The Village of Muttontown has granted a tax exemption for St. Dominic's sports complex. It was voted on and approved unanimously at the March 8, village Board meeting.

Village attorney Peter MacKinnon explained that St. Dominic's has already been granted a Nassau County tax exemption for the 48 acre parcel on Route 25A in Muttontown, except for $11,907 of assessment attributed to the rental of the existing house on the site.

The village attorney told the board that based on a review of the St. Dominic plans, the village should grant a partial exemption for the 32 acres that will become the playing fields and tax the 16 acres that will be developed as a building lot. Charles Wang intends to build a horse barn on the back lots.

He explained that even though the church hasn't received zoning approval to use the field, under New York State law, a good faith plan to use the property qualifies for tax exemption.

The total village assessed valuation of the Stoothoff property according to the Nassau County records is $102,250.60 and the village proposes a partial exemption of $66,641.60 of the assessed valuation.

A local resident said the village should deny it. The village attorney said they are legally entitled to it. He said if the playing fields use is denied, then the village could re-instate it next year on the tax roles.

Muttontown resident Peter Kandell asked if they have a summer camp with fees, does that change the tax exemption. They also have a baseball clinic, he added later.

Mr. MacKinnon said charging money on a camp doesn't change the tax exempt status. It is an ancillary use and not a primary use, and that is permitted.

The village board voted unanimously to accept the tax exempt status which then allowed the village to finalize their tax rolls for 1999.

Before the meeting began, Mr. Kandell, who lives off Mill River Road was talking about the traffic on that winding country lane. He mentioned a recent accident as a car waited on Remsen Lane to turn onto Mill River. He is concerned with student drivers and school buses from schools playing against St. Dominic's using that road.

He asked what would happen if the team was at the top of their conference and were having a really big game with a large attendance.

In his discussion with the village Monsignor Ribaudo said his vehicles would use Route 25A and Route 106 for transporting students to and from the fields.

The village will hold a meeting on March 22 at 8 p.m. at Long Island Lutheran High School to discuss approving the division of the Stoothoff property into two parcels of land. Letters were sent out to village residents informing them of the meeting. The room holds 400 people and a large crowd is expected to attend.

Trustee Tom Treacy wants people only to speak about the planning issues at that meeting. He asks that all those who wish to speak should submit their names to the board. The village will address the zoning use for the fields at a later date before the board of zoning appeals chaired by Bill Floyd-Jones.

The mayor agreed saying there should be nothing about the use of land for playing fields discussed at the March 22 meeting. St. Dominic's has no sports fields for their students and wishes to make soccer, baseball and softball fields on their Muttontown property, the former Stoothoff farm. They have been using town and county facilities for some team sports.

Village clerk Vivian Van Wagner announced that the village budget will hold the line with no increase in taxes with a tax rate of $5.88 per $100 of assessed value. The village gave tax refunds to six homeowners for a total of $108,099.

The Village of Muttontown voted to extend their moratorium on cell phone antennas for another 90 days. It is the last time the village can extend the moratorium.

Mayor Richard Murcott said the village wrote a letter to LIPA objecting to the Omni Point equipment placed on four LIPA telephone poles in Muttontown.

LIPA wrote a letter to Omni Point and the latter is now suing both LIPA and the village to prevent the removal of the equipment. The suit was filed on March 2.

The next Muttontown board meeting will include a hearing on amendments to the General Fee and Deposit Law which effects the cost of such items as building permits.

Representatives of Brooklyn Union Gas attended the Muttontown board meeting. They were introduced by "Raz" Tafuro, highway commissioner. They are working on a mandate by the Public Service Commission that they must replace all their existing gas mains. They have until the end of 2000 to complete the work for the commission. The new mains in Muttontown are being installed on the shoulder of the roads or in the roads themselves, according to the location of trees and roots in the area.

Mayor Murcott asked how accidents can be prevented when workers are excavating land since the gas mains are installed only 3 1/2 feet deep. The gas representatives said there is a One-Call-Center, a free service provided by the utility companies, that lists all the underground systems. When someone wants to do excavation work they are required to call the center to determine what is underground in the proposed work area.

To ensure the safety of their lines, the gas company places one inch caution tape one foot below the grade to alert people not to dig in the area.

The existing pipes were installed in 1947. Trustee Laura Shapiro said she walked the areas to be excavated with representatives of Brooklyn Union and said the company will replace any trees removed.