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Gov. Paterson signs Smart Growth Public Infrastructure Policy Act

In a huge victory for Smart Growth in New York State, the Smart Growth Public Infrastructure Policy Act was signed Monday night by NYS Governor David A. Paterson. This legislation is a big win for the Smart Growth movement in New York State, that will help prioritize infrastructure investments in town centers and exisiting downtowns.

The Smart Growth Public Infrastructure Priority Act (A8011B/S5560B) instructs State agencies, authorities and public corporations to align their spending on infrastructure with stated Smart Growth criteria. Many of these agencies must form advisory committees that include environmental and community stakeholders in order to advise them on public infrastructure investments in accordance with Smart Growth principles. The agencies are further instructed to issue written Smart Growth Impact Statements in regard to their project choices, which includes providing justifications for projects deemed vital that do not meet Smart Growth criteria. It “requires such infrastructure investments, to the extent practicable, to meet the criteria.”

Governor Paterson said, "An investment in smart, sustainable growth is an investment in the long-term fiscal, economic and environmental sustainability of the State. At a time when I've been putting all State spending under a microscope, this bill will promote fiscally sound and economically beneficial investments of taxpayer dollars that will help New York survive and thrive in the New Economy."

Eric Alexander, Executive Director of Vision Long Island, said, “Vision Long Island and all the proponents of Smart Growth on Long Island applaud Governor Paterson for signing legislation that will finally set Smart Growth policy for New York. This legislation will help prioritize infrastructure investments for our downtowns while limiting NYS subsidized sprawl on open space.”

Strong support has come from Empire State Future, under the direction of Peter Fleischer; The Smart Growth Cabinet, under the direction of Paul Beyer; and The Long Island Lobby Day Coalition, among others. The Long Island Lobby Day Coalition represents over 30 Long Island businesses, environmental groups, civics, human services, Smart Growth planners, labor groups and transportation advocates, all of whom signed on to support this bill. The groups include: AARP, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Empire State Future, Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce, Long Island Federation of Labor, Long Island Business Council, Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Long Island Software and Technology Network, Nassau-Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless, Suffolk Community Council, Tri-State Transportation Campaign and Vision Long Island. Participating organizations have included Coram Civic Association, Dowling College, Fair Media Council, Friends of Edgewood Preserve, Friends of Huntington Station, Glen Cove Business Improvement District, Gordon Heights Civic Association, Gordon Heights Chamber of Commerce, Hicksville Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Huntington, Let there be Lighthouse, Long Island Housing Partnership, Mastic Beach Property Owners, Middle Island Civic Association, Neighborhood Network, New York League of Conservation Voters-LI Chapter, Plainview/Old Bethpage Chamber of Commerce, Renaissance Downtowns, Rocky Point Civic Association, Save the Forge River, US Green Building Council and Youth of Ethical Societies-LI Chapter.

When the bill first passed through the Senate in June, among the first to hear the news were 600 attendees of the 2010 Smart Growth Awards. Senator Brian X. Foley, a sponsor of the bill, called in to the event with the hot-off-the-Senate-floor news that the bill had passed overwhelmingly. Since then, Long Islanders have been anxiously awaiting the Governor’s signature that finally came at 8pm on Monday night.

We thank every organization, group, and individual who helped pass this vital legislation. Special kudos goes out to all the Legislators who listened to their constituents and voted overwhelmingly in support of this bill. We have been told that Long Island’s overwhelming support for this legislation was essential in getting the bill passed.

The Long Island Senators who voted for the bill include: Flanagan, Foley, Fuschillo, Hannon, C. Johnson, LaValle, Marcellino and Skelos.

Assemblymembers who supported the bill include: Alessi, Alfano, McDonough, Fields, Sweeney, McKevitt, Fitzpatrick, Thiele, Ramos, Barra, Conte, Montesano, Murray, Lavine, Boyle, Saladino, Schimel, Englebright and Hooper.

Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, the Assembly bill’s sponsor, said “With this new law, New York has established itself as a national leader in promoting smart growth and sustainability. This new law is as much an economic and fiscal reform as it is an environmental reform. Smart Growth is smart business. Instead of continuing to make unwise and fiscally irresponsible investments in sprawl, this law redirects our taxpayer dollars toward areas in need of revitalization, such as urban, village and town centers. Investments in smart growth and sustainability are investments in the long-term economic, fiscal and environmental sustainability of our state and region. I thank Governor Paterson for his commitment to upstate economic development and fiscal responsibility.”

Senator Suzi Oppenheimer, the Senate’s bill sponsor, said, “I am pleased to have sponsored this important legislation, which incorporates Smart Growth principles into the evaluation of public infrastructure projects. Smart growth practices promote economic growth and reinvestment in developed and developing areas, while protecting open space and natural resources. This bill will result in better agency decision-making and wise planning, which will in turn create more environmentally friendly places to live and work.”

Senator Brian X. Foley said, “Coming from an area of the state that has been championing the Smart Growth principles for a number of years, we are very, very pleased that this is now being taken state wide…This represents a lot of effort by so many different advocates throughout the state. And it shows that when elected officials and advocates work together, refine bills then put it forward, we do something that’s really remarkable. This is going to impact the everyday lives of New Yorkers throughout our state and that is what public service should be about”

Senator Craig Johnson said, ““For far too long, it seemed that when it came to planning in suburban areas, pedestrians came last. What this legislation will do is make sure the pedestrian is first. And that’s important.”

NYS Senator Carl Marcellino said, “By embracing Smart Growth values, we are beginning to develop a long-range, regional approach to sustainability of our communities. This legislation starts a process that will inspire an overdue change of philosophy as we develop our ever expanding neighborhoods. Without such action, our environment and communities will continue to be threatened by shortsighted and poorly planned development.”

NYS Assemblywoman Ginny Fields said, "having passed the first Comprehensive Smart Growth Plan for Suffolk County in 2000 as a Suffolk County Legislator, I am pleased to be a co-sponsor of Assembly member Sam Hoyt’s bill for the State. This legislation will benefit all of the people of New York State."

NYS Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. said, “As a strong advocate for the environment, I believe in Smart Growth principles. Helping to enact this legislation was important to me because the communities on the East End are facing severe development pressures. The establishment of a state Smart Growth public infrastructure policy act will assist in the fight against urban and suburban sprawl. I was pleased to be a part of this successful effort which builds upon Vision Long Island’s mission of promoting economically sustainable and responsible environmental growth on Long Island.“

NYS Assemblyman Marc Alessi said, “Smart Growth is the key to finding a balance between development and green spaces. Where it makes sense, reinvesting in existing infrastructure instead of developing raw land will help lower costs and protect the open spaces that make Long Island what it is. It’s a win-win situation for our communities.”

Peter Fleischer, Executive Director, Empire State Future said, “Empire State Future, a statewide coalition of organizations dedicated to the economic revitalization of New York State is extremely pleased that the Governor has signed the Public Infrastructure Policy Act. This bill will go a long way to making New York a more sustainable place, economically and environmentally.

Special thanks go out to NY Power Authority chair Richard Kessel, Renaissance Downtowns, RXR, and former Suffolk County Executive/Vision Long Island Board Member and Patrick Halpin for their critical support in the bill’s final days.

Stay tuned for more information about this important legislation.

View Governor Paterson’s press release here.

View Assemblyman Sam Hoyt’s press release here.

 

Transit-Oriented Development conference on September 15th

Save the date for Wednesday, September 15th, when Vision Long Island will co-hosting a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Conference with the American Planning Association- Long Island Section, the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, PCAC's LIRR Commuters Council and Tri-State Transportation Campaign. The event will feature presentations by NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli and Town of Babylon Supervisor Steve Bellone.

The agenda is scheduled as follows:

Introduction by Helena Williams, President, MTA/LIRR

Hon. Tom DiNapoli, NY State Comptroller
The Economic Value of TODs to NY State and Long Island

Hon. Steve Bellone, Supervisor, Town of Babylon
TOD in East Farmingdale & Wyandanch

Panel I - Laying the Groundwork: National & Regional Perspectives
G.B. Arrington, PlaceMaking Group, Parsons Brinckerhoff
Vivian Baker, Transit Friendly Land Use & Development, NJ Transit

Panel II - Implementing TODs: Best Practices on Long Island & the Region
John McNally, One Region Fund
Hon. Jack Martins, Mayor, Village of Mineola
Hon. Craig Johnson, NYS Senator
Lionel Chitty, Hicksville Chamber of Commerce
Bob Eschbacher, VHB
Ryan Lynch, Tri-State Transportation Campaign

VHB and AECOM have signed on as an event sponsor.

 

The event will take place from 1-5pm at Antun's, 244 Old Country Road in Hicksville.

This is free to attend, but sponsorships are available and RSVPs are kindly requested.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Vision at info@visionlongisland.org or 631-261-0242.

 

 

U.S. Sen. Schumer hosts meeting to connect
Long Island’s Main Streets to Washington

Nearly 20 Long Island municipalities present downtown plans to four Federal Agencies to “cut the red tape,” bring infrastructure support for Long Island.

On Monday, August 9th, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer held a meeting with members of the Partnership for Sustainable Communities (a collaboration between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Transportation (DOT), and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)) and Long Island leaders to discuss and better assist in the issues facing Long Island's re-emerging walkable downtowns.

Nearly twenty LI Town’s and Villages presented 25 revitalization and infrastructure projects to members of high-level federal leadership, including the Interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities. In addition to the municipalities, many local business groups, civic associations and government officials also attended. In total, there were over 350 representatives in the room at Briarcliff College in downtown Patchogue.

“Long Island is the oldest suburb in the nation and it the perfect place for this first of its kind meeting to take place. Today’s meeting is putting Long Island’s downtown needs on the federal radar screen. We need to revitalize our downtown areas so that they thrive with new economic development, create jobs, and provide better transit options for commuters,” Schumer said. “These agencies should be commended for starting this Partnership, but there is much work to do in cutting through red tape and identifying a regional federal investment strategy. That is why this public meeting with the EPA, DOT, HUD and residents of Long Island is so essential.”

Last June, EPA, DOT, and HUD formed the Partnership for Sustainable Communities to promote the coordination of downtown housing, transportation and environmental investments at the local planning level. To date, the Partnership has held two similar meetings: one in an urban area and one in a rural area. This was the first official meeting of the new federal partnership in America’s suburbs. This event was coordinated in partnership with Vision Long Island, the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University and Sustainable Long Island.

Sen. Schumer pushed for the creation of the Partnership because he saw the need to revitalize downtowns through competitiveness, better access to new job opportunities and improved transportation options. All of these are available within a well-planned walkable downtown. This is especially crucial, considering the last census found that over half of the US population lives in suburban areas. Long Island, often called America's "first suburb," is the best place to start the Senator's efforts. If it works here, it can serve a model for the rest of the country.

The morning started with a Federal Agency Panel. Hofstra’s Larry Levy opened the meeting. Senator Charles E. Schumer followed with an uplifting message on Smart Growth. In his speech, Senator Schumer discussed what he felt were the goals of the day’s conference: first, to establish a pattern of cooperation between the federal agencies and local governments, and second, to allow those at the local government level to communicate their needs to those at the federal level. Senator Schumer further stressed the importance of revitalizing Long Island to ensure that those who are raised on the Island can stay here.

