Village of Great Neck officials are now considering placing a gate across Ellard Avenue, a proposal that came from a professional pedestrian and traffic study commissioned by the village. This action would serve to stop cross traffic attempting to avoid the Hicks Lane traffic light. An Aug. 18 public hearing was set.

At the village's July 7 meeting, Trustee Stephen Falk explained that the village had received a petition from Forest Row and Ellard Avenue residents, supporting the recommendation and asking for a gate across Ellard Avenue, in order to stop the cars that are trying to avoid traffic lights. For emergencies, keys would be held by the 6th Precinct, the village's public works department, the sewer plant, and one at Village Hall. If a resident must have a truck or large piece of equipment come onto the street, the village would have to know in advance in order to open the gate.

Forest Row resident Mitch Beckerman presented the 61-signature petition. He stated that the signatures came from ''mostly area residents,'' and he said that there was ''no dissent'' in wanting the gate. ''It has become more and more of a problem as drivers try to bypass the Hicks Lane and Steamboat Road lights,'' he said, adding, ''They are trying to make raceways out of little streets.''

Mr. Beckerman also asked for no parking in front of three specific houses, so a truck would be able to ''make the swing turn.''

When village attorney Eugene Cullen advised that a public hearing would be necessary, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 8 p.m. was set as the time. Mr. Cullen also advised that the village should obtain statements about the proposal from the 6th Precinct, and from the Vigilant and Alert firefighters.

When Mayor Steve Tell questioned whether all of the Ellard Avenue residents had signed the petition, Mr. Beckerman said that, though he was sure they all wanted the gate, he had not been able to obtain all of the signatures in the short amount of time. ''All the more reason for a public hearing,'' stated the Mayor.

Also relating to the pedestrian and traffic study, Mr. Falk said that there were other recommendations. The study was done from Ellard Avenue to Clover Drive, and other recommendations included closing medians, adding pedestrian crossing controls and stop lights, closing Preston Road, restriping all crosswalks, and implementing a new signage program. He said that the recommendations will be presented to the Nassau County Department of Transportation, and, if approval is received, there will be public hearings.

Several parking restriction requests were also addressed during the evening.

Resident Nathan Krypel asked for two-hour parking signs on Radnor Road. He said that this would prevent workers at local stores from parking all day, beginning at 4 a.m. Mayor Tell said that the 6th Precinct would be asked to patrol the area at night to be sure there is no parking at that hour, and he further promised to consider the request for two-hour parking.

Residents from 60, 62, and 64 Baker Hill Road asked for no parking on Baker Hill Road from Cambridge to Ruxton Road. Joyce Klein complained that parents park cars across from the E.M. Baker Elementary School at dismissal, causing a dangerous pedestrian crossing problem and often blocking the fire hydrant. Signs will be put up that prohibit standing or parking on the south side of Baker Hill Road in that area, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays.

With regard to the village's parking field # 3, behind The Food Emporium, there has been a request from adjacent businesses to extend the parking restriction from two hours to four hours, primarily so that business lunches can extend beyond the two-hour limit without the drivers receiving parking tickets. The board decided to extend the parking limitation to three hours on the north half of the parking lot.

A Guthreil Lane resident wrote complaining of a gas leak in the area. Trustee Peter Waldes explained that there are several such gas leaks on the peninsula, and LIPA has said that it will take years to fix all of the leaks. LIPA contends that these are not dangerous situations.

Trustee David Lurie noted that the gas leaks do cause other damage, such as killing trees and vegetation in the area of the leaks.

Mayor Tell said that he would write to LIPA, stating that it is ''unacceptable'' to have to wait a few years. The Mayor will ask for quicker action.

During the meeting, the village passed a $750,000 bond resolution for the reconstruction and resurfacing of various streets in the Village of Great Neck, including ststs in the Strathmore area.

The July 7 meeting was also the village's annual organizational meeting. Re-elected trustee Stephen Falk was sworn in, as was newly-elected trustee Jerome Reisman, who takes the spot of outgoing trustee Jon Mostel (who retired after fulfilling the traditional two, two-year terms). Both trustees were sworn in by former Mayor Sidney Evans.

During this part of the meeting, Mayor Tell announced a long list of appointments, including appointing Mr. Falk as deputy mayor. Also, former Mayor Evans was again appointed executive assistant to the mayor.

Other appointments included the following: Paul Bloom, acting justice; Mark Birnbaum and Jerome Reisman, board of appeals; Bruce Rothstein, planning board; David Lurie (chair), Bruce Rothstein, Ralph Kreitzman, Elliot Rosenblatt, and Alan Sykoff, architectural review committee; Robert Klein, landmarks preservation committee; Karen Brand, Housing Authority (with Alfred Udow and David Ferguson held over); Isabel Varlotta, assessor; Lloyd Goldfarb, building department commissioner; and David Ferguson, uncompensated parking enforcement officer.

The next regularly scheduled board of trustees meeting for the Village of Great Neck is Tuesday, July 21, 7:30 p.m., Village Hall, 61 Baker Hill Road.