At the last North Hempstead Board meeting, in a vote of 3-2, the board rejected the proposed adoption of a local law that would have permitted a change in the Lockheed Martin/Lake Success site from its current Industrial-A zoning to a Planned United Development (PUD). At the meeting Councilman Anthony D'Urso, recognizing that there had been no input from the residents who would be forever impacted by the change, voted against the proposal, as did Councilmen Angelo Ferrara and James O'Connor. In addition, heated community opposition to the PUD cited the fact that the proposed development by Lockheed Martin Properties seemed to totally disregard the recommendations of the town's yearlong Master Plan study for the Marcus Avenue corridor. Under current law, a property must be comprised of a minimum of 100 acres before it may be considered as a PUD. The Lockheed Martin site only consists of 93 acres, of which nearly 10 acres of drainage basins were deemed unusable by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) because of potentially severe environmental contamination. The cost of the cleanup of these basins, which are adjacent to Lakeville Road, approaches $10 million and is conspicuously absent from Lockheed's proposal. The proposed PUD would have included a 450 room hotel and conference center; a multi-building office complex; a health and sports facility,; a senior assisted living and major medical complex; a retail shopping center; restaurants and parking for approximately 5000 cars, trucks and other vehicles.

Spencer Kravitz, a local resident, outraged at the proposal, commented, "The only thing planned about this proposal is how much money-making garbage you can pack into 93 acres. What, no heliport?"

Civic leader Marietta Di Camillo said, "The community is not unrealistic. We understand full well that the site must be developed. All the community at large is asking for is to have a voice in its own destiny, a task force made up of community civic leaders, as well as the developer who would review and approve the PUD, always with the overall interest of the community in mind."

During the meeting the following statement by Marianna Wohlgemuth was entered into the town record:

"I have lived in the New Hyde Park vicinity for more than 20 years. I have seen many changes in our community during this time, some very positive, some not!

On April 8, I was first shown plans for the Lockheed site, which is being considered tonight for a PUD Zoning, Planned Unit Development. On May 4, I attended a second meeting. This site is 93 acres, complete with a "hot zone" of 10 acres.

It is one of the last pieces of contiguous land to be developed in North Hempstead and its location makes it prime real estate because it is located adjacent to Northern State Parkway and the Long Island Expressway which makes it accessible to two airports as well as to New York City.

Those of us living in New Hyde Park, and surrounding communities, have suffered from encroaching urbanization for years. We have tried to balance the loss of our suburban ambience with necessary growth and prosperity. We have rationalized the adverse effects to the quality of our life by calling it progress. The development of this property will impact our lives, our community, our children our ability to live, work, exist forever. The key word to its development must be moderation.

The proposed plans include uses ranging from a 300 bed hotel/conference center, a five story parking garage, 72,000 square feet of retail space, five separate office buildings, a 300 bed senior assisted care living facility and a health facility for physical therapy.

What is most disheartening is a comment made at this meeting: "Well, a major developer approached us to use the space for retail." The inuendo of this statement was the first caveat in what might become a long battle. Certainly not in tune with the win-win being extolled by Lockheed.

You are being asked tonight to consider the rezoning of this property to a PUD. The current zoning is Industrial A. Although, I am not an expert in commercial real estate, it doesn't take an expert to guess that the value of this site will increase with a rezoning to mixed use.

The proposed development of this property is very intensive. There have been no public hearings about this proposed rezoning. In fact, I discovered this rezoning quite accidentally. We, as a community, have not been allowed any input whatsoever.

It is discouraging to know that you, our elected officials, are being asked to consider a rezoning with the knowledge that there has been no input from residents who will be impacted forever from this change.

As a longtime community advocate, I am asking you, the town, to reserve decision on this resolution. I am asking the town instead to create a Task Force consisting of leaders of active local area civic associations who will then participate in a sensible and democratic way towards the rebuilding of this site. This is too important an issue to take an adversarial position, but if we have to, we will.

I have attempted to contact Ken Philbrick, of Lockheed Martin Properties, but he has not returned my telephone call. I extended my hand to discuss the future of this property. Lockheed can probably fill this room with all the consultants, lawyers, specialists, planners, developers, architects, traffic engineers and public relations professionals who have worked on this project. Yet, there has not been one community person who has participated in any way towards the development plans, even though we will suffer the results.

A more blatant misleading comment in Lockheed's presentation is the boasting of the amount of green space proposed. Lockheed defines a paved parking lot as green space. Paved parking is concrete, unless they are planning on painting it green. I make this point to illustrate what we, as a community, believe we are facing.

Corporate Lockheed is very experienced. They have already learned as an entity that the Village of Lake Success and the Town of North Hempstead can be propositioned. As an example, I spoke with a village official and they told me that their village won't allow retail space, so Lockheed was told they could put it in the town portion!

It reminds me of my two children. They learned at an early age that when Mommy said no, maybe Daddy would say yes and vice-versa. We don't even have a consensus on what is allowed between the town and the village, let alone the effect on our community.

It is imperative for the future of New Hyde Park that a Task Force be established for tangible discussion on proposed uses before there is any rezoning. To do less than this is an insult to New Hyde Park, with a very a very clear message."