Kings Point Park, a 173-acre preserve of wetlands and mature forest, has become the focus of a community effort to oppose the proposed alienation of parkland for non-park use.
Photo provided by Nancy Sherman
Residents opposing the proposed alienation of a portion of Kings Point Park are claiming victory after legislation needed to advance the project failed to move forward before the New York State Legislature adjourned its 2026 session.
The legislation, introduced by state Sen. Jack Martins and Assembly Member Daniel Norber, would have authorized the transfer of nearly 2.5 acres of Kings Point Park for non-park use. The legislative session ended June 5 without either legislative chamber advancing the measure.
Advocates who have spent more than a year fighting the proposal said the outcome reflects sustained community opposition to plans they say would privatize public parkland.
“We are celebrating the winning but our effort has not stopped,” said Nancy Sherman, founder of Save Kings Point Park, a grassroots group advocating against the use of public parkland for private development. “Not only is this park a rare sanctuary in the midst of the urban growth on this peninsula, its wetlands provide natural stormwater protection from increased frequency and intensity of storms. Today’s victory is a testament to the community’s strength. We will continue to remain vigilant in our work to protect this park for future generations.”
Kings Point Park encompasses 173 acres, much of which consists of wetlands and mature forest. Opponents of the proposal have argued that transferring a portion of the park for use as a parking lot serving an adjacent private development would negatively impact the environment and set a precedent for future reductions in public parkland.
Read More: Lake Success eyes Nassau’s first recreational cannabis dispensary
The issue has generated significant community engagement over the past year. In April, more than 200 residents gathered at the park during a rally organized by Save Kings Point Park to protest the proposal. Participants cited concerns about environmental impacts, transparency in the decision-making process and the potential privatization of public land.
A previous alienation bill introduced in 2025 passed the Senate but did not face a vote in the Assembly before the year’s session adjourned. Residents subsequently challenged the proposal in court, resulting in the withdrawal of the legislation.
Jody Kass Finkel of Concerned Citizens of NY-03, a nonpartisan good-government organization focused on transparency and accountability, said the latest legislative outcome demonstrates the effectiveness of community advocacy.
“It’s shocking that the Park District commissioners and Kings Point mayor and trustees believed they could make a back-room deal to give away a piece of cherished parkland and ignore the community’s right to have a say,” Finkel said in a statement. “The lesson in this victory is that communities are incredibly powerful.”
While advocates celebrated the stalled legislation, they emphasized that their efforts to preserve the park will continue should similar proposals emerge in the future.
Officials from the Village of Kings Point did not respond to requests for comment regarding the legislation’s failure to advance before the end of the legislative session. The Great Neck Park District declined to comment.