The recent attempt to end local control of zoning regulations by Governor Hochul and members of both the State Senate and Assembly have raised a red warning flag about efforts to bring sewers to Manhasset.
While a low-pressure sewer option might be acceptable on Plandome Road to grant relief to existing businesses, the recent attempt to usurp local control of zoning demonstrates how tenuous the future for Manhasset could be.
Potential funding from the state and federal governments to pay for sewers is looking like a Trojan horse, intended to pave the way for higher density housing and an end to Manhasset as it now exists.
I previously expressed concerns about the technical problems involved in hooking up older homes with cesspools in the backyard to sewers in front of the street.
The response I received was not to worry about the technical issues because they could be solved by money likely to be available for infrastructure projects. Unfortunately, money will not solve the peril posed by political agendas and developers being greedy.
That is a dangerous combination, which has the potential to transform our community in ways that would be unacceptable to most residents. I think we all must think long and hard about the risks involved in moving forward with residential sewers.
Those risks have been highlighted by the governor and other politicians in Albany that demonstrated they place a low priority on preserving the current lifestyle enjoyed by most people presently living in Manhasset.
Michael Zino
Manhasset