A decision regarding the proposed subdivision of the Cohan property was tabled on April 12 by the Kings Point Planning Board to give its members time to evaluate and seek consultation on a report presented by Jean Celender, president of JAC, an environmental consulting firm, on behalf of the Great Neck Park District. The twenty-two page document tracks a number of environmental and aesthetic concerns and states, "It is inconceivable that a proposed development of this magnitude next to a public park would not trigger the requirement for an Environmental Impact Study, given the importance governmental agencies and SEQRA (State Environmental Quality Review Act) places on park lands."

An Environmental Impact Study (EIS) is a formal process that examines potential negative unintended consequences to the environment from actions that would alter an area. It also has a built-in component to assure public input and the exploration of alternatives. It is acknowledged that a full EIS can be an expensive and time-consuming process.

Perhaps the pivotal point in the evening's discussion occurred when board member M. Robert Goldstein asked Ms. Celender pointblank if the Park District was attempting to stall the review process, so as to discourage the property owner from pursuing the development of the land and thereby driving the price of the property down.

Park District Superintendent Richard Arrenella rose to assure the planning board that the intentions of the Park District were honorable. He stated, "We have always been open about the fact that we would like to acquire this property, dating back to 1984, and to pay a fair market price for it. We have no intent to devalue the property. It is our responsibility to protect and preserve our parklands and so we have to be concerned and look at any adjacent subdivision with great scrutiny. Thank you for bringing the subject into the open, so we can answer it."

Earlier Paul Bloom, attorney for the owner, had announced that his client was withdrawing a prior request for a variance to permit construction of an 11,000 square foot house on the waterfront lot thus eliminating a major stumbling block. The revised plan proposes instead to construct a 9,000 square foot house, which is permitted under village zoning codes for an acre lot. Mr. Bloom also indicated that placement of the house exceeds the village's setback requirements. He stated, "We are giving in" referring to the 2000 square foot reduction in the house size and reminded the board that the variance had originally been requested to offset the costs associated with the landmarking of the Cohan mansion.

Another facet of the site development proposal, which has been debated, is the type of access road built to serve the lots. The applicant is proposing to construct a private road instead of a public road with a cul de sac. A private road would benefit the applicant by increasing the aggregate acreage for construction. Mr. Bloom pointed out that the new plan calls for one curb cut to serve all three houses, a cobblestone surface at the entrance to denote its private status along with appropriate signage. He further asserted that emergency vehicles would be able to maneuver on the private street. Since the last meeting of the planning board when neighbors voiced concerns about some of the large, old trees on site, the applicant had a tree survey prepared that lists the species, the diameter and the height of the trees on the property. Mr. Bloom noted that a private street would be able to accommodate the preservation of specimen trees more readily than a street meeting specifications for a public street.

Ms. Celender also noted that there is a deteriorated pier on the Cohan property that is dangerous and constitutes an "attractive nuisance." She pointed out that 12,500 families use Steppingstone Park and that it is an important visual resource for the community. She urged the board members to consider the topography of the two properties and to be mindful that a large house on the waterfront lot will "loom"over the visual prospect from the park side.

The next meeting of the planning board will be in late May.