In strong, plain language the environmental firm hired by the Village of Great Neck to evaluate a proposal from developer Frank Lalezarian which asks the village to rezone landlocked parcels south of Old Mill Road, flatly states that the project would increase the density from 4.08 to 20.8 units per acre, poses significant erosion, de-stabilization and drainage risks and should be more rigorously studied. In fact, they state "concerns are elevated as a result of the new design which appears to have a greater impact than that which was disclosed in the October 2006 Environmental Assessment." They also warn of precedents that might be set in place if the village board were to allow the insertion of multi-family buildings into the heart of single-family neighborhoods.

Although in May, Mr. Lalezarian withdrew his request for an opportunity to present his plan to the community, it is unclear as to whether he is abandoning the plan for a multi-family complex, modifying it or resubmitting a plan for single-family dwellings that meet current zoning requirements. Mr. Lalezarian and his attorney Paul Bloom did not return our calls.

A brief recap of the flurry of proposals and reviews follows:

In October of 2006, a rezoning proposal for 2.9 acres that would allow for 120 multi-family rental units in the form of an Environmental Assessment was submitted to the village. The firm of Nelson, Pope & Voorhis (NP&V) was engaged by the village to review the applicant's proposal. Their review document was submitted on March 23, 2007 in which they pointed out omissions, inconsistencies and deficits of the applicant's environmental assessment. In April 2007 Mr. Lalezarian's team submitted a response to the comments and review of the village's consultants. The information in this article is drawn from an 8-page document in which NP&V review the applicant's response. At this point, there is no comprehensive document that spells out what the applicant intends to do on the site and how the environment is to be protected; one would have to wade through the original plans and the revised plans to have a full and accurate appreciation for the overall project.

One critical point raised by NP&V is that in order for the project to proceed a parcel of land must be obtained from Nassau County which maintains a culvert that runs under Middle Neck Road and swings through the property in a southerly direction before it turns west and parallels Old Mill Road. According to NP&V, "the project now involves construction of a 30-foot, 3-tier retaining wall system directly on the existing property line of the Nassau County Drainage property." In the original plan, the retaining walls were to be a 7-foot wall with multiple tiers. The application does not indicate that the county engineers have received and reviewed the current plan.

The NP&V report did not appear to be favorably impressed with the proposed erosion control plan which would install hay bales inside of the property and inside the first 10-foot retaining wall tier. They say, "This offers no protection due to off-site properties as significant existing vegetation is removed from steep slope areas and soils are de-stablized directly adjacent to a Nassau County drainage property." They ask the question, "What structural engineering review has occurred to ensure that long-term function will be ensured?"

NP&V also point out that in Mr. Lalezarian's most recent document it states, "Removal of trees on the project site is expected to occur in the future without the proposed project as a result of some as-of-right use." Under the village code, it is unlawful to remove trees that are 6 inches or more in diameter at 4 feet 6 inches above ground level without a permit. It is unclear as to why small trees would be removed on a wooded lot without a specific reason in mind. The code cites the reasons for the protection of trees among them this one: "Trees also stabilize the soil and control water pollution by preventing soil erosion and flooding, yield advantageous climatic effects and provide a natural habitat for wildlife." (The general area of the intersection of Old Mill Road and Middle Neck Road is well known locally for severe flooding in heavy downpours.)

The NP&V report concludes with an opinion that the information submitted to the village by the developer "is not complete and does not provide sufficient information on which to base a determination of significance." They recommend that the board should require an Environmental Impact Statement, a more exhaustive study to determine if any significant impacts can be mitigated.

This most recent environmental review bolsters the views of over 1,000 peninsula residents who signed a petition urging Nassau County to designate the county owned parcel Lot 147, a linchpin in the project, "Forever Wild."

Support for the proposal has come mainly from people concerned about the need for affordable housing for firefighters. The developer had promised a portion of the land to be made available, either through a land lease or purchase, for an unspecified entity to construct a 24-unit building of below-market value rental apartments, which would match the façade of the larger proposed market value building.