The proposal is the third such development currently in the planning stages for the Route 112-Middle Country Road corridor of Coram.
The project would include 140 two- and three-bedroom apartment units to be constructed on Route 112, south of Middle Country Road, on a 25.4-acre parcel behind the former Suffolk County health department building.
The project was before the Town Board on its own motion to consider a zone change for the parcel following settlement from a 2003 upzone challenge.
Of the 140 units proposed for the parcel, 94 would be two-bedroom apartments and the other 46 would feature three bedrooms, with 20 percent of the units being considered affordable, work-force housing.
Coram Civic Association president Erma Gluck offered several concerns to the board over the project, with one being that the developers have not yet met with the civic association about their plans. Ms. Gluck also said her civic group is worried about the amount of development already proposed for their community.
"We're being overloaded with multifamily developments that in turn overload the Longwood school district," Ms. Gluck said. Other proposals for Route 112 and Middle Country Road in Coram include a 200-rental-unit Avalon Bay development across from the Coram Pond Diner, a project the civic supports, and another project on the corner of Route 112 and Pine Road that calls for the construction of a retail center and apartment complex.
Councilwoman Connie Kepert said she felt Yaphank Realty's proposal could be modified to better fit the needs of the community. She said she'd "prefer to see more two-bedroom units and a mix of senior housing," which would limit the number of school children the project would generate.
Yaphank Realty Corp. president Steven Klar, who said his company has owned the parcel for more than 20 years, said the developers have not yet researched the impact the project would have on the Longwood school district. He said his company is willing to meet with the Coram Civic Association in the near future.
* Brookhaven Town officially announced the kickoff of the townwide charrette to help prepare the Town of Brookhaven 2030 Comprehensive Land Use Plan. The three workshops will be held Oct. 17 through Oct. 21 at Town Hall.
The charrette is aimed to map planned development, identify other likely areas for growth and determine the amount and type of anticipated growth as the culmination of Phase I of Brookhaven 2030, and will set the stage for the next phase of input for the Town Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Urbitran and Vision Long Island will coordinate, assemble the materials and document the conclusions of the sessions.
For more information about the Brookhaven 2030 Plan, the town is urging residents to go to the Brookhaven 2030 Web site at www.brookhaven2030.org or to call 451-TOWN.
* Middle Island Civic Association president Tom Talbot and Wading River civic leader Sid Bail presented information about the anti-litter task force to Town Board members at the Sept. 18 work session.
The task force, created last year and charged with devising a strategy to cut back on litter and improve the quality of life, spearheaded Brookhaven's "Keep America Beautiful Campaign." Task force members have done everything from rate the cleanliness of town roads to research the possibility of an environmental court in Brookhaven.
"Litter is unsightly, it has a tendency to clog stormwater drains, it attracts vermin and wildlife to places they don't belong, and it reduces a sense of pride and community," Mr. Talbot said.
Mr. Talbot and Mr. Bail told board members about several cleanup efforts the task force has hosted, including one cleanup last spring that gathered more than 700 tons of litter.
Anna Gustafson contributed reporting for this story.