The Hempstead Town Board held a public hearing on a proposal to redevelop part of the Oceanside Jewish Center into homes for sale on Browser Avenue.

For years, the religious center has tried to sell off part of its property to downsize amid a shrinking congregation.

The latest proposal, called Fieldstone at Oceanside, would create 59 luxury townhomes on the property. According to the developer, the project would include two and three-bedroom homes, two stories each. Each home would include a garage, driveway and dedicated guest parking.

The property would also have green space, fencing around the perimeter, traffic light at the entrance and would not take on a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) Agreement. Instead, the developer says it plans to pay upwards of $800,000 a year in property taxes.

Developers hope to appeal to people looking for a home with limited maintenance or those hoping to downsize.

Some residents are on board.

“As far as the people living somewhere, yeah why not," Oceanside resident John Heim said.

Some community members have expressed concerns mostly about the impact the project would have on traffic on the roads around the property.

“This is really overdevelopment for the sake of overdevelopment," Oceanside resident Frank Wassenbergh said. "Two parties are trying to come together and sell something at just too high a price.”

Daniel Baker, an attorney for the developer, said a traffic study showed the project would not have a greater impact on the current traffic conditions adding that the project initially was proposed at 90 units 2.5 years ago but has since been reduced to ease community concerns.

"Traffic will be minimally impacted and would even be an improvement compared to the property operating at levels as a religious use," he said.

If it were to move forward, the Hempstead Town Board would need to issue a zoning change to allow for multifamily homes to be built on the property.

A spokesperson for Hempstead Town Supervisor Donald Clavin Jr. told News 12 they couldn't comment to avoid "potentially prejudice any vote."

The board voted to keep the public session open until its meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 10:30 a.m. where it could vote to grant or reject the variance request.

See more about the plans below: