The-Leader_1990-10-25

              1 of 2 sections
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' Schools centennial
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State studies.
cancer rates
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Freeport • Baldwin
THE LEA 56th Year, No. 43 Frecpoii,N.Y. 11520 OfTicial newspaper of the Village of Frccpon»Freeport and Baldwin School Districts Thursday, October 25, 1990 25(
Fishing industry, tax base are waterfront concerns
by Sue Morgan
The .future of Freeport's fishing
industry and its impact on the ambiance
of the village, tourism, and residential
neighbors was the primary focus of a
public hearing on the Draft Local
Waterfront Revitalization Program
(LWRP) last Wednesday.
. But several speakers also warned of
the economic ramifications of the
"massive rezoning" called for in the
proposal and predicted its enacunent .
could "destroy the tax base of the
• village." • -
The LWRP, initiated in 1985 to
enable ihe village to belter manage its
waterfront, includes input from
consultants, .a local Waterfront
Advisory Committee, the public and
governmental agencies, said Mayor
Dorothy Slorm.'The incorporation of
final comment from the public was the
purpose of Wednesday's hearing. .
Waterfront communities throughout
the State arc currently in the process of
formulating such plans under the 1972
federal Coastal Zrae Management Act,
said Randy Lanza of the Stale's Coastal
Zone'Management Program, who
worked closely with the village on its
LWRP and was on hand to answer
questions; along with Freeport's
Director of Plaiming and Community
Development Eric HemphilL
Fishing Industry
Among the first speakers was Nancy
Solomon of the Sierra Club, who for
many years has studied village
maritime traditions. '
The plan makes "no systematic
consideration for those people who
make their living from the water,
especially dragger boats," Ms. Solomon
said, adding that the plan operated
under a "misguidcH preconception in
recommending that diagger boats move
away from Wbodclefl Avenue."
The operations of fishermen and
baymeh, woiidng the waterfront since
the early ISOOs, have declined due io
pollution, development and rising rents
for dock space, she said, but their way
of life "has sustained and enhanced
Freeport. We are fortunate in still
having the largest working waterfront'
in Nassau County."
^If the fishermen move it will change
people's perception of Freeport," Ms.
Solomon predicted, and her plea to
"recoosider and keq) Ineptxt the way
. it is" was greeted by i^Iause-from the
• audience.
"Many misconceptions" have arisen
over the issue of relocating the fishing
industry, said Mayor Storm. "Every
effort will be made to maintain the
industry in the Woodcleft Canal area.
Only if the rent became exoitxtant did
the plan name other sites in Freeport
where they could relocate."
The Mayor answered the concern of
Carmine Marinacchio of the Freeport
Boatmen's Association that the village
"wants to get the boats out of there so
developers can come in" with an
emphatic "no."
Mr. Lanza said that because the
industry is so important to the economy
of the village, a year long aquatic study
was done on the problems of the
industry, and he cautioned that "we're
still talking very theoretically."
Johansen property
The alternate sites for relocation
away from Woodcleft "were
somebody's dream plan who really
didn't know what the industry is all
"about," declared AlGrover of Grovef "
Marine. The "Seabreeze" property at
the foot of Miller Avenue, planned for
condominiums by the Johansen
Organization but now the subject of
litigation and a possible victim of the
declining housing market, would offer
the maneuvering space and added
parking needed ire the industry, as well
as offering a location for a maritime
museum mentioned in the LWRP, Mr.
Grover said. "It's the only place that
makes sense."
"The most opportune lime to grab
this propcny is now, while the housing
market is down," added Vincent
Campion, envisioning trolleys running
down Woodclefl to the site to alleviate
irafnc.
But Mayor Storm termed the
Johansen situation "very muiky" with
"three entities claiming ownership" of
the property. She said the asking price
of the parcel two years ago was $7
million, and added that she Would make
"no conunitmenl as to the purchase of
the property."
Charlie Wcrtz,.president of C and C
Ocean Fisheries, Ltd., begged officials
to accommodate nshcrmen, don't
restrict them" as to hours, noise and
discharge which are "inherent in what
we do and what we've been doing all
along, within limitations -- I'm not
asking for carte blanche."
"Tony Maio spoke of the efforts of
pany boats to make accommodations to
residents, but said, "If you live by an
airport, you can't stop it and if you live
in a fishing village you have to hear
boats,"
However, several area residents
balked at the notion of a Pishing
industry' on the Johansen property,
saying the neighborhood to the west of
Woodcleft has become a residential
area, and "you can't change that
without stepping on the toes of
(conSnued on page 13)
Bayview memories
. byFredHager
in the eariy 1930s, Bayview for the
most part'was a bomogeiieous segment
of our village roughly bounded by
Archer Street on the north. Casino
• Street on the south. Miller Avenueon
the east and Part "Avenue on the west
Those more learned might have better
metes and bounds description but as a
Bayview resident for six plus decades
this is about the best at this time.
. In the mid-thirties one could view the.
Point Lookout Pavilion some 10.miles
distant while standing' at the
intersection of Branch Avenue and
Casino'Street which, possibly, might
. account for the "bay view" designation.
. Also it should give some insight on the
tremendous development in the 40s,
50sand60s.
Hose 3 and Freeport AC
: Freeport Fire Department Hose
Company 13 on Bayview was and is
'one of the activity ceaten' of tins little
. tight-kmt.epnraiiunjty. Thert.i^hardly.ai
resident who hasn't at one time or
another voted in both the old or new -
Hose <3 buildings at which time their
children and grandchildren ogled and
even touched the red engines.
However, a most vivid memory is that
of the Freeport.AC. an amateur
. baseball nine, which called Hose *3
home and pbyed its games in the then
vacant field behind the firebouse (this -
is now a municipal parking field and
ate of the ^eepcnt Restaurant Supply). '
A stringbean of a man from
. Wantagb; Jake Boos, was their ace
fireballing righthander with ankerball
.spedaUst Ellkxt Montgomery in relief. '
' Frecpcit's own .Larry Heenan handled
the catching chores. Heenie, as he was
. affectionately known by his fins, vms a-devastating
clutch hitter with the
uncanny taient to drop two bat? tits
' within both foul lines. IHashy and
mustachioed Jimmy Firth covered first
with second base alternating between!
Charley Rqooey and I^ied Trou'twein.
. Trouwein. a switch hitter, was quick to
-. point out that be was iheonly "AM
• (conOnuadonpagtlO)
FREEPORT AC at Start of 1931 season: from left, Hert) Smith. Les Lewis,
Everett HohlfeWer, Larry. Heenan, Mack Corwin, Lefty Tonsmeire; standing,
Charley Rodney, Lum'Duryea, Jake Boos, EIntt Moiitgomery, Bob Sammia,
• Jules Raynof, Jimory Firth and Fired Serge..' • . • • . . •
•-[• ';;h9t0ODu1esyp(Jpc)da.andBcbltoynar
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• ;
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