Frank DeRubeis Asks Town Board For Direction

Town Considers Smithtown-Kings Park Property

Planning Department pushes for strategy on 130-acre plot

By Chad Kushins

At the behest of Town Planning Director Frank DeRubeis, the Smithtown Town Board gathered this week at an April 10^th work session in the first step towards strategizing the future of a 130-acre plot on the Smithtown-Kings Park border.  The meeting, which was open to the public, gave the director an opportunity to lay out three possible solutions for the property, which he presented through a slideshow featuring an aerial view of the land. 

“In the future, we are going to be receiving various requests for the changing of zones within this area,” DeRubeis explained to the Town Board members, all of whom were present except for Councilman Thomas McCarthy.  According to DeRubeis, the Board’s initial intentions for the acreage in question must be decided upon in the near future, as at least two of the three of his outlined solutions would each require ample time in their own right to put into action.  With a sense of both rationality and urgency, the director presented a series of aerial maps, each displaying the physical logistics of the land. 

The property at the focus of the town’s consideration is located at the intersection of Old Northport Road and Lawrence Road, leading north into the 130 acres which are divided – due to various land owners – into large sections of residential, light industry, and heavy industry.  By definition, “light industrial” accommodates low impact industrial development where little or no nuisance effects are generated, whereas “heavy industrial” provides locations for those industrial uses which may generate relatively high levels of impact on surrounding uses.  Additionally, in the case with landowners hoping to allow other businesses to work on their property or sub-lease sections of it, “wholesale industrial” means to offer to sell or rent, or to sell or rent, merchandise other than at retail levels.

Plan CAccording to DeRubeis, as outlined in his presentation, the three options that he had prepared for town consideration are each dictated through current land usage, environmental concern, and economic feasibility.

“We must take certain elements into consideration,” DeRubeis explained.  “The property itself is entirely surrounded by residential zoning and the southern and eastern sides are surrounded by a buffer … What I’m asking the Town Board for,” he continued, “is some direction as to which way [they] want to go.”

The property is currently divided among seven separate landowners, each utilizing their own section for various uses – all of which are zoned according to eachImage Planning Dept individual use.  Such a diverse amount of owners makes it “tough to have a single vision,” DeRubeis explained.

Although the property has been a subject of consistent local resident and media inquiry for years, this week’s official presentation from the Planning Department was triggered by a recent zone change application.  That applicant, Kings Park business owner and resident Anthony Leteri, of USA Recycling and Leteri Waste Management, already runs his company on 2.5 acres off of Lawrence Road.  However, with a new project in mind, Leteri is currently seeking a zone change to alter an adjacent 4.5 acres from residential to “wholesale business”, a division of industrial zoning, which would allow outdoor storage and, hopefully, attract smaller companies to come and locate themselves on his property.

“If allowed, we know that [the zone change] would attract new business right onto the land,” Leteri told Smithtown Matters.  “Unfortunately, my project has been on hold since a November 16^th public hearing.”  It was at that town meeting that Leteri initially applied for the zone change.

Leteri continued, “Having the [wholesale zoning] would definitely benefit in bringing in smaller businesses to come and use our facility.” 

According to DeRubeis, the property which includes Leteri’s land was, at one time, largely undeveloped.  Starting in the 1980s, however, requests for zoning changes were approved which kick-started the trend of populating the acreage with its diverse mix of residential and business.  Beginning modestly with some “light residential”, a 1986 request which would have allowed condominiums on a northern section of the property “didn’t go” anywhere; neither did a later inquiry to add a string of 23 single family homes. 

“There were numerous problems with the land itself,” DeRubeis continued.  “Many things have slowed development potential,” including, he added, the topography.  According to the director, the very level of the property – which is not flat – causes one concern; additionally, a large chunk of the property in the southeastern corner was, at one time, mined and loaded with approximately 40 feet of landfill, making that entire sectionImage - Planning Dept. “unbuildable.”  Although that section could, hypothetically, be excavated and made usable for construction, the process itself would be tremendously costly and time-consuming, according to DeRubeis’ presentation.

DeRubeis described each of his three potential solutions to Smithtown Matters as, in descending order, “Do Nothing” (a term he admittedly dislikes, but uses tentatively for descriptive purposes), “Proactive”, and finally, “Reactive”.

