School fence project on hold in East Williston

  • 2019-09-30
Work at an elementary school in East Williston, a community near Williston Park, has stopped temporarily as a permitting issue is examined.

A fence is being built at East Williston's North Side Elementary School with two purposes in mind. First, the fence, which is planned to be six feet in height, will keep children from running into the street from the school grounds. Second, the fence will help keep unauthorized adults from entering the campus.

The planned fence is two feet taller than the village code permits, which led village officials to say that the fence needs approve from them as well as from the Education Department of New York State. State approval has already been obtained, but the village voiced its objections only recently.

The village argued that the fact the fence is higher than allowed means local approval is necessary. The East Williston School District, however, pointed out that it has added a wing to the building, reworked the playground, and put a new roof on the school, all without a village permit. If the fence requires a second permit, East Williston will be the first school district in New York that has filed two permits for the same building project.

The case will be back in court soon. Printing services can be engaged for various projects explaining situations like this to interested parties.