In mid-June of this year, Mayor Robert Lewis appointed village trustees Peter Bee, Gerard Lundquist and Peter Negri to the "P-zone Committee," charging them to study the possible re-zoning of the "Public Use Zone" located in Garden City's northeast area.

The site now houses Nassau County government's many public buildings. Mayor Lewis took this action in direct response to Nassau County's announcement that it was considering selling some of this highly valuable Garden City property in an effort to raise money.

Since that time, Bee, Lundquist and Negri have been hard at work, meeting as a group with village staff. The committee has begun the process of seeking necessary "base-line" information from the county on existing uses, traffic levels and other demographic data. At the committee's recommendation, the village has retained special zoning counsel and a planner for this project, Davidoff & Malito, LLP and Buckhurst Fish & Jacquemart, Inc. respectively.

"The committee is acutely aware that the possible re-zoning of this area is of critical importance not only to village residents immediately adjacent to the area but also to all of Garden City," Bee, chairman of the P-Zone Committee, said. "The committee will endeavor to cooperate with the needs of the county to consider uses that will be helpful to the county, but is fully cognizant of its first allegiance to village residents."

Planning principles have been established for the study and specific information has been requested of the county, which will enable the village's consultants to move forward with the many issues raised by the possible re-zoning. These issues include environmental concerns, traffic flows and the maintenance of the essentially residential character of the village. The committee expects to report back to the mayor and board of trustees periodically. It also intends to keep village residents fully informed of its progress.