The North Hempstead Town Board last week voted, unanimously, to rescind the Accessory Apartment ordinance it passed back on July 29, and returned it to the Mother/Daughter status, but not before a protest statement by Councilman Fred Pollack.

Supervisor Jon Kaiman called on Councilman Angelo Ferrara to propose the resolution. "When we had the official public hearing we had at least as many as are here tonight. After listening to a lot of concerns that a lot of people raised that night, I really looked and soul-searched and said you know what, this is not the answer to what we hoped it would be, and committed that night to write legislation to overturn this," said Ferrara. "I spoke to fellow board members, and my commitment to all those at the [July] meeting was that we would have this meeting and we would overturn this law and bring it back to the Mother/Daughter concept that it was originally. So I am offering that resolution and moving for its adoption."

When it was his turn to vote, amid boos and jeers from the packed boardroom, Pollack prefaced his vote with the following statement, "This proposal squarely presents to us a very simple issue. What do you do when you pass a good law and the perception on the part of a significant number of people. When you pass a good law and the process is perceived to be wrong, the question is how do we address that problem. It seems to be, and let me just note parenthetically, that given the current situation on Long Island and the illegal housing problems that we face, the overcrowding that we face, etc., the only way that we are ever going to deal with this is to look at the issue of housing, Workforce Housing and code enforcement as a package. We have to figure out some common ground; and I believe there is some common ground that we can address that I can look the constituent in the eye, that addressed me last week and said I need this law because I will lose my house if you don't pass it,"

He continued, stating, "Very reluctantly, I admit, I have concluded that repealing this law is necessary. But, it is not the end of the process and I want to be very clear. I intend to move forward and to reach out to people throughout this town to reinstate this process and find out what the answer is; and there may be there is no answer and it may be that there is no consensus possible, but I really believe that people of good will and good faith will recognize the moral imperative of addressing these issues. And that ultimately we will find a way that we can bring people together. It may not be this law.It may not be this way. We need to find a way that seniors can stay in their homes. So for this very limited purpose of clearing the deck and being able to move forward to address this issue so that we can deal with the problems we really face, I vote aye to repeal."

At the meeting, Councilman Robert Troiano was last to vote, and said, "One thing that Councilman Pollack was trying to do was to debate the merits, wisdom and merits of this law. But, I have heard your voices, I have heard your concerns and I can feel your anger and the fear that all of you have for your property values ... And, because I have heard you and because the rest of town council has heard you, I join the rest of the town council in voting to repeal this legislation."

Troiano told The Westbury Times that he voted to "repeal this legislation because, although it is important for elected officials to show leadership, it is also important to remember that we are elected to serve the people. This requires listening to their voices and, in the end, reflecting their will in the actions we take."

Troiano said he only received one communication from the Carle Place/Westbury/New Cassel community opposing this legislation and that the opposition was, in part, because of the "recognition that very few accessory apartments applications in our area would have been granted given how difficult it would have been to satisfy the conditions needed for approval. But, the collective voice of people from other parts of the town, who were genuinely concerned about the impact on their neighborhoods, was too loud to be ignored."

At the meeting, Kaiman said that this particular issue was a "learning experience."

"The town board and I believe, and many have questioned, the motives and the essence of this law. The town board, I believe, acted in good faith because many people have in fact expressed need and for solution to the problems that many people face," said the supervisor. "However, understanding that the community does need to come together and to best serve the community in a way that makes sense to the community. This proposal clearly does not. So, I think we would better serve our community by following through on the current resolution. I vote aye."

Kaiman then explained that the resolution passed unanimously and it will now be filed with the secretary of state and then become law in about a week. With the issue put to bed, the bulk of attendees filed out leaving the boardroom and a handful of residents remained for the rest of the meeting which consisted of setting a date of Oct. 21 for the adoption of a hearing to rescind ordinance affecting Orchard Court and Orchard Street in Roslyn Heights. A resolution to authorize a supplemental budget appropriation for the purpose of purchasing property to compete the Hempstead Harbor Nature Trail way. They also authorized the execution of an agreement for Social Work Services in connection with Project Independence.

The board then went into executive session to discuss what vendor they would choose to sign a contract with to dispose of waste from the transfer station on West Shore Road in Port Washington.