Next, members of the Federal Interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities presented:

John Frece, Director of Sustainable Communities for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, addressed that carbon emission control cannot be done without effective policies to accommodate transportation and housing issues. The EPA aims to improve living conditions through better transportation systems, affordable housing, and better access to businesses. He also stresses that we ought to support existing communities first before expanding into greenfield development.

 

 

 

Shelley Poticha, Director for the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities for U.S. Housing and Urban Development, described grants that are designed to fund communities by improving water infrastructures, transportation, infrastructure, environmental planning, housing, and  community status through planning. The director also addressed the TIGER II grant from DOT, which is designed in line with the DOT-HUD-EPA partnership, as a competitive grant for transportation planning. The evaluation criteria will emphasize livability, sustainability, and long-term average cost reduction.

 

 

Beth Osbourne, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy for the U.S. Department of Transportation, reviewed the basic tenets of Smart Growth and then discussed why the federal government is so concerned about creating Smart Growth communities.  She addressed how Smart Growth development assures that affordable housing is still affordable by containing the large percentage of a person's income that is typically dedicated to transportation.  She also mentioned that tax payer money is saved because communities can better utilize the infrastructure that is already in place.  Finally, she discussed how communities utilizing Smart Growth principles meet the demand of today’s market, which is no longer dominated by households with children.

 

 

Judith Enck, Regional Administrator for the EPA, addressed the importance of education and law enforcement in urban centers. She also discussed how the 400-mile shoreline of Long Island makes it vulnerable to the changing climate. There are many water issues, such as pollution in ground water and issues with the Pine Barrens. Most importantly, the Obama administration emphasizes a bottom-up approach toward improving communities, utilizing fix-it-first policies and community partnerships.

 

 

Adolfo Carrion, new to his position as Regional Administrator for HUD, spoke about the importance of a “bottom-up” or “place-based” approach to local issues. He expressed his interest in coming back to Long Island in order to tour our area and learn more about the issues we face.

 

 

 

 

 

Brigid Hynes-Cherin, Regional Administrator for the Federal Transit Administration, concluded the presentations by saying that there is a need for land use policies that incorporate transit as “the good choice,” and there is a need to create options to avoid needing a vehicle to get to a destination.

 

 

 

The speakers then took part in a panel discussion, moderated by Vision Long Island’s Eric Alexander and Sustainable Long Island’s Sarah Lansdale, and concluded with a question and answer session from the audience.   Questions ranged from DOT’s policies on roadway design to streamlining the Federal bureaucracy.  At one point, Riverhead Supervisor Sean Walter literally got on his knees to beg the EPA not to fine his Town. Eric Alexander thanked the federal officials for coming back to Long Island, as the modern-day Smart Growth movement started with meetings with the EPA Office of Smart Growth in 1997. Alexander stated that "much work has been done in Washington to get federal agencies organized to support Smart Growth. What you will find today is that Long Island community, government and business leaders have done some work as well to plan for Smart Growth. We need your help in implementation."

 

 

After the morning’s presentations, the group split into three breakout panels, where the invited municipalities presented their projects to the federal agencies. Municipalities presenting included: Town of Babylon, Town of Brookhaven, Town of Riverhead, Town of Southampton, Town of Islip, Town of Hempstead, Town of Huntington, Town of North Hempstead, City of Glen Cove, Village of Patchogue, Village of Mineola, City of Long Beach, Village of Rockville Centre, Village of Lynbrook, Village of Farmingdale, Village of New Hyde Park, Village of Bayville and Village of Port Jefferson.

 

 

CITY OF GLEN COVE
Panel 1 began with the City of Glen Cove, who focused on the Waterfront Redevelopment Area. RXR Glen Isle’s Matt Frank and Glen Cove Community Development Agency’s Kelly Morris led the discussion of the plans and needs for the former brownfield site. The team mentioned several additional funding streams that they were seeking and having trouble attaining, including $3 million in additional funding to complete the Commuter Ferry Terminal, funds for road reconstruction projects, about $10 million to complete the esplanade and waterfront park, $6.4 million to increase drinking water capacity, about $2 million to improve stormwater drainage and more. They mentioned that “as a small municipality, the City of Glen Cove faces communication and representation challenges with The Department of Transportation that are not faced by larger municipalities that have representation of the regional Transportation Coordination Committee. These challenges have over time cost the city months of work and hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

 

TOWN OF BABYLON
Babylon Town Supervisor Steve Bellone focused on the Wyandanch Rising project. The economically distressed area has been working together on this community-based project since 2002, and much progress has been made that has included state and federal support. Supervisor Bellone said the plan “would create the place that does not exist today: a real community center.” He continued, “We are doing this because we intend for this to happen.” Wyandanch is part of a larger TOD plan for the Rt. 110 corridor, which Supervisor Bellone also touched on. In conclusion, he asked for funding and technical assistance, arguing that federal agencies should “make efforts above and beyond the norm to assist forward-thinking municipalities with foresight, but limited resources and experience in administration of federal grants.”

 

TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN
Three Town Council members spoke next for the Town of Brookhaven. Councilwoman Connie Kepert began with the Middle County Road Land Use Plan, which seeks to reduce strip commercial zoning, preserve open space, reduce congestion and more. Councilwoman Kepert said that there has been progress, though “We need to do more than up-zone and preserve; we need to funnel development into mixed-use centers.” Specific needs include $2.5 million in funding for a bypass for Routes 112 and 25 in Coram, $6.4 million for continuous sidewalks and bike lanes on Middle County Road and pedestrian improvements such as medians that provide safe places to bike and walk.

Councilwoman Kepert also presented North Bellport, an economically distressed area that seeks revitalization and transit-oriented development. Specifically, the community needs $5 million to build a sewage treatment plant. Thoughts after the presentation included: The federal government is a crucial partner in moving forward the goals of smart growth in the nation's first suburb. Having an opportunity to open up a dialogue with EPA, HUD and DOT about promoting pedestrian oriented places, which provide for affordable housing, and reduce our carbon footprint in the Town of Brookhaven's 4th Council District, was a great opportunity and is a conversation I intend to continue.

 

Councilwoman Kathleen Walsh spoke about the Ronkonkoma Hub. The widely used train station is disconnected from the nearby airport. Plans include mixed-use development and workforce housing. The Councilwoman added that sewering is the key to success.

 

 

 

Councilman Dan Panico presented on two important issues facing the Mastic-Shirley community. First, there is a strong need for sewers in an area that seeks new development but is plagued by pollution, mainly caused by cesspools. He also spoke about transportation: there are currently only two ways in and out of Mastic Beach and the penninsula. Roads that dead-end now could pass through the train tracks with raised crossings, easing congestion while providing critical emergency storm evacuation routes. Councilman Panico said, "the Sixth Council District is in need of direct financial assistance from the state and federal governments for projects such as sewage treatment, and emergency evacuation in terms of dealing with the lack of sufficient railroad grade crossings south of Montauk Highway in the Mastic and Shirley Community."

 

 

TOWN OF RIVERHEAD
Town of Riverhead Supervisor Sean Walter was ready to stop planning and start implementing: “Riverhead has it all in terms of visioning and planning. We’re done with visioning and planning,” said the Supervisor. He outlined the progress in the downtown with the new hotel in construction at Atlantis Marine World, the Summerwind workforce housing project and the renovation of the Suffolk Theatre among other efforts.

Walter mentioned some technical issues with funding streams, for example, the Town received a $1.5 million grant to rehabilitate downtown sidewalks, however, “the logistics of retrofitting outdated stormwater collection systems has prevented the Town from moving forward with the project.” Collaborative technical and funding assistance is a great tool for the Town. Walter also mentioned that an additional $1.2 million for concrete would make a huge difference for the downtown. Simple issues like Federal regulations tied to signage to enhance tourism were also a part of his presentation.

The room closed with a presentation by Paul Beyer, NYS Director of Smart Growth for the NYS Smart Growth Cabinet. Beyer reviewed the recently passed NYS Smart Growth Public Infrastructure Policy Act and discussed its benefits for local communities. He called the law a “behavior changer.” Beyer called Smart Growth “the approach of the future,” and concluded, “I think we’re all aligned, for once: local, state, and federal.” Paul Beyer thanked Vision Long Island and other organizations for the successful package of the Public Infrastructure Act.

 

 

TOWN OF SOUTHAMPTON
Panel 2 started with Southampton's Freda Eisenberg and Brenda Gold. The Town of Southampton is currently applying for implementation funds for its Riverside urban renewal plan that focuses on water management, transportation and housing rehabilitation. The Riverside Hamlet Center development plan will accommodate “complete street” approach and upgrade streetscape. Further real estate market analysis will be conducted for land use proposals. The Town is concerned about the limited CDBG fund, and is seeking alternative funding sources.

 

 

TOWN OF ISLIP
The Town of Islip’s Gene Murphy presented the “Village Place” proposal accommodates 3-and-4-story apartments with retail and office spaces. The Town also plans to create a vibrant pedestrian plaza on Park Avenue that will be closed to vehicles. However, Islip needs funding to make these projects more affordable.

The Town also addressed the underserved rental market. “Homeownership is not an objective of everybody.” It is important that we provide housing options to fulfill different market needs.

 

 

TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD
Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby presented that the Town of Hempstead has put in much effort into improving its environment and community. The Town has a hydrogen plant and a solar sea clam and oyster facility and half of the Town Hall now runs on solar power. A specific update and presentation were made about the Roosevelt revitalization initiative. The Town also awarded a property to Habitat for Humanity for building green affordable housing. Some community centers and streetscapes have been upgraded in addition new health care centers, daycare centers and other support services were part of the revitalization process.

 

 

TOWN OF HUNTINGTON
Doug Aloise, the Director of Town of Huntington Community Development Agency, first addressed the downtown revitalization efforts in Huntington Station. The Town is trying to put all of their resources into this area, which has the highest concentration of minority and low-income residents in the Town of Huntington. The revitalization is being financed with local tax revenue as well as multiple grants, and aims to restore brownfields, develop transportation and public facilities, develop housing and commercial opportunities, and increase law enforcement and public safety.

Aloise also addressed the commercial development along the Route 110 corridor in Melville and plans to expand employment in that area.

 

 

TOWN OF NORTH HEMPSTEAD
Michael Levine, Planning Director for the Town of North Hempstead, spoke about the redevelopment efforts in New Cassel, a racially and ethnically diverse hamlet of 13,000 residents. The area has completed 200 new apartment units and 4000 square feet of new commercial space, which should include a bank, grocery store, and pharmacy. Efforts have also begun to redevelop many abandoned properties through an EPA Brownfield Pilot Grant and state Brownfield Opportunity Area funding and to reconstruct Prospect Avenue to include bicycle lanes, wider sidewalks, pedestrian bulb-outs, new lighting and community artwork. A new community center is also in the planning stages as well. Mr. Levine specifically spoke of the challenges of managing the multiple regulations of differing Federal agencies and grant programs that are at times conflicting.

