By ANTHONY BOTTAN
Phase One of the three total phases is already underway, and the entire redevelopement will cost the village $35,000 and take about five months to complete.
Regional Plan Associates, a not-for-profit regional planning organization that, according to its Web site, "shapes transportation systems, protects open spaces, and promotes better community design for the region's continued growth," has already finished its initial study, which entailed surveying the village, identifying how residents use the commercial district and determining the best alternatives to the village's downtown parking woes.
"The punch line was trying to identify strategies Lynbrook could use to make parking a catalyst for downtown revitalization," said David Kooris, director of the Connecticut office for RPA. "Our main recommendation was that the parking be structured to allow for new uses."
The reality is that there will be no changes on the ground, Kooris said, and the changes would occur ideally in the zoning and design guidelines. "The goal is to lay the framework in place so that future development can help work toward the broader goals of the community," he said. Since Lynbrook is about 25 minutes from Manhattan, Kooris explained, it is more attractive for residential and commercial development. He said by consolidating parking resources into a smaller area, it would leave more room for commercial businesses to build, thus creating a more walkable, and accessible downtown area.
Village Administrator John Giordano said the board's expectation of the redevelopment is that it will inspire commercial development and improve property value in the village. "We want to strengthen the downtown," he said. "We want to attract businesses that have a large customer base. We want to make Lynbrook a destination."
According to Kooris, Phase One is underway and entailed gathering previous planning reports, looking through zoning laws and taking pictures of existing lots, as well as potential areas for redevelopment. Kooris said RPA will also use parking, zoning, traffic and transportation studies done by the village to help in their Phase One assessments. "Our goal is to help the community articulate its vision for the future and identify tools to get there," he said.
Kooris said the first phase will take about 1.5 months to complete and four months to complete the other two phases. Mayor Brian Curran said the length of the redevelopment plan is conducive to the village's needs. "Five months is a good timetable for us," he said. Kooris asked the board to compile a list of about 20-25 stakeholders, like key property and business owners, the Chamber of Commerce and department heads, to bounce ideas off when prioritizing land parcels and zoning restrictions.
Trustee David Penso suggested involving the Architectural Review Board and Board of Zoning Appeals in the list of stakeholders. "My assumption is to bring in as many people with the most expertise to have the best formula for success," he said.
Phase Two entails dividing the downtown into categories that reflect their "redevelopment potential." Each parcel of land in its category will be given a height and set back requirement, as well pinpointed locations for access. Phase Three, which Kooris said is usually the most time-consuming phase, entails RPA presenting its "redevelopment vision" for the downtown to the board and stakeholders. Narrowing down the redevelopment to a preferred scenario is the hardest part, Kooris said.
Though the redevelopment plan is not going to solve all of the downtown's problem, Kooris said it is a step in the right direction. "This is a potential chapter of the master plan," he said.
Comment or questions on this story? Abottan@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 246.
