Resident: We Are Not Fraternity Row

Resident Betsy Andromidas appeared relieved to learn things are in motion to amend Garden City's housing and zoning codes, especially in light of what she describes as "transient dormitory-style houses" popping up throughout the village, including one across the street from her own home.

"Our neighborhood is a neighborhood of families, young and old. We are not Fraternity Row," she said at Thursday's public hearing on the matter.

Trustee Brian Daughney, who's spearheading the efforts to make the amendment, said the board is very cognizant of Garden City's character. In addition to one such type of home on Newmarket Road, Daughney told Patch there's three other known homes of this type located on Osborne Road, Cambridge Avenue and Kilburn Road and "probably more" yet to be discovered.

The amendment, he said, is intended to better help enforce and strengthen the code for the future. 

"A principle goal of the zoning code is to ensure dwellings in a single family residential zone maintain the characteristics that relate to the 'functional and factual' definition of a natural family," Daughney said. "The board has struggled with this concept as the traditional family has undergone changes. By this local law, the board of trustees seeks to define the term 'family' to ensure a stable, single family neighborhood while recognizing changes in the traditional family."

Andromidas said a petition was sent to village justice Allen Mathers stating there were "many kids moving in and out" of one of the homes at "odd times." She said neighbors witnessed 26 different students this year alone.

"They are international students. They return to their homes abroad during Christmas and summer break and they appear to be enrolled in an English Language program at Adelphi," she said, adding that a "caravan of cars," along with shuttles, transport the students each day.

Andromidas fears Garden City is becoming a proverbial cash cow as more investors scour the village looking to purchase homes with 6+ bedrooms to rent to students. "This has become a lucrative thing for foreign investors. It's a no-brainer and the problem's only going to grow exponentially," she said.

"I understand you need to establish the definition of 'family' but this particular home is far from a family," she added. "It's an income property used as dorm-style housing for wealthy foreign students who do not treat our neighborhood with respect, as evidenced by not curbing their puppy, trash strewn about the yard and their refusal to shovel snow."

Building superintendent Mike Filippon said the village already has a definition of "family" included in its code - anyone related by blood, marriage and/or adoption constitutes a "family."

The definition has been used by many municipalities as a traditional definition, he said, but through extensive research Filippon learned the current definition has not been upheld by the courts because "in today's society there are many variations that constitute a family."

As a result, officials have developed a new definition that starts off the same way but adds that "any group of people essentially living as a family unit and are the factual and functional equivalent of the traditional family can also be a family," Filippon said. "What we're actually doing is taking our old definition and substituting it with this new definition," he said.

Filippon warned that updating the definition is only a starting point that will help the village with any enforcement actions that may become necessary. "It's not going to automatically control these types of situations," he said. "In order to get somebody into court you have to accumulate enough evidence that will be upheld by the court ... We want to make sure we establish this very fundamental foundation."

Trustee Dennis Donnelly wanted to be clear that the change in definition is not geared toward one house or a particular ethnic group. "It will be applied universally," he said.

Stony Brook residents are fighting a similar fight, pushing for tougher enforcement of rental guidelines as the need for more off-campus housing grows for students enrolled at Stony Brook University. Town of Brookhaven supervisor Edward Romaine has pledged a crackdown on those who violate town code, with more than four to a house, according to reports.

Thanking the board for its efforts thus far, Andromidas told trustees time is of the essence. "We are begging you to deal with this swiftly and carefully ... It's scary how fast it's growing," she said.