As someone who spoke at the Sept. 12 North Hempstead Town Board meeting regarding [property owner] AVR Realty's plans for the former BOCES property, I am compelled to write and set several facts straight.

The first thing that must be said is that the outpouring of opposition must not be interpreted as opposition to senior housing. Everyone supports senior housing, especially since the town has been negligent in addressing seniors who have long clamored for more housing, which seniors, living on fixed incomes, can afford. This project does not meet that need. This project starts with potential real property taxes of $8,000 to $10,000 per unit, plus condominium carrying charges in an amount yet to be determined. All these expenses do not include medical bills, prescription drug bills, mortgage payments, food and utilities.

In addition, AVR misstates the facts in order to slip over reality. For example, AVR's counsel stated that AVR needs a variance because they are providing more parking than required. That is not why it needs a variance. The reason AVR needs a variance is because all of the 184 parking spaces will be substandard. That is to say, they are smaller than required by the North Hempstead Town Code.

Furthermore, it was revealed at the meeting that there is no elevator access to the second story units, leaving the elderly owners without a way to carry their groceries and have handicap access to their second story units. Overall the project seems poorly conceived. Moreover, it seems to have been conceived without regard to the concerns stated by the residents of Carle Place and its senior population. Against this backdrop, the town board, applicant and its attorney seemed shocked by the outpouring of opposition to this project.

As to the community opposition to the project, a petition with 600 signatures of Carle Place residents opposed to the zone change was presented to the town council. The consensus of the community is that the proposal is not in the best interest of the community. The consensus among the residents who spoke, and the nearly 100 residents who attended the meeting, was that high-end office space would most closely replicate the BOCES use in that it would have limited weekend and nighttime occupancy, when the worst traffic congestion occurs. It will also help our tax base_

In September 2005, North Hempstead Town Supervisor Kaiman and Councilman Robert Troiano promised a community-wide meeting before the matter would be considered by the board. They have reneged on their word. They have not provided adequate notice to the community of the application; failed to consider the need for a traffic signal at or near the site as promised over a year ago; and have not seriously looked into the viability of other alternative uses for the site. Thus the much touted "visioning" process has turned out to be nothing more than political cover to get Kaiman and Troiano through the last election cycle. _

If our elected officials are serious about wanting to learn what the community wants, they must take their own "visioning" process seriously, table this application and reconvene the visioning meeting that took place over one year ago. This will not only give the residents the full hearing they asked for, it will be a step forward in restoring faith in the word of elected officials.

Frank Moroney