Great Neck Village trustees met in front of a packed crowd Tuesday as one developer submitted a controversial rezoning application that would include substantial amounts of workforce housing.

Great Neck's volunteer firefighters applaud the plans for a new 120-unit, 3-acre apartment complex. Twenty percent of the complex would be designated affordable housing for volunteer firefighters and EMTs, who say they can no longer afford to live in the communities they serve. In order to get approval for the apartments, the developer needs the village trustees to rezone the area away from its single-family designation.

Critics claim the developer offered the workforce housing in order to close the rezoning deal and make money. However, Great Neck's mayor says without these units the town would need to switch to a partially paid fire department, which would increase the village's budget, and taxes, by 50 percent.

Village trustees will meet again on December 3 at Great Neck Village Hall to announce whether they will consider the rezoning application.