PETITION TO OPPOSE THE CONSTRUCTION OF A FIVE-STORY APARTMENT COMPLEX IN FLORAL PARK VILLAGE NY, TAKING UP THE ENTIRE BLOCK OF THE FORMER STELLA’S RESTAURANT

We, the undersigned residents, taxpayers, and stakeholders of the Village of Floral Park, NY hereby submit this petition in strong opposition to the proposed construction of a five-story apartment complex proposed to be built on Jericho Turnpikebetween Van Siclen Ave. and South Tyson, former location of STELLA’S RESTAURANT and the adjacent property owned by the Cerrone family.

Our opposition is based on the following critical concerns:

1. Inadequate Emergency Services Capacity (Police, Fire, and EMT)

Our village currently lacks the police, fire, and emergency medical resources required to support the significant influx of residents that a development of this scale will bring.

• The existing police force is limited and already operating at or above capacity.
• Our volunteer fire department and local EMT services are not equipped to handle the increased call volume that an additional multi-story residential complex would generate.Our EMS has already had to call upon NYU Langone to assist in answering calls for medical assistance in our community, because the number of our volunteers is no longer capable to handle the number of calls for medical assistance in our community.
• The proposed building’s height and density would requiregreater number of firefighters than currently exist and may require additional equipment and training that are not currently available, posing potential life-safety risks and additional financing.

2. Strain on the School District

The Floral Park/Bellrose school district serving our village is already experiencing enrollment pressures and budget limitations. In recent years we have been forced to expand our schools and increase classrooms due to additional houses and apartments built in our community in the last 10 years (THE FAIRFIELD METRO AND THE FORMER MASONIC TEMPLE). WE have been forced to get approval for bonds to fund the expansion of our school district. An additionaldevelopment expected to house dozens of new families would further strain classroom space, transportation resources, budgets and district staffing. This will most definetly have a negative impact on the quality of education for current and future students.

3. Potential Zoning and Code Violations

There appear to be multiple zoning inconsistencies and potential violations associated with this proposal, including but not limited to:

• Exceeding height or density limitations specified in village zoning ordinances
• Insufficient setbacks, parking requirements, or green-space standards
• Incompatibility with the character and scale of surrounding residential and business structures in the community
The construction of a five-story building in an area traditionally comprised of low-rise, business structures will create a drastic and inappropriate change that conflicts with the intent of local zoning laws. A development this size traditionally requires 2 parking spaces per apartment. This development is designating only 1.5 parking spaces per apartment. This will put an additional burden on the limited restricted overnight parking in the village and the parking allocated for the existing local businesses during the day.

4. Negative Impact on Community Real Estate and School Taxes

This project is slated to receive a 20-year tax abatement, which will deprive the Village of a source of revenue for two decades. During this period, current residents will be left to shoulder the financial burden, facing increases in real estate, village and school taxes in-order to fund the services required by the tenants of the new apartment complex. While the developer benefits from significant tax relief, and most likely subsides from Albany, the residents of the community are left to compensate for the resulting revenue shortfall.

Additionally, the number of incoming residents—along with their physical needs, potential demands on emergency services, and the number of school-aged children they may bring—remains entirely unknown. The Village’s existing services are already overextended, and the addition of this apartment complex will place even greater strain on infrastructure, schools, and public safety resources. This strain will almost certainly lead to substantial tax increases for current residents as the Village attempts to meet growing service demands without the benefit of corresponding tax revenue for 20 years.

5. Negative Impact on Community Character and Quality of Life

This development would dramatically alter the small-village character of our community created by John Lewis Child in the late 1800’s when Floral Park was called East Hinsdale. In less than a decade two apartment complexes have been developed in our community, Fairfield Metro Apartments and the conversion of the former Masonic Temple located at 1 Carnation Ave.which was converted into an apartment complex. In addition, Patterson Oil sold its property on Cisney Ave. to be developed into a number of single- family homes most of which have children of school age which our school system has absorbed.Within the last five years an entire block of businesses on Covert Ave. burned down and the Village approved the development of 2 story new construction with apartments above the businesses

We have developed much more than an adequate number of apartments and condos for a community our size. An additional Apartment Complex of this magnitude will seriously compromise the character of Floral Park and diminish the quality of life for existing and future residents and undermine the village’s long-standing identity.

REQUEST FOR ACTION

We respectfully urge our elected and appointed official: Mayor, Village Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, and Planning Board to:

1. Reject the proposed five-story apartment complex and
2. Conduct a full review of all zoning, environmental, public-safety, and infrastructure impacts associated with the project.
3. Keep in mind that within the last six years you have already approved two apartment developments and the construction of apartments above businesses on Covert Ave. To approve the development of yet another Apartment Complex (massive compared to others in our community) encompassing an entire block on Jericho Turnpike is totally irresponsible. You are each either elected or appointed officials who were put in office to serve and protect the community and not advocate for those motivated by greed.
Our community’s safety, sustainability, and character must take precedence over high-density development that residents not only do not want, but that our village is not equipped to support. Over the last decade, our elected and appointed officials have put Floral Park on a path with atrend of increased apartment construction with no constraints in sight, and to now approve a project of this size and magnitude goes far beyond what the residents of this community are willing to tolerate and support. The path and trend our leaders have put us on must stop and stop now! It will no longer be tolerated by the voters. 

By signing below, we voice our firm opposition to this development and request that our elected officials act in the best interest of all village residents who elected them to office.