 

 

VILLAGE OF PATCHOGUE
Panel 3 opened with the Village of Patchogue, with Mayor Paul Pontieri. The Village has received federal funding and has started to improve its Main Street and build affordable housing units. As of now, the community is applying for funding to improve its sewage treatment plant. Mayor Pontieri addressed the long process and numerous hurdles for communities, especially smaller villages, to receive resources for community development. The Village of Patchogue has received $12 million in infrastructure dollars for its revitalization effort.

 

 

VILLAGE OF MINEOLA
The Village of Mineola was next with Mayor Jack Martins. Martins described the community as geographically blessed as a hub center that connects the city to the eastern parts of Long Island through the train and highway system. Mineola has had many successes in revitalizing its downtown with federal and state funding. The Village was able to eliminate LIRR’s grade crossing that divided the town in half, and built an intermodal facility that accommodates parking and LI Bus, which makes mass transit readily available for more people. The TOD near the train station includes off-street parking and affordable next-generation and senior housing units. The Mayor also addressed the need to establish an overarching organization that provides regional planning support to Long Island communities. He presented Mineola’s traffic calming project for the section of Jericho Turnpike that is part of its downtown. The Village proposed to build a center median as part of the plan, which was not approved by DOT, and consequently the Village had to remove the proposal in order to move forward with the rest of the plan.

 

 

VILLAGE OF ROCKVILLE CENTRE
Next, planning consultant Susan Stohr spoke for the Village of Rockville Centre. She presented the Village’s plan to connect green spaces to create a park center for its downtown, which also gives easier access to the downtown businesses. She also stressed the need to create a central clearinghouse that enables communities and particularly small villages to share information and development resources.

 

 

VILLAGE OF LYNBROOK
Village Administrator John Giordano spoke for the Village of Lynbrook. He worried about how the application evaluation process of DOT works against communities. These transportation grants have design and contract issues, including DOT’s 2-inch thick approval regulations are at times burdensome.

 

 

VILLAGE OF FARMINGDALE
In the Village of Farmingdale, Mayor George “Butch” Starkie was particularly frustrated with the grant approval process and regulations of CDBG and NYSERDA. He said that some municipalities would rather not receive Federal grants because of the delays and extra work.

 

 

VILLAGE OF NEW HYDE PARK
Trustee Don Barbieri spoke for the Village of New Hyde Park. For the past 10 years, the Village has been trying to restore its share of Jericho Turnpike into a walkable downtown community. However, DOT’s regulations have been changed several times, seriously delaying the approval process. Trustee Barbieri said, “The Empire State Building was finished within a year; creating a sidewalk that is less than a mile is taking 10 years and still counting.”

 

 

VILLAGE OF PORT JEFFERSON
Finally, Cameron Engineering planning consultant David Berg spoke for the Village of Port Jefferson. He described the Village as having a successful downtown because of its status as a transit hub for central Long Island, but the area near the train station is not as well off. He proposed creating affordable and rental housing units in the location, taking advantage of the convenient distance to the train. Berg also presented the plan to relocate parking near the waterfront and replace with stores and restaurants to take advantage of the scenic view. Some funding assistance would be necessary for these improvements.

 

 

Long Island Elected officials in attendance included:
NYS Senator Brian X. Foley, NC Legislator Kevan Abrahams, Town of Riverhead Supervisor Sean Walter, Huntington Supervisor Frank Petrone, Town of Babylon Supervisor Steve Bellone, Town of Brookhaven Councilpersons, Kathy Walsh, Connie Kepert and Dan Panico, Town of Hempstead Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby, Village of Mineola, Mayor Jack Martins, Village of Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri, Village of Farmingdale Mayor George Starkie, Trustees Cheryl Parisi, and Ralph Ekstrand, New Hyde Park Trustee Don Barbieri, Village of Rockville Centre Deputy Mayor, Chuck Joyce, Village of Hempstead Mayor Wayne Hall, Village of Freeport Trustee Jorge Martinez, Village of Cedarhurst Mayor Andrew Parise, Village of Valley Stream Deputy Mayor Joanne Antun.

Quotes from Coordinating Groups:
“These are not your mother and father's suburbs,” said Lawrence Levy, Executive Director of the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University.  “Demographic change, economic dysfunction, environmental degradation and other challenges have transformed the suburbs in ways that demand a new federal approach that helps us solve our problems. Too many people in Washington and elsewhere still believe the myths of suburban wealth and wellness. I hope that what the federal officials learn during their visit will help change attitudes and inspire change in Washington and Long Island. Thank you Senator Schumer for bringing us together.”

“This event connects Long Island's main streets to Washington. The smallest municipalities are connecting to Federal agencies, which has not happened in a coordinated fashion, not just on Long Island but any suburban area in the nation.  The strength of Long Island resides in its many downtowns. This new Federal partnership could provide the resources necessary to assist the revitalization of our downtowns and support needed sewer and transit infrastructure,” said Eric Alexander, Executive Director of Vision Long Island.

“Finally, suburban problems are getting noticed,” said Sarah Lansdale, Executive Director of Sustainable Long Island. “Long Island’s downtown revitalization and transit-oriented development plans need more than just local officials and community planners fighting for them; these plans need federal assistance.  Long Island has the ingredients to become the epitome of what the suburbs should be, but it is much easier said than done. Senator Schumer and The Partnership for Sustainable Communities have taken a tremendous step forward in identifying which communities haven’t received a fair share of the limited resources available."

For the Press Release on the event from Senator Chuck Schumer’s office, visit here.  

See Newsday’s coverage of the meeting here.

See more information on the Interagency Partnership here.

Information on the Federal Sustainability Challenge Grant is available here.

For biographies on each of the participating Federal Officials:

Judith Enck, Regional Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

John Frece, Director, Office of Smart Growth, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Adolfo Carrion, Jr., Regional Administrator, U.S. Housing and Urban Development

Shelley Poticha, Director for the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities, U.S. Housing and Urban Development

Beth Osbourne, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy, U.S. Department of Transportation

Brigid Hynes-Cherin, Regional Administrator, Federal Transit Administration

NYS Sen. Brian X. Foley

 

Long Island Bus system in Jeopardy

On July 28th, the MTA held its monthly board meeting in New York City and announced its much-anticipated financial plans for its 2011 budget, which includes cost-cutting measures to close a deficit of over $800 million. The plan calls for another round of massive fare increases across the board, plus pulling all of the agency's funding for LI Bus. Without the $40 million subsidy for the $133 million system, Long Island Bus could fall apart. The MTA heard comments on the proposed budget at its board meeting. Four Long Islanders spoke in defense of LI Bus, including Vision's Eric Alexander, Kate Slevin of Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Patricia Bowden of the LI Bus Union, and Larry Silverman, a transit advocate.

Kate Slevin said, "It is inequitable to keep asking transit riders to contribute more to the system while drivers, who reap the congestion busting benefits of our transit system, can still travel into the densest city in America for free. Voters angry about the recent service cuts should ask state candidates how they plan on dealing with the MTA’s financial crisis."

Eric Alexander said, "The cuts are damaging to the growing Smart Growth movement across Long Island, of which one of the key tenets is limiting dependence on automobiles. With no other choice, residents will be forced to drive cars or take taxis- expensive and environmentally unsustainable options. In addition, this proposed cut is insulting to the small businesses who have shouldered the burden of the MTA payroll tax, many of which have faced layoffs and difficult business decisions. Small businesses in our downtowns and beyond rely on bus service for both customers and employees."

He continued, "Vision Long Island calls on the MTA to prepare an economic impact statement to analyze the ramifications of service reductions to the small business community and economic growth in Nassau County. Furthermore, we call on the human service community on Long Island to step forward to advocate against these cuts given the profound impact they will have on working folks with limited transportation options."

Nassau County has taken its own steps to stop the MTA's cuts. According to LI Business News, County Executive Ed Mangano has filed a lawsuit against the MTA's cuts. "Mangano contends in the lawsuit that the cuts would effectively eliminate the county’s public bus system, stranding more than 100,000 residents a day who rely on bus service and resulting in the loss of as many as 20,000 jobs in the county."

The MTA announced at the meeting that hearings will be held in September on the fare increases. Until then, we need to stay vigilant to defeat these devastating cuts.

Read more on Tri-State Transportation Campaign's blog.

Vision Long Island sent out an action alert on this matter. It can be found here.

Lights out for the Lighthouse?

Editorials in LI Herald

The Long Island Herald featured two editorials this week regarding the Lighthouse Project.  The first article criticized the current zoning restriction placed on the Nassau Coliseum property and its inability to meet the needs of a suburban Long Island.   These needs, according to the article, include that “young people can’t find affordable housing here, seniors are being taxed out of their homes and illegal auxiliary apartments erode the suburban character of our existing neighborhoods while depriving our schools and localities of needed tax revenue.”  The article further stated that “the county needs to attract new business to expand the tax base and provide relief to beleaguered homeowners. The Lighthouse plan addressed many of these issues; the Town of Hempstead’s does not.”  As the “last major piece of under-developed land,” the article states that “we need to get this right.”

The second editorial was written by Vision’s Eric Alexander.  The op-ed, while recognizing the positive aspects still present in the development proposal around Nassau Coliseum, including Smart Growth principles and place making elements, argues that the zoning plan greatly limits the area's potential. These restrictions are partly blamed on the fact that there have not been any funds put towards transportation or infrastructure for the area, despite years of advocacy or any consideration of the $50 million in private investments from the Lighthouse developers.

The article suggests another option: an incentive overlay district that “allows a developer to build a larger, higher-density project than would otherwise be permitted under the existing zoning. In exchange, the developer provides investments that are in the community’s interest that would not otherwise be required. This could include providing more affordable housing, transportation or a greater amount of public space.”

Alexander further argues that the current zoning proposal is “more akin to a Phase One than to an overall limiting of what could and should ultimately be built on the site with the proper infrastructure investments… The alternatives — the casino or nothing — pose more harm to Nassau County’s future than any form of the Lighthouse project.”

The Herald articles are available here and here.

 

 

Hicksville Farmers Market opens to huge crowd

The Hicksville Farmers Market opened last Sunday and was an overwhelming success! A sea of people descended on the booths, and by 11am several of the vendors had sold out and had to pack up and go home. Booths featured a variety of locally-grown fruits and vegetables, juices & preserves, fresh flowers, eggs, honey, cheese, LI potatoes, NY State wine, specialty olive oils, pickles, various dairy items, baked goods, fish and poultry. Everyone seemed excited to be shopping in their downtown, meeting up with their neighbors and chatting with the vendors. Many said they would be back next week!

 

 

The Farmers Market is the first project to come out of the Hicksville Downtown Revitalization, a joint effort between Vision Long Island, the Hicksville Chamber of Commerce and the Hicksville Community Council. Other critical agencies have been involved throughout the process including the Town of Oyster Bay, local elected officials, the LIRR, DOT and others. The group held a small press conference at 10am, thanking those who helped make the market possible and encouraging residents to get involved in ongoing revitalization efforts. 

 

 

Lionel Chitty, President of the Hicksville Chamber of Commerce, said, "It was a great showing! We're blown away by the response. It was great to see the community out and about, supporting local vendors and enjoying the day together. We're incredibly excited about the Smart Growth efforts moving forward in Hicksville."

 

 

Eric Alexander, Executive Director of Vision Long Island, said, "This was the largest grand opening of any farmers market on Long Island. No question, a Farmers Market in Hicksville was a worthwhile effort. I'm looking forward to spending my Sunday mornings in Hicksville this summer!"

