapequa, Bellmore and Merrick. The current station was built in the 1950s and expanded in 1968.

No location has been chosen yet, but rumor has spread around town that the county is considering Cedar Creek Park, on the Wantagh-Seaford border, about a half-mile west of the current precinct. Last month, residents near the park received notice of a hearing before the Nassau County Planning Commission to create a separate parcel for the precinct.

According to Brian Nevin, a spokesman for County Executive Ed Mangano, the notice went out in error and the hearing was quickly canceled.

“The unfortunate aspect is that was the first notice anybody had received,” said County Legislator Steve Rhoads, who represents much of the 7th Precinct’s coverage area. “That was simply not the way it was supposed to be done.”

Before any spot is chosen, Nassau County officials want feedback from the public. Rhoads will host a community meeting on Jan. 19 at Wantagh High School. According to Rhoads, representatives from the Police Department will discuss the need for a new precinct building and possible locations.

Rhoads said that the decision on a location must be made very carefully. The county must select a plot of land with enough room for a larger building as well as sufficient parking. There must also be easy access to major roadways. “This is a police precinct,” he said. “There are certain aspects that have to be considered.”

He said that one benefit of putting the precinct building at Cedar Creek Park is that it is already county-owned, so there would be no cost for land acquisition. However, he said he also understands the concerns residents have about having a police station in the park.

A group of residents dubbed the Committee to Preserve Cedar Creek Park sent a letter to the Herald outlining several concerns about the possible location.