Each of the three come with their own pros and cons from a governmental standpoint, the first of which the director, forgoing the “do nothing” description, titled the “Limited Action Plan” or, “The Wait-and-See”.  Under this approach, the Town Board would purposefully wait to “monitor” the property and its diverse current owners’ usages, or even wait for a potential large investor to come in and purchase all of the properties, with the intention of developing the full 130 acres as one parcel.  “The major benefits of this plan,” DeRubeis stated, “is that the Board would just be responsible for monitoring the actions of the developer.”  However, he added, this could be “high risk” as far as the effects on surrounding residential areas and could prove potentially costly.  “With this plan,” he added, “the Town would keep an eye on the property, but not make any proactive changes.”

Second in the presented solutions is DeRubeis’ “Action Economic Development”, which would require the Town to develop a plan and than proactively pursue it.  This plan – which has the added benefit of possible “mix-use options” and could see the land used for numerous projects instead of just one single one – brings the property’s infrastructural problems to the forefront: no major road thoroughfares throughout the property, or a sewer system, which the town would be responsible for if a sole owner isn’t there to pick up that tab.  DeRubeis added that his option is, perhaps, the most expensive of the three possible options.  However, its benefits include “municipal control” and “tax benefits”.

Image Planning DeptLastly, DeRubeis explained the “Working with the Existing Use” option, which would single off the industrial areas of the property, isolate the residential development, and still add the needed road systems that would both connect and segregate the two uses.  A hybrid of sorts, this last plan means that zoning would match the individual needs of landowners within the property, while specific areas would be redeveloped with “light industry”.  Of this, DeRubeis commented, “This is not the best option, but the effects would be contained.”

DeRubeis’ presentation was met with a pragmatic understanding, as all present Town Board members acknowledged the necessity to come up with a strategy for the future of the property – yet, no one committed to any of the three strategy’s presented. All wished to see more detailed information in regards to each of the three options.

The Planning Department is expected to present further details to the Town Board by the end of the month; no further public meeting dates have been set.

Governor Cuomo Declares State of Emergency for Suffolk County to Help Fight Long Island Wildfires

Albany, NY (April 10, 2012)

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today declared a state of emergency for Suffolk County to allow New York State to better coordinate and respond with local governments to fight the ongoing wildfires on Long Island.

“With these wildfires causing serious damage on Long Island and other areas of the state, the state of emergency declaration will help us deploy vital resources to affected regions,” Governor Cuomo said. “The state continues to closely monitor the wildfires in Suffolk County, and we will continue to deploy whatever resources are necessary and do whatever is needed to protect New Yorkers and put out these fires.”

Three fires continue to burn in southeastern New York State. The largest fire is in Suffolk County, covering territory in the municipalities of Ridge, Wading River, Manorville and Brookhaven. A small number of residences have been evacuated as a precaution and shelter has been made available by the American Red Cross. Smaller fires have been reported on Staten Island, New York City and in Rockland County. A Red Flag Warning was issued by the National Weather Service effective 10:00 AM this morning to 8:00 PM this evening for New York City and Long Island.

A state of emergency enables New York to mobilize state resources to assist local governments more effectively and quickly, and if necessary gives the Governor the authority to suspend statutes, rules and regulations that would impede response and recovery activities. The declaration further gives the Governor the ability to direct state resources, such as firefighting equipment and personnel, to local governments in need. The declaration applies to Suffolk County.

Steps taken by New York State include:

• Field staff from State Police, Forest Ranger crews from the Department of Environmental Conservation, Fire Protection Specialists, and Office of Emergency Management staff have all been deployed to assist local governments in Suffolk County
•  More than 245 personnel are on the ground assisting in the emergency response effort and an additional 150 firefighters from 27 local volunteer fire departments are on the scene participating in firefighting efforts, which will continue throughout the night.
• One State Police helicopter has been deployed for more than 20 water dropping operations.  The helicopter is equipped with a Bambi Bucket ‘which can carry 250 gallons of water.  The water is scooped up from a local pond or lake and dropped on the hottest parts of the fire.
• One helicopter from the National Guard has been used for aerial surveys to determine fire perimeter and fire spread projections.        

