Hempstead board approves administrative calendar items, schedules battery‑storage hearing and approves Woodmere Club rezoning
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Summary
During the administrative calendar the board amended item 54, tabled item 62, set a Jan. 13 hearing on a six‑month moratorium for battery storage, and approved a rezoning and SEQR determination for the Woodmere Club (a settlement that includes community benefits). Public commenters raised concerns about transparency, water‑well treatment funding, and other local matters.
At its Dec. 9 session the Town Board addressed the administrative calendar (items 12–87), made procedural amendments and heard a range of public comments on county and town policy.
Town counsel recommended that item 54 be amended to include the town attorney and chief deputy town attorney and that item 62 be tabled; the board approved those changes by roll call. On item 87 the board set a hearing for Jan. 13 to consider a six‑month moratorium on battery storage projects in the town; speakers at the administrative calendar expressed safety concerns about lithium‑ion battery storage fires and urged longer moratoria and more protective measures, but the board said courts have limited moratorium periods and that six months is currently proposed.
The board also approved a SEQR determination and rezone for WG Woodmere LLC et al to rezone the Woodmere Club property (Southeast corner Meadow Drive and Broadway) from Coastal Conservation to CA Residence District; counsel and the supervisor noted a stipulation of settlement that includes community benefit payments tied to the resolution of litigation. During public comment residents and advocates raised matters including open‑meetings transparency, outside counsel spending, water‑well treatment projects (Commissioner Reinhardt said Levittown and East Meadow projects have about $12.5M in state and federal grants and that Uniondale previously received about $30M in water work), and landfill/settlement claims to be monitored.
Several public commenters also used the administrative calendar to raise broader concerns: a resident urged the Town to file a Public Service Commission complaint regarding regressive natural‑gas therm pricing; others asked for more transparency in posting promotions, hires and raises on the town calendar; community members asked for more inclusive contracting for state‑funded water projects and better compliance reporting for MWBE and SDVOB outreach.
The board closed the administrative calendar by roll call and adjourned the formal portion of the meeting, then continued to hear extended public comment on local issues including utility rates, leaf‑blower pollution, animal‑shelter operations and requests for improved transparency.