Workwear & Footwear For Plandome Heights

The main impetus for the incorporation of most areas has been the desire for home rule, and especially for the power to set local zoning laws. In 1929 when Plandome Heights incorporated, villages still had zoning powers. But the 1938 Nassau County Charter changed this. It stipulated that all existing villages could retain zoning powers but denied the rights to any area that might incorporate in the future. It is significant that since 1938 there has been only one new village in Nassau County. The general reason Plandome Heights drew up incorporation papers in June 1929 can also be said to be the desire for home rule and the desire to keep taxes low. But specifically there seem to be two main issues which instigated the incorporation. The first issue involved the zoning of a piece of land just north of Colonial Parkway and Webster Avenue. In the September 27, 1928 issue of Manhasset Mail it was reported that the owners of that property protested the Town Planning Board and Zoning Commission’s suggestion to change it to Class A residential for single family homes. They wanted to build garden apartments on their property instead. Some Plandome Heights residents organized to protest. The first Plandome Heights Association was formed, with John S. Olney, who lived on Plandome Road, as president and John M. Isaacs of 95 Bay Driveway as secretary. The Association was effective. The Town Board held its final hearing on the matter on February 27, 1929 and ruled that the piece of land in question would be zoned Class A residential. The issue caused some controversy in Plandome Heights, however. Two residents who lived on Plandome Road testified for the apartment houses and were “vigorously opposed” by the Association at the hearing.

The Plandome Heights Association was already geared for action when a second controversial issue appeared: the ever-popular issue of sewers. The Town Board, with the Manhasset Civic Association’s approval, was proceeding early in 1929 to form a sewer district in Manhasset. The only area which protested was Plandome Heights. The Plandome Heights Association circulated a petition against the proposed sewers and this was submitted to the Town Board in March by John Isaacs. “We have no objections to a sewer for Manhasset proper,” said Mr. Isaacs, “so long as it does not include the property of the signers of the Plandome Heights Association petition against it.” Mr. Isaacs also said that if the Town Board agreed to the proposed sewer district, the Plandome Heights Association would move for annexation to the Village of Plandome.