5 Things To Know About North Hempstead's Business Relief Plan

PORT WASHINGTON, NY — North Hempstead Town officials have come up with new measures that they think will help businesses during the coronavirus outbreak.

Judi Bosworth, the town supervisor, and the Town Board unanimously approved resolutions to propose measures that will help businesses affected by the virus. The handful of initiatives come from Bosworth's COVID-19 Business Response Recovery Team, which was tasked with examining how the Town can help the business community recovery.

"It is important that our residents and businesses feel assured that their local government is doing all that it can to provide them with any sort of relief," Bosworth said in a news release. "My colleagues on the Town Board have gone above and beyond to make this happen, and I thank them for their hard work and dedication to our Business Response Recovery Team. We all believe that these initiatives will bring much needed support to our residents."

Here are five things to know about the measures:

1. The Town Board will consider refunding Building Department fees. The resolution would allow the Building Department to issue refunds for applications and permits to property and business owners who can no longer proceed with planned construction work due to extreme financial hardships brought on by the pandemic.

2. The Town Board will consider allowing extended hours for commercial construction. Passing this local law would help businesses open sooner by allowing commercial construction work on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., as long as it doesn't cause too much noise disruption for nearby residential properties.

3. The Town Board will consider changing the law to allow local businesses to receive preferential treatment when it comes to contracts. This legislation would promote local economic activity by allowing the Town to award certain contracts for goods and services to a business other than the lowest responsible bidder.

4. The Town Board will consider allowing restaurants to expand seating by utilizing outdoor space. This measure would help alleviate expected density reduction requirements inside restaurants by allowing eateries to have more seating outdoors and even in some designated parking areas. Restaurants would need to obtaini a permit from the Building Department.

5. A vote could happen on the measures as soon as next month. Legislation was introduced at a May 19 board meeting. It can be voted on June 18.