 

Remember, the Farmers Market will be open every Sunday through November 21st, 9am-2pm, right next to the Hicksville train station between Jerusalem Ave. and Broadway. Stop by and support local agriculture and the Hicksville community!

 

In this picture: Duffy Park Civic Association's Sparky, Vision Long Island's Eric Alexander, Oyster Bay Councilwoman Rebecca Alesia, Northwest Civic and Hicksville Community Council's Joel Berse, Hicksville Gardens Civic President Henry Goesman, Nassau County Legislator Rose Walker, Hicksville Chamber of Commerce President Lionel Chitty, Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto, Market Manager Bernadette Martin, Hicksville Community Council's Stan Kobin, Hicksville Chamber's Phil Robertson, and Oyster Bay Councilman Tony Macagnone.

 

Visit the Hicksville Downtown Revitalization Facebook page to see pictures and learn more about what's going on in Hicksville!

Bay Shore Marina opens spray park; 2,000 kids enjoy Islip Beach Blast

This past Saturday, the Town of Islip celebrated the grand opening of the spray park at the Bay Shore Marina. "Shipwreck Cove" drew over 2,000 children from across the Town of Islip and Long Island to celebrate and enjoy the new wading pool, water slides and fun in the sun. The park, located at the Bay Shore Marina on South Clinton Avenue, opened its doors with a summer festival, the Islip Beach Blast, featuring live music, games and a fireworks show by Grucci Fireworks. Town of Islip elected officials led the event, including Supervisor Phil Nolan and Councilmen Steve Flotteron, John Edwards and Gene Parrington.

 

 

“This is a great turnout and a great day for all of Bay Shore,” said Supervisor Nolan. “I am always proud to bring this type of inexpensive family fun right into our communities and I applaud everyone that worked hard to make this spray park a reality.”

The unveiling of the spray park is just one component of the revitalization of the Bay Shore Marina that resulted from the visioning process undertaken by the Town and Vision Long Island in 2007. Prior improvements include new bulk headings, a new boardwalk with benches, swings, a winter ice rink, a refurbished bathhouse and concession stand and increased and improved parking. The Marina plan won a 2009 Smart Growth Award.

 

Pictured cutting the opening ribbon are (left to right) Islip Town Councilman Steve Flotteron; New York State Senator Owen Johnson; Donna Periconi, President of the Bay Shore Chamber of Commerce; Supervisor Nolan; Councilman Gene Parrington; Councilman John Edwards; and Eric Alexander, Executive Director of Vision Long Island.

 

Lighthouse decision in the works

The Town of Hempstead is set to announce its plans for the land surrounding the Nassau Coliseum. Details of the proposal are still unknown, though it is expected to be a scaled-down version of the Lighthouse project. The biggest unknown is whether or not the proposal will include plans for a casino. In what Hempstead Town Councilman Edward Ambrosino called “two competing proposals,” a sort of clash of the titans has developed - Nassau Coliseum style.

Developers Charles Wang and Scott Rechler’s mixed use $3.8-billion Lighthouse Project is butting heads with the Shinnecock Nation’s Casino plan spearheaded by Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano. Members of the tribe said recently that the Coliseum was one of the preferred locations for the casino. However, the Lighthouse Project and the Town of Hempstead already have a Development Plan Agreement and some believe Mangano’s opinion on the matter is a moot point. “If you had an agreed-upon deal, would the state get involved and approve a compact (for an Indian casino) that was counter to a local municipal decision?” said Vision's Eric Alexander in Newsday.

Hempstead is currently consulting with engineering firm Frederick P. Clark Associates to come up with a zoning plan for the 77 acres of county-owned land. Spokesman Michael Deery said the Town and its consultants are “working aggressively” to finish the plan. An announcement could be made any day. 

2010 Smart Growth Awards welcome 600 Long Island leaders, honor outstanding projects, people and plans

Friday's Smart Growth luncheon Long Island's strongest yet

The 2010 Smart Growth Awards took place on Friday afternoon, June 18th at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, NY. The event hosted 600 attendees from diverse sectors including business, labor, civic, government, advocacy and more. Vision Long Island's Executive Director Eric Alexander helped set the mood for the event by blasting metal music to encourage people to find their seats. The program was jam packed full of guest speakers, Awards presentations, lunch and an overall upbeat, energized room.

Richie Kessel, CEO of the NY Power Authority and former Smart Growth Award recipient, gave a spirited start to the program by introducing all the elected officials in the room. They included: Hon. Tim Bishop, Congressman US House of Representatives; Gerry Petrella, Office of US Sen. Chuck Schumer; Kristin Walsh, Office of US Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand; Hon. Dean Murray, Hon. Mark Alessi, Hon. Andrew Raia and Hon. Brian Foley (via phone) NYS Assembly; Joe Galante, Deputy Comptroller for Intergovernmental Affairs; Michael Harrison, Office of Gov. David A. Paterson; Hon. John Kennedy, Hon. Tom Cilmi, Hon. Vivian Viloria-Fisher, Hon. Ed Romaine, Hon. Kate Browning, Suffolk County Legislature; Pat Halpin, former Suffolk County Executive; John Cameron, LI Regional Planning Council; Hon. Ed Mangano, Nassau County Executive; Hon. Dave Denenberg, Hon. Denise Ford, Hon. Wayne Wink, Nassau County Legislature; George Maragos, Nassau County Comptroller; Tom Gullotta, former Nassau County Executive, Hon. Steve Bellone, Supevisor, Town of Babylon; Hon. Mark Mayoka, Councilman, Town of Huntington; Hon. Phil Nolan, Supervisor, Town of Islip; Hon. Trish Bergin-Weichbrodt, Councilwoman, Town of Islip, Hon. Sean Walter, Supervisor, Town of Riverhead; Hon. Jodi Giglio, Councilwoman, Town of Riverhead; Hon. Jim Wooten, Councilman, Town of Riverhead; Hon. Anthony Macagnone, Councilman, Town of Oyster Bay; Hon. Jon Kaiman, Supervisor, Town of North Hempstead; Hon. Dot Goosby, Councilwoman, Town of North Hempstead; Hon. Ralph Suozzi, Mayor, City of Glen Cove; Hon. Jack Martins, Mayor, Village of Mineola; Hon. Ralph Scordino; Mayor, Village of Babylon; Hon. Robert Rothschild, Mayor, Garden City; Hon. Joan Boes, Mayor, Village of Island Park; Hon. James Ruzicka, Mayor, Village of Island Park; Hon. Jorge Martinez, Trustee, Village of Freeport; Hon. Tom Kehoe, Trustee, Village of Northport; and George Graf, former Mayor, Village of Farmingdale. Holi Haerr from Verizon FiOS 1 News emceed the event.

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano spoke as a special guest. After announcing that he was throwing away his prepared speech, he commenced a review of his accomplishments thus far as County Executive. He spoke carefully about the proposal to build a casino at the Nassau Coliseum site, saying that ignoring a proposal that could bring in 6,000 jobs would be "malpractice." He added, “the future of Long Island depends on how we act now. It is vital that both government and the private sector work together on immediate and long-term issues like Smart Growth initiatives, protecting our environment, and creating sustainable places to live, work, and play." Mangano noted that he was waiting to see what the Town of Hempstead would propose this summer as an alternative to the Lighthouse project.

 

 

 

 

State Senator Brian X. Foley was scheduled to attend, but was needed for votes in Albany that day. However, the Senator gave the crowd a great treat when he called in during the program to announce, via speakerphone, the Senate's overwhelming passage of the Smart Growth Public Infrastructure Policy Act. The Act amends the Environmental Conservation Law to prioritize all state infrastructure spending toward projects that align with Smart Growth principles. It favors "fix-it-first" projects and authorizes each State infrastructure agency to create a Smart Growth advisory committee. The Act has passed the Assembly and the Governor is expected to sign it into law. The Act is one of a handful that the Long Island Lobby Day Coalition has been pushing forward. Many of the Coalition members were present in the room and were invited up on the dais to hear Senator Foley's news.

 

 

 

 

U.S. Representative Tim Bishop was the keynote speaker and his speech demonstrated how he lives up to his Award for Regional Leadership. He applauded the new State Smart Growth bill and promised to work to push forward a new and substantive Surface Transportation bill (to replace what is now SAFETEA-LU). He also promised to continue fighting for sewer and transportation infrastructure funding. He closed with a caution against a tendency, in these times, to attack the role of the public sector. “I am honored to be recognized by a group that does so much to revitalize Long Island by empowering citizens to participate in the future of their communities,” said Congressman Bishop, a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. “Vision Long Island is a valued partner in my goal of promoting environmentally responsible and economically sustainable development. Smart Growth is a term that gets thrown around a lot, but Vision Long Island understands that it’s not possible unless you listen to communities. ”

 

 

 

 

Dr. Nathalia Rogers of Dowling College introduced West Islip High School senior Kelly Douglas, a vocal member of March 2010 Long Island Youth Summit who is ready to take the reigns and lead the next generation of Smart Growth advocates. "For my entire life I lived in West Islip, a community without a downtown of its own... Fortunately, my friends and I are able to go to Babylon’s downtown for local shopping, restaurants and entertainment including the local movie theatre... However, I now have a growing concern for my future on Long Island, which includes the availability of affordable housing for a recent college graduate and the promise of a strong, viable economy on which to build a career, family and future on Long Island," she said. Douglas was one of many representatives from West Islip High School in the room. Many students from Dowling College were also present.

 

Three Town Supervisors provided a preview on what their communities were doing. Supervisor Sean Walter of the Town of Riverhead hailed some of the Town's new revitalization efforts, and finished with a lofty goal to implement 2-day site plan approvals for any new project. Supervisor Steve Bellone of the Town of Babylon joked, "We'll do one-day approvals!" Bellone supported the Village of Babylon's Award for creating a sense of place, and also talked about new sewers coming to Wyandanch. Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman concluded by talking about some of his Town's goals and accomplishments, including a current planning study in Port Washington.

 

Upcoming events include a transit-oriented development conference in Hicksville on September 15th with NYS Comptroller Tom DiNapoli and Babylon Supervisor Steve Bellone. The 9th annual Smart Growth Summit will be held Friday, November 19th at the Melville Marriott.

Videos of each of the honorees are available on our YouTube page. The Awards journal, handed out at the event, is available online here.

To see press coverage, visit LI Business News and Glen Cove Patch.

From left: Sergio Argueta, S.T.R.O.N.G. Youth, Inc.; Hon Kate Browning, Suffolk County Legislature; Hon. Ed Romaine, Suffolk County Legislature; Ron Stein, Vision Long Island; Dr. Nathalia Rogers, Dowling College; John Durso, LI Federation of Labor; Hon. Ralph Suozzi, City of Glen Cove; Richie Kessel, NYPA; Hon. Tim Bishop, US House of Representatives; George Maragos, Nassau County Comptroller; Eric Alexander, Vision Long Island; Adrienne Esposito, Citizens Campaign for the Environment; Peter Fleischer, Empire State Future; Kelly Douglas, LI Youth Summit; Hon. Jon Kaiman, Town of North Hempstead; Hon. Sean Walter, Town of Riverhead; Neal Lewis, Sustainability Institute at Molloy College; Hon. Steve Bellone, Town of Babylon; Jorge Martinez, LI Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Holli Haerr, Verizon FiOS 1 News.

