June 26, 2006

Jacobs, Schmitt and legislators join in urging

County Executive to move Open Space deals forward

Nassau County Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs (Woodbury) and the Majority caucus today joined with Minority Leader Peter Schmitt and the Minority caucus in an unprecedented display of cooperation and bipartisanship in the name of preserving the last remaining parcels of open space in Nassau County.

“We stand ready to finance any projects that come before us,” said Jacobs.

Photo Caption: Nassau County Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs (Woodbury), speaking at the podium, is flanked by Legislator Dennis Dunne, Minority Leader Peter Schmitt, and Legislators Dave Mejias, Kevan Abrahams, Dave Denenberg and Lisanne Altmann.

At a press conference today Jacobs and Schmitt called on County Executive Thomas Suozzi to immediately begin negotiating the proposed 14 land acquisitions put forth by the Environmental Bond Advisory Committee.

Time is ticking away for some of Nassau County’s most prime parcels of open space, according to Jacobs, who today urged the swift approval of nominated parcels under the 2004 Nassau County Open Space Bond Act.

“Over 200 acres of prime open space targeted for preservation have already been lost to developers,” Legislator Dave Denenberg (D-Merrick), chair of the Planning, Development & the Environment Committee, said. “I am urging swift action now by the administration to secure Nassau’s dwindling open space.”

The Nassau County voters approved a $50 million Open Space Bond Act in 2004 by an overwhelming 77 percent of the vote. An Advisory Committee was appointed by County Executive Thomas Suozzi to recommend a list of properties and/or projects, which includes open space projects, brownfield remediation, storm water improvement projects and parks improvements, for each program category after reviewing all nominations and considering what projects and/or combinations of projects best meet the goals of the Nassau County Environmental Program. The Committee issued its recommendation in March 2006. The legislation called for a 60-day review by the Open Space and Parks Advisory Committee (OSPAC) and the Nassau County Planning Commission before presentation to the County Legislature. Both are moving in their allotted time and the County Executive’s recommendations will go to the legislature for approval next month.