The LPOA met on Jan. 13 with President Jim Morrow presiding. Most of the meeting was devoted to preparation for the hearing next day, Jan. 14, at 9 a.m. at the Town of Hempstead Board of Zoning Appeals. The board scheduled a special hearing on the latest applications for variances by the Josato Company (formerly Terra Homes Company) to develop housing in two vacant sections of the Vanderbilt Motor Parkway in northern Levittown.

The company has sought variances to develop undersized lots on the 135'-wide sites since 1984. They have submitted various plans, from 28 homes (now down to 20) to dense senior housing which nobody at a community meeting wanted in the past.

After nearly 20 years of litigation, many of the adjacent residents consider these repeated and time-consuming hearings a nuisance, and would like to see the issue finally resolved. Some who have expressed opinions on the use of this open space would like it preserved as a walk-through park as opposed to any plan that would jettison and invalidate the LPRD (Levittown Planned Residence District) zoning.

The 135' width of both lots precludes the possibility of creating a typical Levittown block of 100' lot depths as required in LPRD Article XV. Sec. 193c. plus a state mandated 50' road. Yet, the persistence of the applicants for variances requires still another public hearing, so adjacent residents and LPOA members must once again make the trek to Town Hall.

According to New York State Town Law 267-b-3(b), the Board of Appeals must "take into consideration the benefit to the applicant if the variance is granted, as weighed against the detriment to the health, safety and welfare of the neighborhood or community. It must consider: "(1) whether an undesirable change will be produced in the character of the neighborhood, or a detriment to nearby properties will be created...; (2) whether the benefit sought by the applicant can be achieved by some method other than an area variance; (3) whether the requested area variance is substantial; (4) whether the proposed variance will have an adverse effect or impact on the physical or environmental conditions in the neighborhood...' and (5) whether the alleged difficulty was self-created..."

The statement to be submitted by the LPOA at the Jan. 14 hearing responds to each of these five points. The primary concern of the LPOA is the preservation and protection of the character of the neighborhood based on the LPRD and the health, safety and welfare of the community. The concern of Josato is maximum profit.

President Morrow then read a letter from our Congressional Representative, Peter T. King, in response to our letter, on his reasons for supporting and voting "yes" on the legislation regarding Medicare called H.R. 1. He stated that he would be unable to attend the Feb. 10 meeting at our invitation, as his schedule required him to be in Washington for votes that day. But he wrote that he "strongly supported and voted for H.R. 1 because it is good legislation which will provide significant coverage for seniors - particularly those living on Long Island." The Medicare prescription drug plan which is to be "completely voluntary," will be "fully implemented in 2006."

Representative King's letter covered eight major points: costs; beneficiaries' coverage; continuation of EPIC benefits; financing to encourage employers to maintain retiree drug benefit plans, both public and private; equalizing New York City and Nassau/Suffolk HMO rates; financial support for teaching hospitals; more availability for generic drugs; increase in reimbursements for doctors who treat Medicare patients. He considers passage of the H.R. 1 legislation "a step forward" in protecting the interests of New York and Long Island. His letter was a candid response on this complicated issue as it covers a bill which is about 678 pages in length.

Andy Booth, the LPOA representative to the Levittown School District budget review board, reported that the district is now in the planning stage. One of the issues will be transportation. To economize, efforts will be made to reduce outside contracts, he said. Also, some advocate lowering of mileage for high school students from the present 1 1/2 miles to 1 mile. It is 1/2 mile for elementary students. We will invite business personnel or administration for the March of April general meeting to discuss the budget.

The North Village Green zoning issue is still with us as it is now being litigated in the Supreme Court in Mineola. Town Councilman Gary Hudes keeps us informed as to the status of this situation.

The next meeting of the LPOA will be on Feb. 10 in the Levittown Public Library meeting room at 7:30 p.m.