The honorees were announced by Holli Haerr of Verizon FiOS1 News:

Thanks again to our sponsors!

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Read much more coverage here!

 

 

Glen Cove-Manhattan ferry breaks ground

On Tuesday, June 1st, Glen Cove Mayor Ralph Suozzi, joined by developers from RXR Glen Isle and local elected officials, headed the official groundbreaking for the Glen Cove ferry terminal and boat basin, as part of the broader waterfront revitalization plan.

Mayor Suozzi said, “I extend my deepest gratitude to all those who have worked with us throughout the process of securing funding and planning for this project, especially United States Senator Charles Schumer, United States Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and United States Congressman Peter King.  Our City appreciates the support and assistance we have received from a number of agencies and departments throughout New York State, including the Governor’s Office, and I am pleased that so many of their representatives were able to join us for this significant groundbreaking.” He also acknowledged that the project recieved a Smart Growth Award from Vision Long Island in 2008.

K. Kelly Morris, Executive Director of the Glen Cove Community Development Agency and Industrial Development Agency added, “This project has been a tremendous effort on the part of hundreds of individuals in a number of agencies in the City and throughout the State who have worked tirelessly to ensure that we were able to make it to this groundbreaking.  This has truly been a collaborative project and we are excited to begin this new chapter in Glen Cove’s history."

The ferry, expected to carry some 1,600 passengers a day and reduce vehicle miles traveled by 48,000 between Glen Cove and lower Manhattan, embraces green building principle, opens the door for new tourist, entertainment and recreational opportunities for the region and brings the promise of an economc boost for the downtown, new jobs and improved transportation options.

A wide range of organizations and officials have supported the project, including: United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Highway Administration, the NYS Department of State, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, the NYS Department of Transportation, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC), Nassau County agencies including the Nassau County Planning Commission, the Long Island Regional Planning Council, Vision Long Island, RXR Glen Isle, Cameron Engineering, Dvirka & Bartilucci, Chesterfield Associates, AECOM, the US Congress and Empire State Development Corporation’s Restore New York Program.

photo, from left: Scott Rechler (RXR), Mayor Ralph Suozzi, K. Kelly Morris (City of Glen Cove), Don Monti (Glen Isle Partners), Hon. Diane Yatauro (Nassau County Legislature), Eric Alexander (Vision Long Island)

Newsday covered the groundbreaking. Read the article here. More information on the project is available on the City of Glen Cove's website here.

 

 

Comment period open for NYMTC's TIP

Now through Wednesday, June 2nd, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) is open for a comment period for proposed amendments to the 2008-2012 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).  

The proposed amendments allow funding for the following new projects: 1) Replace 45 heavy diesel trucks with CNG trucks, Suffolk County; 2) Re-engine 19 heavy diesel trucks with CNG engine, Suffolk County; 3) Replace 45 fleet vehicles with electric hybrid vehicles, Suffolk County; 4) Installation of security fence on several LIRR lines, Nassau & Suffolk counties; 5) PIL and HIS safety studies in Nassau and Suffolk counties; 6) Traffic data collection and warrant study in Nassau and Suffolk counties; 7) Traffic Signal and misc design task consultant contract.

Additionally, the proposed amendments delete funding for the following projects: 1) Upgrade I-495 LI Expressway E/B Exit 51 Rest Area, Ph 2, Suffolk County; 2) NYSDOT Joint Sealing Program Contract 2012, Nassau and Suffolk counties; 3) Suffolk Pavement Management Asphalt Rehabilitation and Resurfacing, Suffolk County; 4) Suffolk Pavement Maintenance 2011, Suffolk County; 5) CR58 Reconstruction: LIE to CR105, Suffolk County [a road widening project].

Details on the proposed amendments are available on the NYMTC website. Comments are due in writing by 4 pm on Wednesday June 2nd and can be sent to: Nassau/Suffolk TCC, Attn: Nancy O'Connell, NYS State Office Building, 250 Veterans Hwy, Room 4A1A, Hauppauge, NY 11788; nloconnell@dot.state.ny.us, 631-952-6115.

 

Hicksville Farmers Market opens June 27th

The Hicksville Chamber of Commerce, Hicksville Community Council and Vision kicked off the Hicksville Downtown Revitalization in January, and the first initiative is moving along quickly! We're pleased to announce the kick off of the Hicksville Farmers Market on Sunday, June 27th from 9am-2pm at Kennedy Memorial Park, between Jerusalem and Broadway, near the Hicksville Train Station. The Farmers Market will last throughout the summer and fall, every Sunday through November 21st.

The market features Long Island grown vegetables, plants and flowers; plus NY State fruit, juices and preserves, eggs, honey, cheese, artisan bread and more! They'll accept Visa, MasterCard, Debit, Snap, and EBT; plus they will participate in WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program.

The Farmers Market is supported by the Town of Oyster Bay, the Hicksville Chamber of Commerce, and the Hicksville Community Council.

 

Long Island Lobby Coalition gets first bill passed!

The LI Lobby Day Coalition went to Albany in February with over 30 organizations seeking to pass a comprehensive legislative agenda addressing five key issues: transportation, economic development, environment and energy, sewer and infrastructure and human services). Since the LI Lobby Day, coalition members have been diligent in reaching out to legs to ensure progress on a number of our legislative items. as we speak, five bills have passed significant committees or are very much alive this session in Albany. We are pleased to have our first bill passed and signed by the Governor this Wednesday.

The Long Island Lobby Day Coalition formed in 2009 in response to political chaos in Albany that put politics first and public service second. The groups in the growing coalition represent over 30 Long Island businesses, environmental groups, civics, human services, Smart Growth planners, labor groups and transportation advocates and includes: AARP, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Empire State Future, Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce, Long Island Federation of Labor, Long Island Business Council, Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Long Island Software and Technology Network, Nassau-Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless, Suffolk Community Council, Tri-State Transportation Campaign and Vision Long Island. Participating organizations have included Coram Civic Association, Dowling College, Fair Media Council, Friends of Edgewood Preserve, Friends of Huntington Station, Glen Cove Business Improvement District, Gordon Heights Civic Association, Gordon Heights Chamber of Commerce, Hicksville Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Huntington, Let there be Lighthouse, Long Island Housing Partnership, Mastic Beach Property Owners, Middle Island Civic Association, Neighborhood Network, New York League of Conservation Voters-LI Chapter, Plainview/Old Bethpage Chamber of Commerce, Renaissance Downtowns, Rocky Point Civic Association, Save the Forge River, US Green Building Council and Youth of Ethical Societies-LI Chapter.

Check out SmartTalk for information about our first bill, now a law, and actions you can take to advance other pieces of legislation. Read our documentation on Complete Streets and Smart Growth Infrastructure.

This last week ushered in of a new era of safety for our children as lawmakers were finally able to place a ban on pesticides used in areas where our children play the most:  our schools.

 

Older pedestrians more at-risk for fatalities, report finds

Older pedestrians are far more likely to be killed while walking than their younger neighbors, according to a new study by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. This is especially true in downstate New York where fatality rates for older pedestrians are far higher than the rest of the country. Between 2006 and 2008, 290 pedestrians aged 60 years and older were killed on downstate New York roads. Though comprising just over 17 percent of the area’s population, people 60 and over accounted for 42 percent of the total pedestrian fatalities during the three-year period. Those over 75 represent less than 6 percent of the downstate population, but nearly 20 percent of pedestrian deaths. 

The Tri-State Transportation Campaign, along with Vision Long Island and other groups, have been urging State leaders to reduce high fatality rates by passing a statewide Complete Streets bill (bill S-5711A) that ensures roads are designed to accommodate all users, including walkers, cyclists, and people of all ages. Other programs and policies, such as expanded Safe Routes for Seniors programs, can also help reduce fatality rates. 

Read more in SmartTalk.

 

Casino news: possibility of Islanders moving to Queens; Southampton blocks casino

In casino/Coliseum news this week, Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon say he has spoken with Charles Wang about the possibility of building a new Islanders arena near Citifield in Queens. NYC Mayor Bloomberg was quoted in Thursday's Newsday: "I don't know whether it's just the owner or the team negotiating, using us as a negotiating ploy out of Long Island." The article concluded, "Some sources worry that if Wang and Wilpon worked in Queens together, the best possibilities for the Coliseum and its surrounding space would go with them. 'It's like the creativity leaves Long Island and goes to Queens,' said Vision Long Island executive director Eric Alexander. 'I hope that's not the epitaph.'"

On Tuesday, the Southampton Town Board took preemptive steps to ensure that a casino is not built at the county-owned Gabreski Airport in Westhampton. The Board held a hearing to propose a zone change that would rule out any indoor entertainment on the site. Suffolk County also took the property off a list of possible casino sites that they are discussing with the Shinnecock Tribe. According to Newsday, "As they voted to close their meeting, the board apologized to the tribe for not giving it formal notice of their planned action in time for the tribal council to review and comment on the zone change... Past failures by the town to notify the tribe of zoning changes and other issues that affect what Shinnecocks consider sacred lands has frustrated the tribe." There is still time for the public (and in theory, the tribe) to comment on the zone change before the formal vote happens as soon as next month.

 

Newsday's Future of LI section highlights "Smart Growth solutions"

In the second installation of its Future of Long Island series, Newsday looked at "Main Streets, Long Island: Why we need them now" this past Sunday. The opening story looked at several issues, including the debate over increased density and the need to make changes to keep young adults from moving away. Various downtowns got feature articles in the 20-page section, including Patchogue, Greenport, Riverhead and Wyandanch, among others. The section also looked at the Lighthouse ("Project mired in a political minefield") and Heartland ("How much is too much?"). It looked at revitalizations in three communities outside of Long Island, including Mashpee Commons in Cape Cod, Rochester, Michigan and the Liberty Harbor development in Jersey City.

Vision's Eric Alexander got a few quotes in the article, talking about Patchogue ("They are fixing the sins of the past...The sins of the past were redeveloping outside of the downtown center.") and Heartland ("The density is not a problem: in fact we need it."). The section also cites "7 Steps to a better Downtown," which include affordable housing, mass transit and sewers, more parking, tax incentives, public spaces, mix of retail shops, and streets for walking.It was great to see so many Smart Growth concepts and project examples..

Check out the section online here.

 

MTA Capital Plan released: LI does all right

Last week, the MTA released its revised Capital Program for 2010-2014. The plan, available online here, is only funded for two years, but legally has to cover five years. Tri-State Transportation Campaign's Long Island Planner Ryan Lynch has done us the service of summarizing the impacts of the Capital Plan for Long Islanders

.Read his comments and more in SmartTalk here.

 

 

 

Meet me at the blackjack table?

This week, a breaking news story was released that the Shinnecock Indians are in talks with Nassau County to bring a casino to the Nassau Coliseum property, where the Lighthouse project is currently proposed. To say that most people were suprised by the announcement would be an understatement.

According to Newsday, County Executive Ed Mangano "has been in discussions with Shinnecock leaders since January about creating a 'entertainment-sports resort' on the 77-acre Coliseum site that would include a minor-league baseball stadium, a convention center and new hotels.

