I believe that most residents would characterize Garden City as a place of enduring beauty and tranquility. A community which inspires excellence and expects the delivery of the highest quality of municipal service.

I believe that the most significant reason behind Garden City's success can be summed up in a word: commitment. And commitment is nowhere more in evidence than in the numerous village boards and commissions and the dedicated men and women who volunteer to serve on them.

Over the next few weeks, I will be featuring these boards and commissions in this column, in no particular order, in an effort to familiarize our residents with their responsibilities which directly improve our quality of life while enhancing property values.

One of the fundamental powers of any municipality is the ability to control land use within its boundaries. Zoning is the basic and most significant of all the land use controls. The Village's Zoning Code has long enjoyed the reputation of being a national model which has enabled the village's orderly development while maintaining the delicate balance of residential and commercial uses.

As an oversimplification, zoning is accomplished by dividing the village into districts as deemed appropriate by the board of trustees pursuant to the Village's Zoning Law. Within each district there are uses which are "permitted uses" provided they comply with certain specific standards set forth in the law.

Pursuant to State Law, the village has established a Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) which consists of five members, one from each of the property owners associations and one at large member who are appointed by the Village Board of Trustees for a five-year term. The purpose of the ZBA is to hear and decide appeals from any order, requirement, decision or determination made by the Superintendent of the Building Department who is charged with the enforcement of the Village's Zoning Laws. The ZBA is not a legislative body and, therefore, may not amend zoning regulations or change the boundaries of districts.

The ZBA meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. on a calendar which is prepared by Mr. Filippon, the superintendent of the Building Department, the village's building official. The members of the board of appeals have collectively 58 years of service on the board. They are: Robert L. Cunningham, chairperson (1985), John G. Villanella (1989), Robert L. Clarey (1989), William B. Haynes Jr. (1992) and Michael T. Schroder (1992).

We are most appreciative of the time and talent that they volunteer to our village.

The Town of Hempstead Sanitation Department will conduct its monthly STOP (Stop Throwing Out Pollutants) program on Sunday, May 20. The program, which is being held at various locations throughout the Town of Hempstead, will make hazardous waste facilities accessible to as many residents as possible.

The May 20 program will be held at Newbridge Road Park Garage, South Bellmore. The hours of operation will be 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Under the STOP program, residents are able to take polluting materials to the facility and have them disposed of by a registered professional disposal company, free of charge. The facility will not accept the following materials: ammunition, explosives, fireworks, infectious or medical waste, propane or oxygen tanks, radioactive materials, unlabeled materials and fire extinguishers.