Contact:  David Chauvin                                  (516) 869-7794 

Visioning Begins in Port Washington

Residents Meet to Discuss the Future of the Peninsula

            Port Washington, NY – Supervisor Jon Kaiman and Councilman Fred Pollack hosted a community visioning forum on Thursday, June 17, to discuss the future of the Port Washington Peninsula.  The meeting, which was co-sponsored by the Greater Port Washington Business Improvement District, Residents for a More Beautiful Port Washington, and the General Council of Homeowners Associations of Port Washington, took place at Schrieber High School.  Despite the inclement weather conditions, some 150 community members took part in the forum.  Officials were also joined by representatives of Sustainable Long Island, a smart growth development group, who made a brief presentation to the audience about the visioning process. 

"This meeting is designed to initiate an exchange of ideas about the future of Port Washington," said Supervisor Kaiman.  "We are here to listen to the concerns of the community and begin to develop a vision for the whole peninsula."

            "This process is designed to overcome the obstacles created by our multiple governments in Port Washington.  The combined effort of the Town, the Villages and all of our residents will allow us to develop a plan that protects and enhances our peninsula," added Councilman Pollack.

Among the issues raised by residents at the meeting were: concerns over traffic, overdevelopment and the need for affordable senior housing; the need to restrict the building of more housing; recreational needs; and downtown revitalization. 

Supervisor Kaiman and Councilman Pollack noted that the meeting was only the first in a longer process, which will include the Town hiring a professional organization to analyze each community issue and share the information developed with the community.  The goal of the Port Washington visioning process will be to craft a long-term planning document to guide the operations of all of the Peninsula's local governments.