By Hector Flores
The developer was seeking a variance from the Town of Hempstead¹s Board of Zoning Appeals that would allow it to demolish the house that now occupies the one-acre plot of land and replace it with four new homes and a private driveway.
But because the April 18 hearing before the BZA, was postponed pending an updated proposal from Cooper & Stein, now before the Nassau County Planning Commission, to divide the lot into two parcels, instead of four, all residents can do is wait.
According to Joe Danenza of Richmond Court, whose backyard faces the Preston Road lot, a representative of Cooper & Stein sent a letter to area residents on March 13, informing them that the company would ask the planning commission to consider an application to divide the lot. If the county allows the lot¹s subdivision, into just two parcels, Cooper & Stein will withdraw its current application before the BZA.
The letter, written by Noel Cooperstein, president and CEO of the company, stated that because of the opposition to the proposed four-lot subdivision of the property, the company had decided to ³develop the property in a way that requires no variances from the Town of Hempstead and fully complies with the requirements of the County of Nassau for subdivision purposes.²
If the subdivision is approved, both rectangular lots would exceed the town¹s lot area requirement of 8,000 square feet. One lot would measure 26,100 square feet and the other would measure 17,400 square feet. Assemblyman Tom McKevitt, a Republican from East Meadow and a former Town of Hempstead attorney, said that if the commission agrees to the subdivision, the lots would be ³huge,² and would not require a variance from the town.
Cooperstein added that as he waits for a decision from the county, he has asked for an adjournment of the original variance application with the BZA. If the county rejects the company¹s revised application, Cooperstein said, he would renew the original variance application.
Reacting to news of Cooper & Stein¹s new plan, Danenza said that he favors the two-lot conversion. ³Having two lots is better than having four lots,² Danenza said. ³If the two homes are built, [Cooper & Stein] is preserving the structure of the community. The new homes will be facing the street, and that¹s better than the four, which would have been one on top of the other with a private driveway.²
Dr. Bob Kassoff, who lives near the Preston Road home, said that he is cautiously optimistic. ³[Cooperstein] has not said that he has given up on his plan,² Kassoff said. ³He is not bound by the letter he sent to anyone ‹ he just announced what he¹s doing.²
Cooper & Stein representatives did not respond to a request for comment.
Comments about this story? HFlores@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 283.