Today's Newsday analyzed the traffic impact of a casino near the Coliseum. Casinos are one of the worst traffic generators compared to other possible uses. They generate traffic 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and people drive much farther distances to reach them. Newsday cites Vision: "'Casinos are heavily auto-oriented unless they're in downtown city center,' said Eric Alexander, executive director of Vision Long Island, a not-for-profit that backs sustainable growth in the region. 'What made the Lighthouse work from a transportation perspective was you had synergy of people living and working around the Coliseum,' he said. 'Here you'd have a special use.'"

Though no details or numbers have been released on the casino plan yet, studies on similar casino plans in the northeast region have demonstrated massive traffic increases. Those traffic increases would cause more crashes and fatalities, not only because there are more cars on the road, but because casino traffic is more prone to accidents than normal traffic. This is primarily because drivers come from further away and therefore do not know the roads well, and because many people leaving the casino have consumed alcohol.

Some additional concerns that casino impact studies have cited include increased crime rates, that can spill into surrounding residential neighborhoods, gambling problems, drunk driving, nearby property value impacts, increased police needs, questionable effects on nearby local businesses and massive traffic problems which contribute to increased accidents, increased congestion and decreased air quality.

From a Smart Growth perspective, casinos are typically not walkable or mixed-use environments. However, there have been a select few examples throughout the country where casinos were planned or built in walkable neighborhoods. They have had both positive and negative impacts: In Michigan City, Indiana, a community-supported vision plan led by students at the Andrews University School of Architecture suggested redeveloping the area surrounding an existing casino into a mixed-use, pedestrian oriented center. In Detroit, 3 new casinos were recently built to help in overall downtown revitalization efforts, one of which is situated in an historic and walkable district. In Cincinnati, a developer is looking to build a green casino that would emphasize walkability. If a casino were built at the Nassau Coliseum site, the developers should absolutely consider incorporating similar mixed-use, walkable design elements as the Lighthouse project proposed.

So what next? There are still many regulatory hurdles. The Shinnecocks must first gain federal recognition, which is expected to happen this summer. According to Mangano, the Shinnecocks have agreed to list the Coliseum site a preferred site in its state application to build a casino. (Sites in Suffolk County are also being considered.) The project would not need approval from the Town of Hempstead, as the Lighthouse project needs, because the tribe would have federal development status. It would need approval from the County Legislature, who haven't been briefed on the plan yet. The Shinnecock tribe also has several levels of approval. Mangano's spokesperson said that he wants to see shovels in the ground by next year. Meanwhile, the Lighthouse development group has not been talking to the press, nor have they made any announcements about pulling out. Read more here.

Since the announcement on Tuesday, Vision's phones have been ringing off the hook. Some of the direct quotes we've received include, "This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard," "Now that's funny," "hahaha," "Oh My God," "Who the hell came up with this idea?" and "You're kidding, right?" Vision's Eric Alexander added, "Not once in the 1500+ community meetings that I have attended in the past 13 years have I heard someone say 'I want a casino.'"

Here are some additional quotes from Newsday:

Nassau County Legislator Diane Yatauro said that the plan is "a crapshoot."
Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray said "We need to see more details."
Council of East Meadow Community Organizations' Richard Bivone said, "To propose a casino, we think, would have a negative impact to all the surrounding communities."
Hofstra University National Center for Suburban Studies' Larry Levy suggested that "The casino proposal is 'part of a bigger political game' intended to boost prospects of the Lighthouse or other developments. (Local colleges are furious because underage students would be drawn to the casino as a social activity, among other things.)
Eric Alexander also said "Clearly, it's a shock to the system...But there are still a lot of question marks."

Do you have a different opinion? Or a better-worded one? Let us know what you think! Email us at info@visionlongisland.org or respond on the Vision Long Island Facebook page.

Support Complete Streets legislation

Sens. Craig Johnson, Brian Foley, Frank Padavan, among others co-sponsor Complete Streets Bill in NYS Senate

On Monday, April 19th, several Long Island community organizations, planning and advocacy groups, and government representatives joined together in New Hyde Park and Patchogue to participate in “Complete Streets Week: Making New York Walkable for All Generations.” The events were part of a week-long effort by AARP’s “Create The Good” campaign to survey 300 dangerous intersections throughout the state. The goal is to use the findings to demonstrate to state policymakers the need for state Complete Streets legislation that would create an approach to road design that balances the needs of all people. The two Long Island events were hosted by the collaborated efforts of groups including AARP, Vision Long Island, Tri-State Transportation Campaign and the American Cancer Society.

Complete Streets is a policy that ensures all users of the transportation system, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, children, seniors and individuals with disabilities are able to travel safely and conveniently on and across all roads. Designing roadways from a Complete Streets perspective will create safer and healthier environments for all users, as well as promote cycling and walking as viable forms of transportation. One study found that residents are 65% more likely to walk in a neighborhood with sidewalks. Complete Streets are critical to building more livable, Smart Growth-friendly communities.

Unfortunately, New York State ranks 3rd in the nation for pedestrian fatalities of people age 65 and older. Additionally, 22.5% of total traffic deaths in NYS are pedestrians. The national average was 11.8% in 2007-2008. An AARP report found that 2 in 5 Americans over age 50 say their neighborhood sidewalks are inadequate. Nearly half cannot cross main roads close to their home safely, preventing many from walking, cycling, or taking the bus. On Long Island there were 75 pedestrian deaths from 2006-2008, according to Tri-State Transportation Campaign’s “Most Dangerous Roads for Walking” study. The need to reform our streets is critical.

In New Hyde Park on Monday, participants gathered at the corner of Jericho Turnpike and New Hyde Park Road and began with a few brief remarks. Speakers included AARP New York’s Will Stoner, Tri-State’s Kate Slevin, and Vision’s Eric Alexander, all who supported the Complete Streets walkability concept. State Senator Craig Johnson attended and announced that he would support the Complete Streets bill currently being considered in the State Senate, S. 5711. A representative from the American Cancer Society spoke about the links between walkability, obesity and cancer. In addition, representatives of the Village of New Hyde Park, including Trustee Don Barbieri announced that they are planning several streetscape improvements that should begin this year, including updating curb cuts, creating some bulb-outs, installing countdown devices, planted medians, additional plantings and an overall effort on slowing traffic down.

The group then walked over a few blocks to S. 12th Street, where a pedestrian was recently struck and killed by a car. Armed with red safety vests, surveys, and stopwatches, the group looked at all the details of the intersection to determine where there were gaps in safety that could have contributed to the recent pedestrian death (and others that have occurred on Jericho Turnpike over the last few years—5 deaths from 2006-2008 and third most dangerous road in the County, according to the Tri-State report). The group found that the sidewalks and streetscapes were well-designed, but once the pedestrian stepped off the sidewalk there were problems. The crosswalk did not leave enough time for slow or elderly walkers to make it across before the light changed. Many group members suggested planted medians, and were happy to hear that Village officials planned to build them soon.

The day continued in Patchogue, beginning on the corner of W. Main Street and Haven Street. At that intersection, the group noticed that the curb cuts seemed to direct people directly into oncoming traffic. The crosswalk needed to be repainted and repaired and the crosswalk signal was not long enough for someone to get across: it only allowed 15 seconds. The group continued on to a second intersection. The intersection at Railroad Avenue and W. Main Street had no stop sign or even a stop line, so cars do not know where to stop for pedestrians. This causes people to have to go around the cars and walk slower into Main Street where there is more traffic. There was no crosswalk signal--they seemed to only be on Main Street. The final intersection the group surveyed was S. Ocean and Main Street, a very busy intersection where someone was recently killed. The lines need to be repainted, the sidewalks on S. Ocean need to be fixed, the traffic speeds and the left turn signal is only going east.

Additional supporters of the day’s events include Congressman Tim Bishop, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, State Senator Craig Johnson, State Senator Brian Foley, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, and St. Joseph’s College.

A Complete Streets bill is currently on the table for consideration in the New York State Senate. Please support this critical bill, Senate Bill 5711, to ensure the streets in YOUR community are designed to be complete and safe for all users! Call (800) 295-5855 to reach your State Senator!

Complete Streets bills have passed in several states including Connecticut, California, Oregon, Massachusetts, Illinois, and Virginia. A federal bill was first proposed in March 2009. You can also support federal bill S. 584 / H.R. 1443.

 

Smart Growth in Connecticut

Every now and then, it is important for organizations like ours to connect with redevelopment progress in other places. On March 18th, Vision's Executive Director, Eric Alexander, participated in the Third Annual Smart Growth Conference, hosted by 1000 Friends of Connecticut. The conference drew 300 people, representing a wide range of professions and interests from Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and Massachusetts.

Eric participated in the workshop session, How Complete Streets Can Transform Our Communities. Connecticut passed a statewide Complete Streets bill in 2009, which requires that all transportation projects address the needs of all road users, including bicyclists and pedestrians. New York State is currently considering a Complete Streets bill, as is the federal government.

Other workshops at the conference included Clean Water and Smart Growth; Active Transportation; The Zoning Tool Box Project; Through the Lens of Climate Change and Sustainability; The New London Parade Project; Downtown Hartford and the iQuilt Project; Supporting Smart Growth Projects: The New 1000 Friends Scorecard Program; Rethinking Hartford's I-84 Viaduct; Culture & Economy; Utilizing History and The Arts to Revitalize Downtown Danbury; The Sustainable Communities Initiative; Conservation & Development; and Brownfields Redevelopment.

Featured speakers throughout the day included Sue Merrow of 1000 Friends of Connecticut; Hartford Mayor Eddie A. Perez; a talk by Rick Gustafson of Portland Streetcars on Development Oriented Transit; David Owen, author Green Metropolis; and Tom Condon, editor of Place commentary of the Hartford Courant.

The conference organizers received an overwhelming positive response to the conference!

 

LIPA and Suffolk Transportation Services to install solar panels at Bay Shore headquarters

The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) has partnered with Suffolk Transportation Service to bring solar energy to the state-of-the-art headquarters in Bay Shore. The 255-panel PV system will cost $366,678. LIPA, through its Solar Entrepreneur Program, provided a significant rebate of $96,000 which will help reduce the out-of-pocket expense for the system. In addition, Suffolk Transportation Service may be able to further reduce the cost of the system via Federal and State tax incentives. LIPA President and CEO Kevin S. Law presented the large solar rebate check last week.

“I am proud to say LIPA’s nationally recognized Solar Pioneer and Entrepreneur Programs have rebated over $59 million since inception,” said LIPA President and CEO Kevin Law. “With our renewable programs and customers like Suffolk Transportation Service’s environmentally conscious vision, Long Island is becoming more and more independent of fossil fuel.”

Suffolk Transportation Service installed a solar electric generating photovoltaic (PV) system totaling 51 kilowatts (kW) which will produce a total of approximately 57,623 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity annually. This will save the facility approximately $10,718 in electricity costs annually.

“Suffolk Transportation prides itself on providing safe, reliable transportation for its riders, said President John J. Corrado. “The installation of solar at this state-of-the-art headquarters in Bay Shore, NY reinforces this commitment. Using PV to produce electricity for the facility creates an environmentally friendly building for the community while saving money for the company to utilize on future investments.

