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Friday, October 6, 2023
Vol. 11, No. 40
SCHOOLS & EDUCATION
VOTERS HEAD TO POLLS ON FIREHOUSE BOND
42 OF NASSAU’S TOP WOMEN HONORED
PAGES 21-32
PAGE 2
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Manor board OKs Horvat’s landscape plan
HOMECOMING HURRAH
Approves design for NY Islander’s property adjacent to Leeds Pond BY K A R I N A KO VA C The Village of Plandome Manor’s Design Review Board gave the green light to Islander Bo Horvat’s landscaping plans for his new property on Plandome Road last Thursday after an hour of public comments all in opposition to the plans. The Horvat family was absent from the proceedings. The landscaping proposal involved the installation of green giants and boxwoods around the property on Plandome Road bordering Leeds Pondas well as perennials, as mandated by the Department of Environmental Conservation. The presence of green giants at the front of the property was proposed to enhance privacy, although the exact height of these trees could not be described to the board by Scott Tyrone, who displayed a mock-up of the planting plans and types of plants suggested by Sivilli Landscaping Contracting. Despite an initial readiness by the board to vote on the landscaping plans after 10 minutes of hearing the design, the audience asked the board to be heard. There was a miscommunication with the board, which did not realize that members of the public wanted to
speak. Village counsel John Farrell emphasized that the board’s jurisdiction was limited solely to architectural and landscape matters, excluding any discussions related to Leeds Pond’s impact. Horvat, a New York Islanders hockey player, and his wife are currently named in a lawsuit filed in Nassau County Supreme Court over a landfill decision on their Plandome Road that could potentially harm Leeds Pond. The lawsuit application claims that qualified experts have raised concerns about the potential harm to Leeds Pond caused by the substantial landfill. The Board of Zoning Appeals allegedly approved the deposit of 350 cubic yards of landfill in Leeds Pond, which is a stark violation of the Village’s zoning laws. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Eastern LLC, the owner of property around Leeds Pond, who is seeking a reversal of the recent decision. The issue has raised concerns about the preservation of Leeds Pond, which is a 22-acre fresh body of water in Plandome Manor and a essential part of the surrounding ecosystem “The board is only considering a landscaping plan tonight,” Farrell said. “We’re not going to hear testimony Continued on Page 47
PHOTO COURTESY OF MANHASSET PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Students showed their Manhasset Pride at their homecoming parade and football game on Sept. 30.
DeSena submits $163.9M budget with 10% tax cut BY B R A N D ON D U FF Y North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena is proposing a $163.9 million budget for 2024 that includes a 10% property tax cut and maintains town services and programs. Allocated in DeSena’s second spending plan is $91.9 million to the town’s general fund, $41.8 million to the town’s outside village fund, which covers services for residents who live outside incorporated vil-
lages, and $30.1 million for the 20 town-operated special districts, which create their own budgets. In a statement, DeSena said her administration is projecting to end the year with a nearly $2 million surplus. “My administration is working hard every day to put money back in taxpayers’ wallets because prior administrations have overtaxed homeowners unnecessarily and exorbitantly,” DeSena said. “Now, as I submit my 2024 Tentative Budget,
I am proud to again cut taxes by record-setting amounts, putting millions of dollars back in the pockets of taxpayers.” The North Hempstead Town Board finalized the budget schedule during their Oct. 3 meeting. A work session on the tentative budget will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 10 a.m. A tentative budget hearing will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. and a preliminary budget hearing and final vote will be Continued on Page 47