After a heated discussion between council members, the City of Glen Cove approved a local law change to allow for affordable housing in two lots on Cedar Swamp Road.
The amendment was passed with four members in favor and three opposed.
Mayor Pam Panzenbeck said the “transit-oriented development” would help the entire Glen Cove community.
Some council members worried about the impact of additional housing on the school district, traffic congestion and city resources.
Additional housing does not align with the city’s master plan, Council Member Marsha Silverman said.
“Voting on this is a big deal and we will have over 100 apartments by a train station with an awful train line that makes no sense and has no public benefit,” Silverman said.
“In the master plan, 2.2.2 says ‘do not allow more density than is currently permitted by existing zoning without an overriding public purpose,” Silverman said.
Panzenbeck said if the zoning code is not changed, apartments are not permitted on the lot.
“So what is the public purpose of adding more apartments in our community?” she asked.
“That was a very tricky question that you asked me,” Panzenbeck said.
“It’s not,” Silverman said. “I’m following our master plan. And I’m curious: what is the overriding public purpose?”
Panzenbeck said additional apartment buildings are aligned with initiatives by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.
“It’s transit-oriented development,” Panzenbeck said.
Panzenbeck said the lot is the “perfect area” for “transit-oriented development” because it is within walking distance to downtown and near the MTA railroad.
Panzenbeck said the current neighborhood is “blighted.”
“It attracts bad behaviors and we would like to see something better there than what is there now,” she said.
“So there’s really no overriding public purpose,” Silverman said. “It’s not a benefit to the public that everybody can use.”
Panzenbeck said reviving the neighborhood would benefit everybody in the community.
Silverman said additional housing will impact schools, traffic and water supply, among other resources.
Council Member Danielle Fugazy-Scagliola said reports show that the city’s water supply is an issue with the current number of housing units in Glen Cove.
Panzenbeck said the city is currently undergoing water infrastructure improvements.
Council Member Kevin Maccarone said Hochul has threatened the power of local municipalities’ zoning laws to allow for transit-oriented development.
“We are trying to take initiative in getting ahead of what the governor has made clear is at the top of her agenda,” he said.
“It is 100% in line with what our master plan states,” he said.
“If you wanted local control, why are we doing what the governor had proposed in the first place?” Silverman asked.
“We have the local control, so why are you going with what she proposed?”
Silverman said when Hochul called for 50 units per acre, “everybody yelled and screamed that that was too dense.”
“Guess what? We’re putting 50 units per acre, plus incentives to go higher than that,” she said.
Maccarone said there is no specific project that is approved with the law change.
No residents spoke during the public comment period.
The amendment was passed with four in favor. The new code allows for mixed-use, commercial and residential structures on the two lots if approved by the planning board.