 

Sustainability Institute at Molloy College holds Green economy event

On Friday, March 12th, the Sustainability Institute at Molloy College hosted Molloy's Joseph F. Maher Forum, "The Green Economy: Promise and Potential" at the college's Rockville Centre campus. Over 450 people attended, including advocacy groups, members of the green industry and Molloy students.

Molloy College Vice President for Advancement Ed Thompson moderated the event, and began by introducing keynote speaker Peter Fusaro, Chairman and Founder of Global Change Associates and author of the NY Times Bestseller What Went Wrong at Enron. Fusaro concentrated on the importance of marketability for green initiatives: the private sector won't get involved in the green movement based on solely an environmental argument--people need to see the economic benefits. Currently, the government is by far the most active sector involved in combating climate change through grants and carbon reduction goals (albeit they are making pretty wimpy commitments). The private sector ought to be more involved, but they will need some incentives to do so.

After Fusaro spoke, two distinguished panels spoke on "Government Policy That Promotes Green Job Creation" and "The Nuts and Bolts of Green Jobs." The first panel, moderated by Neal Lewis of the Sustainability Institute, included Richard Kessel of the New York Power Authority, Kevin Law of the Long Island Power Authority, Supervisor Steve Bellone of the Town of Babylon, and Former U.S. Senator/Founder of Park Strategies Alfonse D'Amato. The panelists represented a good balance, as they were knowledgeable about federal, state, regional and local green initiatives. They insisted that the economics of these green initiatives have to make sense in order to market them to the private sector: people will not invest in green simply for the sake of the environment, they need to anticipate financial benefits.

The second panel was moderated by Kristopher Shaw of Crescent Energy, and speakers included Albert Harsch of Eastern Energy Systems, Dawn Dzurilla or Gaia Human Capital Consultants, David Schieren of EmPower, John Cameron of Cameron Engineering, Ross Ain of Caithness Long Island, John Durso of Local 338/RWDSU/UFCW, Raymond List of EnLink Geoenergy, and Micah Kotch of the NYC ACRE Initiative at Polytechnic Institute, NYU. This panel focused on the importance of federal and state grant money coming in to incentivize hiring in the private sector, but the longevity of these incentives leaves a lot to be desired. A company may be able to increase hiring this year thanks for federal stimulus money, but what about next year when those funds disappear?Learn more about the Sustainability Institute here.

 

Brookhaven officials break ground on Shirley sewers

Brookhaven Town officials, along with State and Federal representatives broke ground yesterday on the $10 million Shirley sewer project. Sewer District #2, slated for completion some time next year, will help the Town expand Brookhaven R&D Plaza in Shirley. The light industrial complex area has been stunted by a lack of adequate sewers for decades. The actual construction would add 30 short-term construction jobs and the completed facility would make it possible for businesses to move in and create upwards of 500 new, permanent positions.

The project is being funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, half from a grant and the rest in an ARRA loan. US Congressman Tim Bishop, who attended the event, was vital in securing the stimulus dollars. He said, “this stimulus-funded project will provide immediate construction jobs and lay the foundation for long-term private sector growth in Brookhaven." He continued, "expanded sewer capacity in the Empire Zone is exactly the kind of investment we need to be making in our community’s future." The finished property will comply with the Pine Barrens act, which mandates the maintenance of natural vegetation on 35% of the lot area.

Read more in Newsday. Congressman Tim Bishop's press release is available here

Vision co-hosts first LEED®-ND conference

This past Tuesday, March 23rd, Vision Long Island co-sponsored not only Long Island's, but the possibly the country's first ever LEED®-ND Conference, along with the Sustainability Institute at Molloy College (where the conference took place), the US Green Building Council Long Island Chapter, and the Congress for the New Urbanism New York Chapter.. The conference drew nearly 100 attendees from various sectors in the region and beyond.

The full day conference reviewed, in detail, all credits for the new program, recently approved by the CNU, USGBC and Natural Resources Defense Council after a successful pilot program. LEED®-ND stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, Neighborhood Development. Accreditation is based on a point scale from different categories, prerequisites and credits.There are a total of 110 points, 10 of which are bonus points. The levels for certification are: Certified: 40-49 points; Silver: 50-59 points; Gold: 60-79 points; and Platinum: 80 points and above. There are three major categories, each of which was covered by a different panel.

The first category is Smart Location and Linkage. There are five prerequisites that do not give points, but are necessary to get any points in the category: Smart Location, Imperiled Species and Ecological Communities, Wetland and Water Body Conservation, Agricultural Land Conservation, and Floodplain Avoidance. From there, up to 27 points can be gained in 9 areas, including Preferred Locations, Brownfield Redevelopment, Locations with Reduced Automobile Dependence, Bicycle Network and Storage, Housing and Jobs Proximity, Steep Slope Protection, and Site Design, Restoration, and Long-Term Conservation Management for Habitat or Wetland and Water Body. Panelists who covered this category included Mike Lydon of Streets Plan Collaborative and co-author of the Smart Growth Manual, Marc Wouters of Cooper, Robertson, & Partners and a CNU-NY member, Michael Gianchetta of the USGBC-LI, Neal Lewis of the Sustainability Institute and Luis Miguel Salinas of PS&S. The panel was moderated by Vision's Eric Alexander.

The second category is Neighborhood Pattern and Design, which gets into the heart of many Smart Growth principles. There are three prerequisites: Walkable Streets, Compact Development, and Connected and Open Community. There are then 15 categories than can accrue up to 44 possible points. They include: Walkable Streets, Compact Development, Mixed-Use Neighborhood Centers, Mixed-Income Diverse Communities, Reduced Parking Footprint, Street Network, Transit Facilities, Transportation Demand Management, Access to Civic and Public Spaces, Access to Recreation Facilities, Visitability and Universal Design, Community Outreach and Involvement, Local Food Production, Tree-Lined and Shaded Streets, and Neighborhood Schools. Panelists included Alex Latham of ADL III Architecture, David Kim of Anderson Kim Architecture and Urban Design, Brandon Palanker of Renaissance Downtowns and Jay Valgora of Studio V. It was moderated by Vision's Elissa Ward.

Finally, panelists covered the third category: Green Infrastructure and Building. These "non-sexy" items focus on going green in a traditional sense and can gain applicants up to 29 points. The four prerequisites are Certified Green Building (need at least one on the project site), Minimum Building Energy Efficiency, Minimum Building Water Efficiency, and Construction Activity Pollution Prevention. The 17 credits include: Certified Green Buildings, Building Energy Efficiency, Building Water Efficiency, Water-Efficient Landscaping, Existing Building Reuse, Historic Resource Preservation and Adaptive Reuse, Minimized Site Disturbance in Design and Construction, Stormwater Management, Heat Island Reduction, Solar Orientation, On-Site Renewable Energy Sources, District Heating and Cooling, Infrastructure Energy Efficiency, Wastewater Management, Recycled Content in Infrastructure, Solid Waste Management Infrastructure, and Light Pollution Reduction. Panelists for this category included Paul Cataldo of USGBC-LI, Councilman Steve Fiore-Rosenfeld of the Town of Brookhaven, Joseph Fleming of PS&S, Michael Gianchetta of USGBC-LI and Andrew Mannit of Neighborhood Network. It was moderated by Keith Samaroo of PS&S.

There are a few ways to gain extra credits. You can send a request to the USGBC for 1-5 Innovation and Design Process points, which either do not fit into any categories or go above-and-beyond what is there. You can get one point for having a LEED® Accredited Professional on the project's staff. There are also Regional Priority Credits, which vary based on zip code.

Each panel included an engaging question and answer session, from which a few central themes arose. We need to establish the political will to build LEED-ND: this will include community education and involvement. Perhaps the biggest impediment to LEED-ND development is existing zoning that allows sprawl to perpetuate. Moving forward we will need strong partnerships between municipalities, the private sector, and not for profit sectors. Additional comments centered around pre-car age town planning, which allows a great framework to redevelop for LEED-ND. People wanted to see a focus on affordable housing and affordable transit. Finally, the panelists announced that some points are difficult to go after.

However, moving forward, the panelists and attendees were hopeful that LEED-ND will become the new building trend throughout the country! We will need strong partnerships between municipalities, the private sector, and not for profit sectors. 

Top row, from left: Paul Cataldo (USGBC-LI Chapter), Andrew Mannit (Neighborhood Network), Mike Gianchetta (USGBC-LI Chapter), Hon. Steve Fiore-Rosenfeld (Councilman, Town of Brookhaven), Neal Lewis (Sustainability Institute at Molloy College), Joe Fleming (PS&S)
Bottom row, from left: Mike Lydon (Streets Plan Initiative), Miguel Salinas (USGBC), Alex Latham (ADL III Architecture), Keith Samaroo (PS&S), Brandon Palanker (Renaissance Downtowns), and Jay Valgora (Studio V Architecture).

 

Dowling College hosts first Long Island Youth Summit for high school students

Last Friday, March 5th, Dowling College hosted the first ever Long Island Youth Summit for high school students. Nearly 150 students participated, proving that young Long Islanders are eager to learn about the region's issues and find intelligent solutions. The students were selected from hundreds of applicants based on the essays, videos, and photography projects they submitted.

The students gathered for breakfast and listened to some opening remarks, including a keynote presentation by Adrienne Esposito of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. Adrienne inspired the teens to be environmental activists, including her top ten list of things you can do to promote a healthy planet. She started with a prop and the words "What is this vile object in my hand?!" Dumping the plastic bag was just one simple way that teens can reduce waste.

Next, the students broke away into seven workshop sessions to learn more about Long Island's issues and to propose solutions to those problems. Workshops included: Open Space and Water; Renewable Energy; Housing; Transportation; LI Economic Growth and Employment; LI Governance and Civic Activism; and Race, Class, and Education. Expert panelists led the workshops, including Adrienne Esposito, Sustainability Institute's Beth Fiteni, Renaissance Downtowns' Brandon Palanker, ADL III Architecture's Alex Latham, Tri-State Transportation Campaign's Ryan Lynch, Verizon's Susan Hayes, Concerned Citizens of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Community's Carol Meschkow, Long Island Progressive Coalition's Lisa Tyson, Kristen Walsh from the Office of U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Nassau County Equal Opportunity Commission's Diana Coleman. Vision's Eric Alexander also participated in the Economic Growth and Employment panel.

After the workshops and lunch, the students came back together and each group presented their findings. The transportation group looked at three major areas: reducing congestion, improving transit, and encouraging walkability. Solutions included bus-rapid transit, better rail service, more bike paths, better sidewalk conditions to encourage walking and building downtown centers to encourage more walking. The governance and civic activism group proposed consolidating special districts, or establishing one central Long Island district with local chapters for a balanced system. The housing workshop proposed more rentals and apartments, especially concentrated in downtown centers and near transit stations. Many of the overall solutions reinforced what many LI adults already know but haven't taken action on yet.

Nassau EOC's Diana Coleman closed out the program with a final call to action for the young Long Islanders. Students left the event feeling inspired to make a difference in their communities.

