Oceanside - what's going on? (Long Beach: section 8, apartment, homes)

[hotkarl]

"Welcome to Oceanside! The stop sign capital of NY"

I've lived in Oceanside my whole life, sans a few years back in the early 90's when I had moved away temporarily. My family has been in Oceanside since the late 40's.
Most of us are still here.

Oceanside has changed dramatically, and in my oppinion not for the better. It is not the same place I grew up in. I know things do change, I accept that, it's part of life, but I'm not happy with the direction Oceanside went. The traffic and congestion here is out of control now. Oceanside reminds me of Queens in the 70's and 80's.
Some problems are the direct result of residents, most problems are the transients who shop and work here. Also, every 3rd house has an illegal appartment.

Don't get me wrong, compared to most of this area Oceanside is still overall a decent place to live and the schools are still good too, but for me personally I'm just not happy here anymore, and that is aside from the obvious economic issues going on.
$8500 a year in taxes for a postage size lot with a cape. It's sinful. And the fact that it takes 20 minutes to get to Merrick Road from Mott Street is another issue.

I am scared to death to let my kids out. No, not because of gangs and crime, but because of the traffic! The stop signs at every corner have become optional, and the minimum speed limit on the sidestreets now I think is around 50MPH. Tell me I'm wrong, I dare you.
I'm ready to start throwing garbage cans at the speeding cars down my so-called quiet little sidestreet. Where is everyone in such a rush to go? Honestly, tell me please. Is the risk of running over children really worth going nowhere fast?

Be warned, You people who are speeding and driving recklessly are really, really, starting to **** me off.

There is also a huge lack of courtesy in Oceanside. Just drive through the Sands parking lot, or shop at Waldbaums or Stop & Shop. Why is everyone so arrogant, self-centered and miserable? And it's not just transient shoppers. It's the same people who cut you off or try to run you off the road in the morning when you are dropping your kids off in the school parking lot.

A few years ago I made an attempt at trying to bring back some community feel to Oceanside and I got absolutley nowhere. No interest whatsoever. Nobody cared enough to try and do something about it. I even spoke with Kate Murray about issues in Oceanside and got "yessed" to death.
Fancy sidewalks and Lamps aint gonna cut it Ms. Murray.
Do something about the traffic issues, the speeders, the road-ragers.

I guess in a Town that has become so large and transient it has become unrealistic to try and unite everybody and bring back a sense of community. I think Oceanside has really outgrown itself. I'm waiting for the day they push the Queens border east to Merrick.

[S.I.B.]

The problems you speak of are not really limited just to Oceanside. Most of Nassau is congested and overtaxed...and there's no end in sight. I realize Long Beach Road in particular is a mess, but that's to be expected when you have a road comprised of nearly all commerical property right in the middle of the community.

Additionally, Kate Murray isn't going to help stop people from speeding down your block. If you want results, call the local precinct enough and they'll set up a speed trap.

[hotkarl]

I have been in contact with the police, and they basically said there is not much you can do about it. They do have speedtraps from time to time, and I've seen them hiding out looking to catch people coasting through the stop signs. But in reality the police are right, there just isn't enough man-power to properly address the issue. It's not going to get any better, it's only going to get worse. I have family in the NCPD, and they basically said the same thing, it is what it is, and there really isn't much you can do to change it. Plus, everyone in Nassau civil service is scared to death that they're either going to be laid off, or let go because of the budget/economic problems.

[CoolaTroopa]

Originally Posted by hotkarl

"Welcome to Oceanside! The stop sign capital of NY"

I've lived in Oceanside my whole life, sans a few years back in the early 90's when I had moved away temporarily. My family has been in Oceanside since the late 40's.
Most of us are still here.

Oceanside has changed dramatically, and in my oppinion not for the better. It is not the same place I grew up in. I know things do change, I accept that, it's part of life, but I'm not happy with the direction Oceanside went. The traffic and congestion here is out of control now. Oceanside reminds me of Queens in the 70's and 80's.
Some problems are the direct result of residents, most problems are the transients who shop and work here. Also, every 3rd house has an illegal appartment.

Don't get me wrong, compared to most of this area Oceanside is still overall a decent place to live and the schools are still good too, but for me personally I'm just not happy here anymore, and that is aside from the obvious economic issues going on.
$8500 a year in taxes for a postage size lot with a cape. It's sinful. And the fact that it takes 20 minutes to get to Merrick Road from Mott Street is another issue.

