Village of Roslyn Estates   25 The Tulips Roslyn Estates, NY 11576   Tel: 516-621-3541  t  Fax: 516-621-3109 mayor@villageofroslynestates.com

                                                                                              

 

 

From the Office of Hon. Paul Leone Peters, Mayor

 

 

July 24, 2024

 

Dear Neighbors,

 

           

As you know, we were stunned last March by the sudden passing of our dedicated Clerk/Treasurer, Michael Tomicich, and we are grateful to all who expressed their affection and respect for Mike and concerns for his family.   While the search for his successor began almost immediately, it took longer than we had expected or hoped.  However, I am pleased to inform you that we have engaged John Giordano for the position, and he is already in place and integrated as part of the Roslyn Estates team.  John’s experience in the public sector is extensive and his qualifications impressive, and I am confident he will earn the same level of trust and appreciation we were grateful to place in Mike.  If you have not done so already, please take the time to come to Village Hall, introduce yourself, and get to know our new Village Clerk/Treasurer.

 

As you may know, for more than six months your Board of Trustees had been reviewing an application from DISH Network to install a set of cellular antennae on the roof of 1044 Northern Boulevard, the three-story office building erected in 1971 that falls within the borders of our village.  As one of the highest points in the area, the roof is an ideal location for such equipment, and, in fact, it is already the site of three other arrays – one each serving AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. 

The Federal Government decreed that a fourth carrier was needed for adequate competition, and DISH won the award.  Although the FCC has ruled that individual municipalities cannot prevent such installations based on concerns about any possible radiation such equipment may emit, several residents (all of whom moved to their present homes after 1971) who live in close proximity to the building expressed understandable concerns about the new installation, even though no such concerns – or negative effects – had previously arisen regarding the three existing arrays, the first of which was installed in 1991.  Moreover, confirmed data presented by the consulting engineers showed that the new array would increase the radiation emitted from less than 59% of the FCC’s allowable limit to only less than 60% of that limit.

 

Nevertheless, those residents retained counsel to try to stop the BOT from issuing the permit, even though we had no legal grounds for such a refusal, and the Village would almost certainly have been sued by the applicant in Federal Court – at great expense – to force the approval.  For nearly half a year and over the course of five BOT meetings, your Board and Village Counsel addressed all the raised issues, objections, and concerns, and provided all the information requested to substantiate the validity of the application and the data submitted. 

In addition, the applicant agreed to make modifications to their proposed installation to accommodate residents’ aesthetic concerns.  Finally, after all the meetings, delays, submissions, assertions, and reviewing all information and opposing positions, your BOT approved the permit following advice of Village Counsel.

 

Your Board of Trustees is tasked with representing ALL residents; not just a vocal few; and it made perfect sense to approve a permit that satisfied all federal, state and village requirements, and for which the applicant had provided all requested documentation, data, and supporting expert professional opinion.  Our decision was made that much more logical when faced with the reality that the cost of a lawsuit by the applicant in Federal Court – that we would almost certainly lose – would be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, while the cost of a lawsuit from the residents’ group in local court – that we would almost certainly win – would be around a tenth of that.  Moreover, the Village has already incurred more than $30,000 in legal costs just getting to this point over the course of the debate, and your Board could not justify risking a reckless course of action that would almost necessarily result in a significant tax increase for all residents – including those who had raised their objections.

 

Now, the Village has, indeed, been sued by that group of residents to try to block the installation of new antennae that would add one percent (1%) to the allowable radiation from the roof of 1044 Northern Boulevard, and we are forced to defend that lawsuit in court – a needless expense that will be borne by all of us and that will almost certainly end as federal law directs.  We will keep you posted on the progress of the action.  Meanwhile, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or to come to the next BOT meeting.

 

While all these consequential matters were occupying our time and energy, spring and summer snuck into Roslyn Estates, and all of us are enjoying the most beautiful and lyrical time of the year in our beautiful village.  (Although some may argue that Roslyn Estates is at its most glorious after a new blanket of snow, I prefer the sound of songbirds to the grinding of the snowplows.)  Spring symbolizes new life, and with the warm weather comes the parade of newborn ducklings, goslings, and even a few turtles.  So, please exercise additional caution when driving by our two ponds in case one of those new family excursions is crossing the road – or either pond is hosting one of the gorgeous egrets and blue herons that often come for a visit.  In addition, you might also venture

to Gerry Pond Park, where the Roslyn Duck Pond is filled with ducks, geese, and a pair of wonderful white swans.  It is a sight to behold.

 

Finally, the Association of Roslyn Estates (which, I remind you, is the oldest existing residents' civic association in Nassau County), under the able leadership of Jackie Auerbach and Todd Teichman, is planning even more community events following the great success of their first annual Roslyn Estates 5K Run for Charity through the Village this past May.  You can check the Village website for details of upcoming activities, or – even better – contact Jackie or Todd to help in their planning and execution.  There aren’t many better ways to get to know your neighbors or to promote the community of our beautiful Village.  Our civic association is one of Roslyn Estates’ great assets, and its positive impact only grows with greater participation.

 

Sincerely,

Paul Leone Peters, Mayor

(516) 220-8166

mayor@villageofroslynestates.com