On Monday, Sept. 30, the Village of Roslyn Estates will hold a special board of trustees meeting at the Bryant Library. The meeting will concern possible zoning legislation based upon recommendations of the Landmark, Architectural Review Board, and Subdivision Subcommittees of the village's recently-formed Moratorium Committee. It will begin at 8 p.m.

The committees in question have been working on their reports for several months. Their recommendations will include the reorganization and strengthening of the Architectural Review Board; the upzoning of certain areas of the village to deter subdivision and overdevelopment; and the creation of a historic preservation committee to control the demolition of architecturally and historically significant homes.

Along with the subcommittees it created, the Roslyn Estates BOT has been addressing the future of zoning laws in the village since the spring. At its May 6 meeting, the BOT passed Local Law 1, legislation that called for a moratorium on subdivisions and certain construction and demolition in the village. That law was motivated by the concerns of many residents regarding overdevelopment, "unwanted aesthetic changes," the detrimental effects of such development on the local environment, and in general, the preservation of the character of the village.

BOT members passed the moratorium with a unanimous vote. At the same meeting, up to 30 residents signed up for the Moratorium Committee, which met a week later, where it divided up responsibilities into three separate committees.

In an April 24 letter to village residents, Roslyn Estates Mayor Susan Ben-Moshe commented on those same unique characteristics that make up the village. The mayor noted that the village was "created, in substantial part, by....numerous trees....and the size and dimensions of existing building lots."

The threat to this situation comes mainly from developers intent on creating subdivisions on their properties. The purpose of such subdivisions, the mayor claimed, is to create a greater of number of parcels, thus maximizing a developer's profits. "Often the re-subdividing of the property results in the demolition of existing homes, without regard to the effect the loss of such homes....may have upon the other village residents."

For Mayor Ben-Moshe and other BOT members, such actions represent the possible destruction of the unique character of Roslyn Estates. "The board has been advised that the customary procedure for addressing the demolition or the substantial alteration of homes that perhaps should be landmarked, is with a moratorium." And so, the BOT embarked not only on new legislation, but also the creation of committees that may result in more far-reaching zoning standards.

In other village news, an illustrated history of Roslyn Estates, "Green Escape" is now at display at village hall, located at 25 The Tulips. The exhibit depicts the development of the village from 1907 to the present. The name comes from the term the noted writer Christopher Morley gave to his home at 38 The Birches, where he lived from 1920 to 1957. The name also expresses the special character of Roslyn Estates, with "its unusual charm and quiet seclusion."

Maps, brochures and photos, especially those taken by local students in 1981 for the village's 50th anniversary, show the growth of Roslyn Estates as it evolved during the 20th century. The exhibit was prepared by Village Historian Ruth Hinrichs and resident Robert Sargent. It may be viewed at the village at regular business hours until Monday, Sept. 30.