Smithtown Boat Slips: Prepare To Wait A VERRRRRRY Long Time!

By Chad Kushins

Photos by Jennifer M. Klei

Photo by Jennifer M. KleiThere are specific images that always spring to mind when thinking of Long Island, not just to the frequent visitors and tourists, but also the many longtime residents who call the island their home.  As summer rolls around the corner, scenes of beaches, lighthouses, and – especially for the nautical-minded – boats drifting along Long Island’s numerous harbors and ports, are synonymous with a unique way of life. 

Here, in Smithtown, however, that latter idyll can come with a price – years of seemingly endless waiting to attain the necessary passkey to the town’s waters: the all-important boat slip.

When Hauppauge resident Andrew Szeglin purchased his first boat two decades ago, he never expected that the wait to house his beloved investment along his own hometown’s waters would stretch well into his senior years.  “I applied for the necessary boat slip over twenty years ago,” Szeglin told Smithtown Matters, chuckling at the frustrating scenario.  “Since then, my family and I have actually been through a bunch of different boats.  I ended up having to house that first one out east and I’ve had to trailer every other one since.”

Szeglin is far from alone in playing the waiting game to attain the needed town approval to dock in Smithtown’s public marinas.  According to the town’s official website, which makes all such requests public domain, there are nearly 3,000 residents still waiting for the needed boat slip.  The average wait to attain it?  In Smithtown, it’s 20 to 25 years.  Even the website itself carries the disclaimer, “Boat slips and moorings are in high demand by Town of Smithtown residents.”

“With a wait like that, I’ve known people who willed their slip requests to their children,” Szeglin continued.  He has even changed residences since filling out the original paperwork, yet stayed within Smithtown’s borders, keeping him eligible once his name finally comes up – not that that’s made a difference. 

Szeglin added, “I’ve been trailering my boat for so long, that it’s like second nature.  A friend of my son-in-law applied for the slip when he was a teenager.  He’s in his forties now, and is still waiting!”

In his practice of trailering his boat during the off-seasons, Szeglin is joined by the majority of fellow local boat owners. 

“We still have our boat, but we’ve usually had to trailer it,” said Saint James resident Donald Cantwell, another boat owner who has been on Smithtown’s list for close to eight years.  “I’ve also docked it out east and on the south shore.”

Cantwell continued, “I check in with the town’s waiting list regularly … I think I’m still about a decade behind many others.”  Cantwell added that while the town can’t possibly control the amount of water space available for boat owners, with a list that includes over 2,000 names, it should be necessary for officials to double-check and make sure all those waiting have remained eligible in the interim. 

“It would be interesting to see if all those people on the list are still even here in Smithtown,” Cantwell added.  “Time passed and people move, or maybe have forgotten that they’re waiting, if they even still have the boat at all.”

According to Smithtown Town Clerk Vincent Puleo, the practices in issuing both boat slips and mooring slips are run according to seniority.  “In general, we have a certain amount of slips to be granted and they’ve been full for years,” Puleo told Smithtown Matters.  “Unfortunately, many residents have to turn to private facilities to store their boats, find other locations, and – more often than not – trailer them at home.”

photo by Jennifer M. KleiAccording to the Town Clerk’s office, town code dictates that applications for the boat slip cost $55, with a minimum of 1,100 feet per boat; while some claim to have passed down” their spots on the list, the actual boat slip can only be issued to the person who first applied – a measure instituted to avoid any temptation to “lease” or sell a spot on the list itself, since the list is often viewed as a valuable commodity. 

As there is only an age requirement for mooring slips, one frequent practice has been for residents to attach their children’s names to the boat slip application while still in adolescence, knowing that the slip may not even be issued until the child reaches adulthood.  On a few rare occurrences, residents’ names have come up, yet having upgraded the size of their boats over time, the boat owner was “passed up” since the spot initially applied for can no longer accommodate the size of the new boat.

Puleo went on to state that, currently, 619 Smithtown residents are waiting for the possible 180 mooring slots, while only 178 slots exist to accommodate the 2,743 boat slip applicants.  For the 2011-12 season, over 100 residents have applied.  On public record, the longest current wait for a boat slip belongs to Smithtown resident Carl Superina, who first applied on March 5^th, 1991.  Although listed as number 97, when the 2013 list is updated, Superina will be the next in line for the slip.

