The alienation of 2.5 acres of parkland in Kings Point Park to be converted into a parking lot has been presented to the state Legislature, and groups of residents are rallying for and against it.
The parkland would be given to the United Mashadi Jewish Community of America to establish a parking lot for its community center on Steamboat Road.
If the parkland is converted to parking lot space, the Village of Kings Point would also be required to designate 5.76 acres of land as parkland, which would come from the former Wildwood Property.
This would go toward a new tennis facility, which would be operated by the Great Neck Park District and open to all park district residents. It would not be attached to Kings Point Park.
“The Park District recognizes this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to exchange 2.4817 acres of a 170-acre park, to gain 5.67 acres of undeveloped real property as new parkland, which would then be available for all Park District residents under lease from the Village,” the Great Neck Park District wrote in a statement.
The statement from the park district states the park is 170 acres, but its website states the park is actually 175 acres.
Kings Point Park is considered a protected wetland under the Freshwater Wetlands Act of 1975, which is overseen by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. The park encompasses more than five miles of hiking trails and various amenities.
The park is operated by the Great Neck Park District, which is seeking a “land swap” with the Village of Kings Point to “enable the Village to afford the public with superior park facilities that are being lost by the alienation,” the bill states.
The land that could be converted to a parking lot is currently occupied by an unfinished parking lot, basketball court, playground and “aging bathrooms,” which the park district said they are planning to replace and relocate in the remaining 168 acres of the park.
A Change.org petition was created on May 22 in opposition to the parkland being converted to a parking lot, garnering almost 1,700 signatures.
“This rare, undisturbed ecosystem, including its wildlife, must be preserved,” the petition states.
Concerns expressed in the petition include the removal of mature trees, with the potential of increased flooding, increased runoff and reduced natural biodiversity.
“This bill contradicts the mission of the Great Neck Park District, which is committed to the stewardship and preservation of public greenspace,” the petition states. “It sets a dangerous precedent for the piecemeal destruction of our parks and undermines the public trust.”
Other concerns included a lack of communication with Great Neck residents.
“Large swaths of the Great Neck community had been unaware of the alienation legislation and its potential community impacts,” Nassau County good government group Concerned Citizens of NY-03 wrote. “Many who regularly use the park for biking, hiking and other activities, only just found out and have been stymied in their ability to get clear, factual information about what is being planned.”
But a competing petition in support of the bills was launched on May 27, and within two days collected more than 1,200 signatures. It now has about 1,800 signatures.
This group supports the land swap, arguing it will create more useable parkland for district residents, help support community programming, preserve the natural environment and protect against overdevelopment.
Two state bills – one in the Senate and one in the Assembly – have been introduced that would permit the Village of Kings Point, Town of North Hempstead and Nassau County to alienate and discontinue 2.5 acres of land owned by the Great Neck Park District.
State Sen. Jack Martins (R–Mineola) introduced the Senate bill on May 12, and state Assembly Member Daniel Norber (R–Great Neck) introduced the Assembly bill on May 22.
“The park district thinks it’s a good idea, the village thinks it’s a good idea, and so from our standpoint, if our communities are requesting an alienation and they show that there’s a plan that will preserve more parkland, I’m going to preserve more parkland every time,” Martins said.
Both bills are currently sitting in their respective chambers’ Local Government Committee.
Martins said he backed the bill because it guarantees more parkland for the Great Neck Park District and supported the park district and the Village of Kings Point’s leadership in making a decision that met their constituents’ needs.
“If the park district believes that it’s the right thing to do, and the village believes it’s the right thing to do, I’m going to support those people who are elected to represent those communities,” Martins said.
Martins said alienating parkland is not uncommon. It requires approval in both state legislative chambers and by the governor.
“The caveat is if you’re going to do it, there has to be a commitment that you’re going to preserve, and it has to be clear that you’re going to preserve more parkland, or at least as much parkland, for the public benefit,” Martins said.
This is not the first time parkland has been alienated from Kings Point Park. The last time occurred about a decade ago to establish a department of public works building for the Village of Kings Point, which also stirred controversy.
