The-Leader_1971-12-16

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^Pictorial Review And Directory l|
I. Of Freeport Merchants S
I Pages 11:20 $^
Official
Monrtpaiittr
FREEPORT
2lo Cod! 11820
BALDWIN
Zla CcMl* ilSIO
MERRICK
Eto Code 1156S
36th YEAR, No. 34
ROOSEVELT
f lo Code I1&7I
FREEPORT, NEW YORK. THURSDAY. DECEMBER 16, 1971 PRICE: TEN CENTS PER COPY
Planning
Oscar'sStud
THE BALL WAS A BALL: Three hundred people attended the Chamber of Ckimmerce Holiday Ball last Saturday evening and dined and
danced until the wee hours. State Senator Norman Levy and his wife, Joy, led the grand march which culminated in the crowning of the new
Mrs. Merry Christmas, Carol Ecuyer. The social and financial success of the evening could result in the ball being designated an annual affair
by the Chamtier.
Senator Levy poses with Mrs. Merry Christmas 1971. Carol Ecuyer as Carmen Curran, Mrs. Merry Christmas 1970 looks on. Upper right,
Mario of hairdresser fame, serves his lovely wife Muriel buffet goodies. Lower right. Santa came early to Joe, Carol Lee, and Patty Scalamandre
at the Ball. Mike Ocera watches in the t>ackground.
Planner Urges Apartments for North Main Street
The planning consultant hired
by the Village of Freeport has
completed his report, which
proposes a new concept in,
"Planned Unit Development," to
prevent deterioration of the
North Main Street area, a major
artery o! the Village.
Ih his report just presented to
the Village Board, the consultant,
James Dunne, recommends a
change in zoning that would put
the emphasis on residential
development of North Main
Street, instead of the present
Business B zoning that calls for
retail stores primarily, Mr.
Dunne's PUD zoning plan
proposes private construction of
apartment buildings and sup­porting
commercial uses such as
business and professional offices,
medical and dental clinics, hotels
and molels, clubs, neighborhood
stores, and other uses.
In the PUU plan. Mr Dunne
said, land uses are treated with
respect to the area rather than on
a lot by lot basis, "encouraging
innovations in residential
development, variety in type,
design, layout and more efficient
use of open space and parlcing."
Mr. Dunne said his recom­mended
apartment zoning would
permit a maximum density of 50
dwelling units per acre and a
maximum height of six stories or
75 feet. At least 70 percent of the
apartment units would have not
more than one bedroom each,
and the remainder would ^ave
not more than two bedrooms
each.
Another feature of his plan is a
special provision for senior
citizens' apartment housing
which would be built on North
Main Street with federal funds by
the Freeport Housing Authority.
The seniors' development would
include a meeting room, plus
indoor and outdoor recreation
facilities.
In releasing the report Mayor
Robert J. Sweeney pointed out
that the Village Board has taken
no position on it, and probably
would not do so until after
Freeport residents and
organizaUons have had an op­portunity
to study it. It has
tentatively been decided to hold a
public hearing in February to
consider the rezoning, Mayor
Sweeney said. He said that
although the ViUage Board has
not made a decision he personally
endorses Dunne's plan. "If we
are going lo prevent the
development of a slum on North
Main Street, we must take
decisive action now," the Mayor
said.
"I realize that this is a
departure from my previous
stand on apartment zones and
heights, but when that policy was
formulated we were not faced
with the possible disintegration of
a major part of our village. I have
looked at every possible alter­native
but I cannot see any other
zoning that will attract the
necessary private redevelopment
capital now, while there is still
time to save the area."
He pointed out that the present
business zoning on North Main
Street had not served to spur
improvements in the area
(Continuud on Page 24)
GOP The "Niissau Counly
Comprehensive Plan." a 210
page report drawn up by the
Nas.siiu County Planning
Commission, a Democralic
controlled unit, may produce
some fireworks in the
Republican camp.
The rejport, which calls for
] V'Nassau County, ttfstrijke back
immediately liail its pressing
???,iS)BWkr»St:oifi.tra n^^
:: ttottsinl and environment,
has received a semi-oiessnig
from County Executive
Ralph Caso, who said Mon­day
that he thought he
could convince the Nassau
SupervLsor.s lo adopt the
bicounly ma.sler plan with
some reservations. Hemp­stead
Presiding Supervi.sor
Franci.s T Purcell, who is
Republican Leader of ihe
Board of Supervisctrs, de­clared
however ihaJ "I'm noi
in favor ol it, espetialh
on huusinii we'd be locked
in by lha( plan."
Political observers agree
that adoption of the plan,
in view af its Oeinocratjc'
origin, is doubtful Ifie plan­ning
commissicin now enjoys
a 3-2 Democralic majority,
This ends January 1st when
the commission comes untler
(iOP ct)nlrol It is not (he
first time Ihe count)'s iwcj
top Republicati officials
have disagreed and Purcell
is adamant aboul no sub­sidized
housing of any kind
for the Town of Hempstead
The commi.si.son\s plan
recommends 9.400 units o!
mixed housing at Mitcliel
Field and thi.s seems lo be
the major area of di.sagree-ment
between Caso and the
Hempstead supervi.sor Caso
spoke briefly Monday of
possible adoption of the plan
in 1972 after deleting the
housing sections as Che
Suffolk legislature did
(Continued on Page a;
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