Bob Orosz and his Grove Street neighbors are fed up and quite adamant when they say the village's "unfair" sidewalk repair program puts a financial burden on village homeowners when fixes are needed.

"Some homeowners are now being forced to pay, through no fault of their own, an exceedingly high amount to repair village-owned public sidewalks located on publicly owned land," Orosz told trustees July 13, adding that an inequity exists because everyone has different amounts of sidewalk.

Orosz said some homeowners have no sidewalks while others could have from 240 to 1,600 square feet or more. "This disparity especially discriminates against those homeowners on corner properties," he continued.

More than a dozen Grove Street residents recently cited for violations, including Orosz, signed a petition requesting that trustees temporarily suspend orders from the Department of Public Works to give them time to explore other alternatives that residents can live with.

Orosz pointed to a program currently in use in New York City which states that one-, two- and three-family homes occupied by the owner whose sidewalks are damaged by curbside tree roots are eligible for free repairs. The $3.4 million pilot program, which began last year, makes New York City foot the bill for repairs to sidewalks damaged by tree roots. All city residents have to do is call a local hotline and report the problem. "This is the type of program that should be enacted here in Garden City," Orosz said.

Orosz argued that most of the damage to these sidewalks is due to the planting of village-owned trees in spaces he believes are inadequate to provide the necessary room for root and tree growth. Those growing trees eventually push out, lift and crack the adjacent sidewalks and curbs, a condition that will be repeated again and again over time, he said.

He thought it unfair that tax money could be spent on the replacement of platform tennis courts, a new clubhouse and other items that represent limited public use but couldn't be used to repair public sidewalks. "It would seem that the homeowner is paying for everything and that the village governing board, which is entrusted with public funds, is failing to take into account two simple rules - ownership and cost versus benefits," he said.

Trustees are in receipt of the petition and a separate request from the Eastern Property Owners' Association (EPOA) requesting the board consider placing the burden of sidewalk replacement - resulting from village tree damage - on the village rather than on the property owner. As of press time, the board had yet to discuss the matter. However, Trustee Peter Bee did ask a draft local law be prepared for informal discussion and consideration by the board.

"We all pay for public education even though we may not have any children in the system. We all pay for public parks, parking lots, the library, municipal buildings and services along with village greens. We pay as a community with all of us sharing in the expense," he continued. "We should do no less when it comes to the sidewalks and trees, which line and crisscross our community for they truly benefit all of us and should be paid for with public tax dollars," Orosz said.