I am scared to death to let my kids out. No, not because of gangs and crime, but because of the traffic! The stop signs at every corner have become optional, and the minimum speed limit on the sidestreets now I think is around 50MPH. Tell me I'm wrong, I dare you.
I'm ready to start throwing garbage cans at the speeding cars down my so-called quiet little sidestreet. Where is everyone in such a rush to go? Honestly, tell me please. Is the risk of running over children really worth going nowhere fast?

Be warned, You people who are speeding and driving recklessly are really, really, starting to **** me off.

There is also a huge lack of courtesy in Oceanside. Just drive through the Sands parking lot, or shop at Waldbaums or Stop & Shop. Why is everyone so arrogant, self-centered and miserable? And it's not just transient shoppers. It's the same people who cut you off or try to run you off the road in the morning when you are dropping your kids off in the school parking lot.

A few years ago I made an attempt at trying to bring back some community feel to Oceanside and I got absolutley nowhere. No interest whatsoever. Nobody cared enough to try and do something about it. I even spoke with Kate Murray about issues in Oceanside and got "yessed" to death.
Fancy sidewalks and Lamps aint gonna cut it Ms. Murray.
Do something about the traffic issues, the speeders, the road-ragers.

I guess in a Town that has become so large and transient it has become unrealistic to try and unite everybody and bring back a sense of community. I think Oceanside has really outgrown itself. I'm waiting for the day they push the Queens border east to Merrick.

Welcome to Long Island!
When I lived in Hicksville, people did the same thing on sidestreets in the 'quiet neighborhood' (in the sense that it was out of the way of general traffic) I lived in.
It's not an Oceanside phenomenon- it's human nature.
Oceanside is still one of the best places on the South Shore.

[hotkarl]

I know these problems happen everywhere, but my number one concern is where I live. Not that I don't give a damn about other communities, but my priority is what surrounds my property line and where my kids go to school and play.

[Anthony314]

I actually don't think it's as bad as what people say. It's definitely over developed with too many shopping centers. I would rather Oceanside transform in the same way some other communities are trying to transform - with Smart Development. Look at Mineola, they are trying to concentrate all the businesses in one area so there is more foot traffic. Rockeville Centre does this well. When you go ot the main hub of Rockeville Centre, all the restaurants are in close proximity of each other. you are encouraged to park and walk. Oceanside is just a mess of strip centers and you can get killed by a car if you wanted to walk from one to another. I would almost wish the town or county would buy up some land. build a park - to get rid of some of the centers, then allow more dense development in one area - maybe where that Liberty Lighthouse is.

I know some of you think I am nuts, but drive up to Westchester - they do this and it's a world of difference.

[Walter Greenspan]

Originally Posted by Anthony314

I would rather Oceanside transform in the same way some other communities are trying to transform - with Smart Development. Look at Mineola, they are trying to concentrate all the businesses in one area so there is more foot traffic. Rockeville Centre does this well. When you go ot the main hub of Rockeville Centre, all the restaurants are in close proximity of each other. you are encouraged to park and walk.

Mineola and Rockville Centre are self-governing villages in the Town of Hempstead with direct control over their local zoning, while Oceanside is a hamlet, governed, including zoning control, on an at-large basis by the Town of Hempstead.

[Anthony314]

Ah, I didn't think of that. I've always lived in a "village" or in my case now a city, since I'm in Long Beach. You are correct.

Well I wish the Town of Hemptead had some sort of vision on correcting these communities, but they don't. I know a lot of folks that work for the town and it's crazy the stories they tell me and how corrupt it is. The business improvement that they do is a joke. I'm all for nicer sidewalks, benches and street lights, but they don't even follow up and take care of them. Look at the corner of Franklin Ave and Hempstead Tpke in Franklin Square. It's a joke. It almost looks as bad as it did before they "improved" everything.

The township really needs to start thinking of smarter ways to develop. Long Beach road in Oceanside just has too much of that strip center sprawl - too many cars going in and out of these centers while the cars on Long Beach Road travel too fast.

[hotkarl]

Long Beach Road SUCKS. End of story.
I hate it, and avoid it at all costs.

[spidaman]

Why is Tilrose a place to avoid? What's the demographic there?