At its March 15 meeting, the East Hills Board of Trustees was once again forced to delay a vote on a comprehensive building moratorium on new construction and "certain renovation" in the village's residential areas.

The reason for the delay was the same as the one that prevented a vote at the Feb. 23 meeting: The village still needs approval from the Nassau County Planning Commission. County law stipulates that villages such as East Hills submit any amendments to their zoning codes to the commission. The commission then either gives the go-ahead for a village vote, they ask for more information, or they issue a "co-jurisdiction" decree which gives the county a large say in that particular zoning matter.

East Hills officials expect the commission to give the village the go-ahead to vote on the moratorium at its April meeting. But a final decision has not been formalized; hence, no vote could take place.

The local law, if enacted, would place a temporary moratorium on residential and commercial construction in the village and on additions of 25 percent or more to the floor area of existing dwellings.

If the moratorium takes effect, the village may also consider significant amendments to the existing zoning code to restrict the bulk and height of any new houses being built in East Hills.

The village did release its annual "State of the Village" report last week, covering such familiar issues as the Air National Guard property, Long Island Expressway expansion, and the problem of continued electrical blackouts in the village.

Calling the purchase of the National Guard property as "perhaps the greatest project and opportunity for the Village in its entire history of 68 years," Mayor Michael Koblenz reiterated the village's longstanding desire to develop a park where the property now stands.

He added that a site investigation report has been submitted listing the field work that was performed last year to identify any environmental clean-up that needs to be done. The clean-up is scheduled to be completed by June of this year.

Meanwhile, a Master Plan covering the relocation of the present Village Hall and the development of any park facilities, including a pool, tennis courts, baseball and soccer fields, basketball courts, childrens' playground, picnic areas and other sites will be drawn up by a consulting group to be hired by the village.

In all, the village has offered to purchase the property from the Department of Defense for $3,020,000. The village intends to finance the purchase with the sale of village lots on Tara Drive and the sale of the present Village Hall property. The park, according to the mayor, will be developed through a bond act voted on by village residents.

For several years, the village has mounted an often lonely struggle against the New York State Department of Transportation against expansion plans as they impact East Hills.

The village continues to oppose certain elements of the expansion plans, especially concerning school safety, environmental, and maintenance issues.

Preliminary construction on the project is expected to begin sometime this year. However, village officials maintain that if their concerns have not been met by then, they are "prepared to seek an injunction" against the DOT "within the framework of our existing litigation." Such an injunction would prevent construction from going forward.

"We cannot guarantee that we will be successful in achieving all of our demands with the DOT," Mayor Koblenz admitted, "but we shall not stop trying."

In recent weeks, the village may have found an ally from the Village of Lake Success. Officials from that village have contacted East Hills for an update on the latter's village struggles. According to Mayor Koblenz, Lake Success officials are expressing similar concerns about LIE expansion. In addition, the village is seeking the support of the Nassau County Village Officials Association.

Last month, Mayor Koblenz met with Richard Kessel, chairman of LIPA, to discuss the problem of continued blackouts in the village.

The mayor and Mr. Kessel agreed on a new program to improving electrical service to the village. It includes trimming distribution circuits that supply the village which were not trimmed last year; putting all circuits on a three-year tree trim cycle; and replacing overhead conductors in locations in the village where repeated contact with trees and limbs have caused the conductors to deteriorate.