Building a dedicated firehouse for the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department’s ambulance unit at 70 Cumberland Ave. in Lake Success would have “zero impact to local traffic” according to a traffic study authorized by the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire and Water District.
The study, conducted by Woodbury-based Cameron Engineering, was released at the Aug. 24 commissioners meeting.
District commissioners in May delayed the bond vote after residents expressed concerns about the impacts of a new building during a public hearing on the $11.7 million proposal.
The district will hold a vote on Tuesday, Oct. 10 where residents can decide whether to approve $10 million in bonding for the proposed facility.
The traffic study is also available on the department’s website at www.mlfd.com.
District Commissioner Steven Flynn said the district did its due diligence based on community feedback and that he believes the Cumberland Avenue location is perfect for the ambulance unit.
Flynn also said the traffic study identified safety and signage issues with the location, which are outside the district’s jurisdiction but they have reached out to local officials on the matter.
“We have contacted Town and Village officials to brief them of the study’s findings and advocate for their assistance in correcting and enforcing the areas identified through the study that are out of our jurisdiction,” Flynn said in a statement. “Based on the study’s findings, we firmly believe that the property on Cumberland Avenue is the ideal location for the new station.”
Flynn continued to say the Cumberland location would fit the current and future needs of the department’s ambulance unit.
The 40-member ambulance unit has been sharing space with Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department Co. 3 in Great Neck since 1988 in a building originally meant for one company, the district said in a release.
If approved in a vote, the district would build a two-story, 10,336-square-foot building that has four bays, three for the unit’s ambulances and one for the first response vehicle, among other things.
During the May public hearing, residents objected to the lack of a traffic study at the time, visibility at night and a lack of signage on the street, among other things.
Residents also pointed out that the east end of Cumberland, the corner it intersects with Allen Drive, has a nearly 90-degree turn with no stop sign. Surrounding residential streets are the jurisdiction of the Town of North Hempstead but included in the traffic study are recommended improvements to the area.
During overnight calls, ambulances would not use their sirens until leaving the area unless there is traffic near the driveway to minimize noise impacts, the traffic study said.
The department is part of the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire and Water District, which owns the proposed land and takes in all of Manhasset except for Plandome, half of Great Neck and some of North New Hyde Park.
The district serves approximately 45,000 customers within a service area of 10.2 square miles, according to its website.
Current issues with sharing a space with Co. 3 include double stacking vehicles in the department’s bay, inadequate space for vehicles and first responders to move around the apparatus floor during emergencies, limited office space and bunk space for first responders doing an overnight shift, Capt. Lee Genser said in May.
In 2022, the ambulance unit was dispatched to 1,230 calls, Genser said
The anticipated maximum project cost is $11,706,044 for the total project, according to the district.
If approved, the project would be tax-neutral to residents and the district has and will continue to stay below the 2% state-mandated tax cap, Commissioner Mark Sauvigne said.
Anticipated hard costs of the project, which account for the physical materials, labor and equipment that go into the construction of the building, is $9,590,544.
Soft costs for the project, which may include consulting fees, interior equipment or furniture, amount to $2,115,500.
A state grant of $1 million was secured by state Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti (D-Port Washington) in 2022 and goes toward the approximate $3.5 million that has already been allotted for the project in reserve funds, district officials said in May.
Commissioner Brian Morris said a reserve fund was previously made to help cover the cost of the project as the district considered new locations for the ambulance years ago.
“To help plan for a future project, the district has been saving money in a reserve fund to put toward the construction of a new building,” Morris said in a statement. “If approved by the community, the cost of the principal bond payments to pay for the project, as well as interest, is in line with what the district has historically transferred to the reserve fund.”
This is incorrect, the building is planning to build to kiddie community park , near school bus stop , next to great neck community school , the corner of the road to Allen drive do not have enough space ,can not see well and it is unsafe. The location is not good to build the unit . The traffic study was doing during the summer when school is not complete open, it is invalid and lied to the community
STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO MLFD’S CAMPAIGN FOR THE BOND VOTE
We, the concerned residents of Great Neck Manor and surrounding areas, express our strong opposition to the proposed construction of an Ambulance Unit Building on Cumberland Avenue that is strictly residential within the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire District.
We firmly believe that this development would significantly and adversely impact our quality of life, compromise the safety of our children, exacerbate traffic issues, contribute to congestion in the area, and highlight a lack of early direct communication with the affected residents and a total disregard of residents’ strong voices and concerns that were related to Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department many times.
The plan to build a new ambulance unit on Cumberland Avenue, costing over $11 million, has raised serious concerns among residents. The projected location on Cumberland Avenue poses significant challenges in terms of navigation and accessibility of the ambulance services.
