Legacy Village bill upsets Suffolk County legislators
Browning, Losquadro 'very concerned' over county executive's resolution
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A protester shouts his concerns to a driver leaving Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy's Legacy Village announcement. The project, which would bring 1,000 new housing units to Yaphank, a community with 1,500 households as of the 2000 census , has been met with opposition from other elected officials as well as environmentalists, civic leaders and school officials.
But county legislators cautioned that Mr. Levy's bill also would approve the request for proposal process to pick the developer and essentially authorize the sale of the 250 acres to Katter Development Co. and The Beechwood Organization.
The office of Legis. Kate Browning (WF-Shirley) sent an e-mail to residents Wednesday urging them to voice their concern over the project, which, she told The North Shore Sun, she "strongly opposes."
"Legislator Browning needs your support in stopping this resolution from getting the support in the legislature," reads the note, signed by an aide to Ms. Browning. "Please contact all 18 legislators to express your concerns about selling this property before all information has been looked at, and prior to the public deciding whether the land should be sold."
Ms. Browning called the resolution vague, saying it appeared to her the bill does much more than designate the land as surplus -- that it also approves the RFP selection process. Legis. Dan Losquadro (R-Shoreham) agreed.
Mr. Levy, however, said in a telephone interview Wednesday that the resolution is simply to designate the land as surplus.
But Ms. Browning alleged Wednesday that certain details of that deal, including the sale price, have been kept from the legislature.
"It looks like a blank check to me," Ms. Browning said. "He wants us to hand the developers a blank check. I, for one, won't approve a blank check."
Mr. Levy called Ms. Browning's take "a bit of revisionist history," saying he has disclosed the sale price in public before and that he's not trying to keep anything from the legislature. He said Wednesday that the developers would pay a minimum of $15 million for the parcel, pending approval of the necessary zone changes from the Town of Brookhaven.
The proposal includes 1,000 one- and two-bedroom housing units -- 785 affordable units and 215 market-rate units with accessory apartments -- that Mr. Levy hopes will help keep young Long Islanders in Suffolk County. The affordable units will be priced between $190,000 and $215,000, Mr. Levy said, and first crack would be given to emergency first responders and current residents of the Longwood and South Country school districts.
The project would also feature a 5,500-seat multipurpose arena; a 5,000-seat outdoor football/lacrosse stadium; an outdoor skating rink; 30 acres of public soccer, softball and baseball fields; and a 50,000-square-foot wellness center. Mr. Levy said he envisions the outdoor stadium hosting future county championship games and also serving as the future home of the Long Island Lizards professional lacrosse team. Also proposed for the property are four free-standing restaurants, a 90-room hotel, 25,000 square feet of retail space, 50,000 square feet of office space and a 95-acre light technology and light industry park.
The project, which would be built along both sides of Yaphank Road between the Long Island Expressway and Sunrise Highway, would be designed to be somewhat self-contained, Mr. Levy said. Residents could work, shop and entertain themselves without leaving the community, he said.
The proposed development would be powered by a solar plant on the property, Mr. Levy said, making the development a net-zero energy user.
But the project has had its detractors from the outset.
Longwood School District officials have voiced concern over potential tax impacts of the project. Mr. Levy is estimating the plan would generate about $3 million in property tax revenue for the district. But school officials fear the developers have been conservative in their estimates that the project -- with its 1,000 residential units -- would result in only about 100 additional students.
The district has also raised concerns about the layout of the project, with housing to the north and the bulk of the industrial and commercial part of the project to the south, within the boundaries of the South Country School District, which they estimate could exacerbate the potential tax problem.
The project, which includes a 90-room hotel, a 5,500-seat indoor arena and a 5,000-seat outdoor stadium, has also been opposed by civic groups associated with Longwood schools.
"A lot of people have genuine concerns about this project," Mr. Losquadro said.
gparpan@northshoresun.com
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1 comments found
Legacy Village : 10/16/2009
The idea of affordable housing is touted by all as necessary to keep young people on Long Island. This seems like a "Not in my backyard" reaction. You have to do this kind of thing someware. It makes more sense then dumping fortunes in depressed areas. We have all seen that that doesn't work. Look at Huntington Station. Still someplace people are afraid to go. With all the "public areas" it should be a big improvment.