“The wait is probably about twenty years,” Puleo reiterated, adding, “It’s very unfortunate, but we only have what we have as far as space.”

All information in regards to boat and mooring slips for the Town of Smithtown, including the current list and downloadable applications, is available on their official website: http://www.smithtowninfo.com/TownClerk%27sOffice

National Weather Service Issues A Red Flag Warning and Fire Weather Watch For Long Island

Weather services warn of possible fire hazards

Fire Weather Watch

By Chad Kushins

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), there was a “red flag warning” in effect Thursday, April 5^th. The NWS issued a Fire Weather Watch for Thursday evening and all day Friday, April 6^th.

The U.S. National Weather Service issues a “Red Flag Warning” when conditions are ideal for fire ignition and fire propagation.  Very dry, low humidity and winds are factors that can trigger a red flag warning.

 “The warning is in effect and it’s countywide,” Nick Kefalos of the Smithtown Fire Marshal’s office told Smithtown Matters.  “This time of year, it’s actually very common – especially lately, due to lack of rain.”

According to Kefalos, the threat of brushfires is usually heightened due to “human error”, as residents are unaware or forgetful of the most common dangerous materials.  “What we usually recommend to avoid starting what could become an actual brushfire,” said Kefalos, “is to keep an eye, particularly, on smoking materials – cigarettes that are discarded, matches, things like that.  Also, with the good weather, a lot of people are out doing yard work – but it’s important that they remember that many of those chemicals, especially mulch, are highly, highly flammable.”

Kefalos continued, “We’ve had incidents right here in Smithtown where people are outside and smoking while working on their yards – and that’s a possible fire right there.  With a lack of rain, like we’ve had this week, it’s an actual danger and it’s something to keep in mind.”

Today’s current “red flag warning” comes only one week after a similar countywide warning, issued on March 27^th for both Long Island and New York City.  That warning, which resulted in one reported brushfire, located in a wooded area near the Suffolk County Fire Academy and the Long Island Compost facility in Yaphank.  Thanks to its unique location near the fire academy, the fire was quickly extinguished.  The “red flag warning” was later lifted by 6:00pm that night. 

Although the previous warning was lifted in less than 24 hours, today’s “red flag” continues, “Similar conditions are expected tomorrow and Saturday.”

Information on brushfire warnings and emergency contacts are available on the Suffolk County Fire Marshal’s official website:

http://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/FireRescueandEmergencyServices/FireMarshalsOffice.aspx

In addition, their office can be reached at 631-853-5593.

Update on Saturday, April 7, 2012 at 7:03PM by .

Red Flag Warning
Fire Weather Watch
Coastal Flood Statement
Hazardous Weather Outlook

Community Quilt On Display At The Nissequogue River State Park

The Nissequogue River State Park Foundation hosted a well-attended reception Saturday, March 31 at the NRSP Administration Building as it opened a month-long display of its 1st Annual “Community Quilt”.

The non-traditional quilt display features tied-together 8 x 8” fabric squares individually decorated by local residents and community groups in a variety of ways, ranging from exuberant hodge-podges of memorabilia and found items, to painted pieces, mixed media, and mesmerizing blocks of color sewn together in traditional quilt patterns.

Long Island Region State Parks Deputy Director, Brian Foley, and the NRSP Foundation’s Community Quilt Coordinator, Karin Vanderveer, greeted visitors and congratulated award recipients who received prizes for 1^st, 2^nd, and 3d place entries.  Participants in this collaborative quilt project were urged to create unique artworks on anything that inspired them.  Tyra Porinchak, 14, earned First Place for her mixed media Night Scene with a Raccoon. Terry Pelkowski, a proud grandmother and quilter, earned Second Place with her fabric appliqué Seascape by Day.  Daniel Preisler, 9, was the Third Place honoree with his painted Hamburger, inspired by winning a hamburger-eating challenge held by American Roadside Burger restaurant in Smithtown.

The Community Quilt is on display in the Nissequogue River State Park Administration Building, 799 St. Johnland Road, Kings Park until the end of April.  Proceeds from this fundraiser will be used to enhance and beautify the Park.

For more information about the NRSP Foundation or to make a donation visit: www.ourstatepark.com