The narrow section of the roads leading to the proposed project site would make it difficult for emergency vehicles, additional firefighters, and accompanying equipment to maneuver effectively. These points have been repeatedly delivered to the Fire Department numerous times by many residents who have been residing in the areas for many decades.
Coupled with constant congestion on Lakeville Road, Community Drive, and neighboring roads leading to the proposed site, this lack of space and accessibility not only hinders emergency response efforts but also raises deep concerns about the safety of our community.
Our deep-seated discontent stems from the glaring lack of timely and direct communication with the residents directly impacted by the project prior to the first scheduled bond vote in last June 2023 that was postponed due to the strong oppositions from the residents.
The Fire Department overseeing the ambulance unit has shown a lamentable dearth of meaningful engagement with the Great Neck Manor community and neighboring areas, recklessly ignoring the well-being and concerns of those most affected. We adamantly assert that transparency and candid dialogue are non-negotiable requisites for adequately addressing our concerns.
Despite the relentless opposition voiced by residents, the Fire Department persists in its dismissive stance, pressing forward with another bond vote scheduled for October 2023, heedless of any of the residents’ valid concerns.
Constructing the Cumberland Avenue ambulance unit building without considering its impact on our quality of life is a grave concern. Our community values its peaceful and residential character, which would be severely compromised by the addition of an ambulance unit proposed to be built right in front of residential homes.
The ensuing chaos, noise, and logistical nightmare during construction which will continue for at least 3 years, coupled with the anticipated ceaseless presence of emergency vehicles, siren blaring, would irreparably disrupt the tranquility of our neighborhood, casting a pall on our well-being and overall contentment with our living environment.
To reiterate, the constricting roads leading to the proposed site would render it a virtual obstacle course for ambulance and emergency vehicles, additional support personnel, and firefighting apparatus.
Moreover, the safety of our children must not be overlooked. Cumberland Avenue is home to many families with young children who play and traverse the area regularly and walk for school buses. Immediately next to the front gate of the proposed ambulance unit is the Great Neck Manor Park where most children in the area frequently visit and play in groups as well.
The increased traffic resulting from the ambulance unit’s operations would introduce additional risks, making it unsafe for children to move freely within their own neighborhood. It is our duty to protect our children and ensure their safety at all times.
These concerns have been repeatedly and unequivocally conveyed to the Fire Department by long standing residents, whose roots in the area span decades.
In light of the aforementioned concerns, we, the vigilant residents, stand in firm opposition to the construction of the Cumberland Avenue ambulance unit building.
We underscore the following pressing questions and concerns regarding the proposed project:
1. No public impact study for the facility was conducted.
2. The 14 sites that were dismissed were never disclosed by MLFD.
3. The Traffic Study, done in August 2023 after vehement resident opposition, is deeply flawed on several counts:
i) It inadequately addressed crucial streets such as Pond Hill, Community Drive, Northern Blvd, and Lakeville Road, the constantly congested roads.
ii) It omitted consideration of the Adult Center and Great Neck Manor Park and children’s playground, all situated on Cumberland.
iii) The streets around the curve are manifestly unsafe, with cars unable to maintain their lanes, rendering the study’s conclusions utterly baseless.
iv) The study’s impartiality is further compromised by its selection, having used the project Manager/Architects of the proposed project, a glaring conflict of interest.
4. The Commissioners boldly assert that there will be no fiscal burden on taxpayers, but the origin of the necessary funds remains conspicuously absent.
5. MLFD continues to obfuscate essential financial details, including the cost of the bond, interest rate, commission to bond manager, term of bond, and projected monthly amortization cost.
6. MLFD has failed to provide a credible explanation as to why they cannot utilize any of their existing properties or modify an existing property with a firehouse.
7. MLFD has adamantly refused to accommodate any of the concerns and voices raised by the residents, exhibiting a shocking disregard for public input.
8. The budget presented is devoid of substance, with mere cursory statements and a conspicuously unexplained allocation of $2.2 million in “Soft Costs” by MLFD.
We urgently implore the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department to reconsider the ill-conceived project on Cumberland Avenue, and to seek better-suited locations that prioritize the well-being and concerns of the residents.
We once again urge you to earnestly consider our grievances and take swift action to rectify them, by cancelling the bond vote scheduled for October 10, 2023.
We demand you to explore alternative avenues for the project that mitigate the deleterious impact on Cumberland Avenue and guarantee the sustained harmony of our residential enclave.
Concerned Citizens and Taxpayers
in Great Neck Manor and Beyond