The-Leader_2010-02-04

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75th Year, No. 5 Freeport, N.Y. 11520
The Community Newspaper
Thursday, February 4, 2010
ARTIST RENDERING of proposed redevelopment
photo by Moule Polyzoldes, RPA, Sustainable Long Island
North Main Redeveloiiiiieiit Plan Presented
By Ira J. Schildkraut
As Robert Freudenberg of the Regional Plan Association, one of the members of the design team working on the North Main Street Redevelopment Plan, advanced to the podium on crutches to present the team's draft, he quipped: "I was so excited about this meeting that I went and broke an ankle."
Last week's presentation for revitalizing the North Main Street corridor was held at the Perfecting Faith Church in the target area. It began with an explanation of the meeting's purpose by Norman Wells, executive director of Freeport's Community Development Agency.
Jennifer Rimmer of Sustainable Long Island, another member of the design team, summarized details of the planning process, followed by Annette Dennis, a mem­ber of the Steering Committee, who reported on the par­ticipation of Freeport residents in the planning process."
With the assistance of a PowerPoint presentation, Mr. Freudenberg explained that the project design focused on three areas: North Main Street itself, the raikoad sta­tion area, and South Main Street combined with the Sunrise Highway area to the west of the raikoad station. •Redevelopment would be implemented in three stages in that order if the plan were followed. The plan would
require rewriting the village's zoning code, which the design team is also addressing.
In one scenario. North Main Street would be narrowed to slow traffic flow and make it more pedestrian-friend­ly. This would require Nassau County approval, since the street is a county road. More crosswalks would be added, sidewalks would be widened, and countdown timers would be installed at crosswalks to ease pedestri­an traffic.
If reducing the number of traffic lanes is not possible. North Main Street would remain a four-lane roadway but with safety and environmental changes.
Landscaping is a major feature of the draft. Clusters of trees would be planted where east-west streets end at North Main, and benches would be installed to generate small meeting places for pedestrians and neighbors. Where east-west streets cross North Main, trees would be planted, but not in clusters.
Adding trees does more than beautify the environ­ment. Mr. Freudenberg said studies show that grown trees slow down traffic because drivers no longer have an uninterrupted line of sight of the traffic signals. They must slow down to focus as they approach upcom­ing lights.
Closer to the raiboad station, trees would be planted in
lines, not clusters, to signal a different type of trans­portation area approaching. The design team would also like to see utility lines placed underground, but real­izes that would be very expensive. Funding possibili­ties for that change will need to be explored in addition to the other aspects of the plan.
Zoning would combine various "nodes." Interspersed along North Main Street would be commercial, industri­al, retail and residential areas. Existing structures would be rehabilitated and reconfigured to enhance the environ­ment. Empty lots adjacent to existing buildings would be filled in with similar construction to eliminate vacant areas which attract negative activities.
The raikoad station area presents another set of chal­lenges. A major one, mentioned repeatedly at previous community meetings, is safety. Mr. Freudenberg admit­ted that currently people hurry out of the area. The design team wants to change that. • He said there are 86 acres of undeveloped, underde­veloped, and parking areas that could be transformed into attractive spaces that serve as a destination for residents and commuters. Replacing parking lots with parking structures erected within buildings that incorporate retail and commercial space would be one possibility. (continued on page 3)
100 years of Scouting
page 11
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Baldwin students
win awards
page 5
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Freeport schools prepare
for budget process
page 2