The Youth Summit was featured on the front page of Monday's Newsday with the title: "Students on LI's Future: If You Won't Fix It, We Will." Joye Brown's column quoted Eric Alexander speaking casually after the event, "These kids are in high school and they get it...They don't have the technical language, but they get it." Brown writes, "Ah, youth. It's a time when things are up or down, in or out, right or wrong. Ambiguity doesn't come until later. And neither does fear, inertia and a stubborn resistance to change. But Long Island needs to accept--and take charge of--needed change, or risk letting one of the most livable places in the nation wither up and die."For the last two years, Vision Long Island has included a Youth Summit for college students as a part of the annual Smart Growth Summit. That Youth Summit spurred this one for high school students, as organized by Vision board member and Dowling College professor Dr. Nathalia Rogers.

Special thanks goes out to Dr. Rogers for organizing this inspiring event! Read Joye Brown's column here.

 

Hicksville visioning moves forward

Last Thursday evening, March 4th, Vision hosted the second public meeting for the Downtown Hicksville Revitalization at the Hicksville Community Center. Over 150 residents, business owners, civic leaders and agency representatives showed up to impact the future of their neighborhood. After opening remarks from the Hicksville Community Council, the presentations got underway. Vision's Eric Alexander and Elissa Ward led much of the meeting, along with members of the study team. A theme of the meeting was a worry over excessive bureaucracy on the way to implementation. The study team reminded the crowd that we need to take the ideas from these meetings directly to the leaders, as we have begun doing already.

The Vision design team was led by AECOM, with assistance PS&S, Anderson|Kim Architects, StreetsPlan Collaborative, ADL III Architecture and Steve Meehan Landscape Architecture.

The number one goal for Hicksville, based off of the results from the first community meeting held in January, is improving walkability. The study team also focused their work on ways to capture some of the 56,000 cars a day that come through Hicksville via Routes 106/107. They broke down the revitalization work into three phases. In the short term, there could be a farmer's market (a very popular idea), a food cart, arts improvements along major roads and some streetscape improvements. Some of these things could happen as soon as this summer. The second phase would include private investments to boost a cultural arts district, nightlife, more restaurants, open space, infill development and senior housing. The long term goals would be a large, private investment in the area, including a possible hotel. Other presentations mentioned a new park on the "triangle" town center area, code revisions that would do things like building closer to the street front (Hicksville's current zoning codes allow for some great flexibility already), improving on-street and structured parking and making use of various grants and funding sources that are available.

During the Q & A, residents showed a united front of supporting revitalization through infill and beautification efforts. Suggestions included decreasing the speed limit now, improving lighting in the downtown, considering security and surveillance in the park, including green building design, lowering any burden on existing business owners, fixing the parking near the train station, alleviating commercial truck traffic on 106/107 and strengthening relationships between civics and businesses.

At the end of the meeting, nearly everyone in attendance raised their hand in response to the question "do you support this vision for revitalization?" Stay tuned for more news from this energized community!

 

Transportation advocacy on the Hill

On February 24th and 25th, Vision's Eric Alexander traveled to Washington DC for some good old fashioned Congressional advocacy. There were two major components to the trip. The first was with a group called Go21, a Virginia-based organization that is dedicated to finding solutions to our nation's increasing freight transportation needs (or, Growth Options for the 21st Century). Hundreds of rail advocates descended upon Washington on "American Railroad Day," though Eric was the only Long Islander to be seen! The main agenda item of the group was to push for tax incentive legislation for businesses that meet their freight needs through rail. This action item would improve job development in an important field that promotes environmental sustainability as well as livable communities.

The second agenda was a Long Island-specific one, with similar legislative items to the ones covered at the statewide Long Island Lobby Day last month. We covered transportation, sewers, and Smart Growth projects.

For transportation, there were three main legislative items. First was the passage of a federal Complete Streets bill (S.584/H.R. 1443). Complete Streets is a policy that ensures all users of the transportation system, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, children, seniors and individuals with disabilities are able to travel safely and conveniently on and across federally funded streets and highways. Designing roadways from a Complete Streets perspective will create safer environments for all users, as well as promote cycling and walking as viable forms of transportation. Complete Streets bills have passed in several states including California, Oregon, Massachusetts, Illinois, and Virginia (a bill is on the table for discussion in New York). A federal bill, as first proposed in March 2009, would provide tremendous benefits to Long Island’s transportation system.

Federal Assistance for Transit Operations (H.R. 2746), which would allow public transit agencies representing cities larger than 200,000 people to flex part of their capital transit funds, including stimulus dollars, for operating expenses, creating greater flexibility for use of federal dollars in urban areas. The cash-strapped MTA would benefit immensely from this bill.

The famous "jobs bill" (The Jobs for Main Street Act, H.R. 2847) has the opportunity to incorporate large-scale transportation investments in its goal of putting Americans back to work. The House version of the bill, which passed in December 2009, redirects $75 billion in Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) savings from Wall Street to Main Street to fund infrastructure and job investments. The infrastructure investments, worth $48.3 billion total, include $27.5 billion in highway infrastructure and $8.4 billion for public transportation, as well as funds for Amtrak, airports and more. The Senate version of the bill, passed last week, greatly maintains the status quo of transportation funding and policy. Both versions extend the deadline for reauthorizing the Surface Transportation Program until September 30, 2010. The current transportation program, SAFETEA-LU, places an unbalanced emphasis on highways over transit. We want the jobs bill to move forward as soon as possible while ensuring that critical transportation components do not get watered down.

Sewers- Federal support for water infrastructure had dropped about 70 percent over the last two decades, delaying critical maintenance and necessary upgrades. Hundreds of sewage and wastewater treatment facilities have deteriorated and needs have been identified for establishing new infrastructure to assist existing communities. Even with federal stimulus dollars total sewer spending is very low. New York State received over 600 applications for wastewater projects around the state for 2010, but depending on the size and cost of those selected, officials anticipate funding between 70 and 80 projects. Long Islanders agree that a key step in preparing for growth and maintaining our existing population is to ensure that sewer infrastructure is adequately maintained, upgraded and expanded in key communities. In order for downtowns to thrive, population density must increase and new businesses need to open. Smart Growth cannot occur in communities without sewers. With inevitable population growth imminent on Long Island—NYMTC predicts 307,000 new residents in Suffolk and 154,000 in Nassau by the year 2035—sewer infrastructure must be in place to ensure that growth is accommodated in an intelligent and protective manner. Vision Long Island supports funding for the following waste water infrastructure priorities on Long Island: Mastic/Shirley, Bay Park STP, Wyandanch, Rocky Point, Bergen Point, Smithtown/Kings Park, and Northport.

Finally, we reviewed the status of Smart Growth projects on Long Island. There are many Smart Growth projects of various size and scale that should advance on Long Island to accommodate future growth, including new communities and transit-oriented developments. All of these projects have undergone significant a significant public process and are poised to move forward pending funding and some approvals. One key funding mechanism for moving these and other local projects forward are Community Development Block Grants, which should be fully funded in the next budget. Projects we support include: the Lighthouse, Glen Isle and revitalizations in Riverhead, Hicksville and Brookhaven.

Over the two days, Eric met with Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Congressman Steve Israel, Congressman Tim Bishop, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, Congressman Gary Ackerman, staff for Congressman Peter King and Congressman Jerrold Nadler. There was an overall receptive tone from the lawmakers, as well as some agreements to co-sponsor some of the bills we presented. We are hopeful that there will be transportation and sewer investments in the near future.

 

Long Island Leadership convenes in Albany for second annual LI Lobby Day

On Tuesday, February 9th, 50 Long Island leaders traveled up in a bus to Albany for the second annual Long Island Lobby Day. The LI Lobby Day Coalition met with over a dozen Senators, Assembly members, senior staff and agencies to remind leaders that Long Island priorities cannot be ignored. There was an overall positive tone throughout the day and the group successfully delivered our message of a vital Long Island agenda.

The Long Island Lobby Day Coalition formed in 2009 in response to political chaos in Albany that put politics first and public service second. The groups in the growing coalition represent over 30 Long Island businesses, environmental groups, civics, human services, Smart Growth planners, labor groups and transportation advocates and includes: AARP, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Empire State Future, Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce, Long Island Federation of Labor, Long Island Business Council, Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Long Island Software and Technology Network, Nassau-Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless, Suffolk Community Council, Tri-State Transportation Campaign and Vision Long Island. Participating organizations have included Coram Civic Association, Dowling College, Fair Media Council, Friends of Edgewood Preserve, Friends of Huntington Station, Glen Cove Business Improvement District, Gordon Heights Civic Association, Gordon Heights Chamber of Commerce, Hicksville Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Huntington, Let there be Lighthouse, Long Island Housing Partnership, Mastic Beach Property Owners, Middle Island Civic Association, Neighborhood Network, New York League of Conservation Voters-LI Chapter, Plainview/Old Bethpage Chamber of Commerce, Renaissance Downtowns, Rocky Point Civic Association, Save the Forge River, US Green Building Council and Youth of Ethical Societies-LI Chapter.

The coalition developed a substantive platform for the day that will help Long Island. It includes five key issues:Transportation, Energy and Environment, Human Services, Small Business, Jobs and Economic Development and Sewer Infrastructure. Also included are key pieces of state legislation. Here is a brief rundown of the five issue areas that were covered (the full platform is available here):

1) Transportation
a) Road Improvements – Fix it First
b) Regional Bus- (S.5702/ A.08520)
c) Road Improvements - Complete Streets (S.05711/ A.08587)
d) Multimodal transportation solutions - Lighthouse and Heartland Town Square

2) Energy and Environment
a) Offshore Wind
b) Ban Pesticides on School Green Fields (Child Safe Playing Fields Act- S.4983a/A.7937)

3) Human Services – Universal Design

4) Small Businesses, Jobs & Economic Development
a) The Small Business Revolving Loan Fund
b) The Excelsior New Jobs Program
c) Restore New York
d) Reducing LIPA debt

5) Sewers & Infrastructure: Funding and 6 Long Island Sewers Priority List
a) Mastic/Shirley
b) Bay Park, Nassau County
c) Wyandanch
d) Rocky Point
e) Bergen Point, Suffolk County
f) Smithtown/Kings Park
g) NYS Smart Growth Infrastructure Act (S5560/A8011)

The day began with a press conference where the group introduced these issues and the themes for the day. Despite the political chaos that seems to have gripped Albany in the past year, Long Island wants and deserves strong leadership. It is possible for lawmakers to deal with their internal issues and make policy at the same time. There has been some good statewide progress over the past few years, such as the Smart Growth Cabinet, but as a whole, we need to refocus politics to the grassroots now. The group emphasized that these are not Republican or Democrat issues, but are universal to all Long Islanders. The proposed action items are all common sense and budget-neutral, as they already exist in some form. The coalition met with: Senator Majority Leader John Sampson, Senator Brian Foley, Senator Craig Johnson, Senator Dean Skelos, Senator Chuck Fuschillo, Senator John Flanagan, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Assemblyman Chuck Lavine, Assemblyman Phil Ramos, Assemblyman Robert Sweeney, Assemblyman Marc Alessi, Assemblyman Andrew Raia, Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel, Assemblyman Joseph Saladino and members of Governor Paterson’s staff. In addition, the group met with the Environmental Facilities Corporation about Long Island’s sewage infrastructure needs.

Read full coverage of the day's events in our special e-newsletter here.

 

Wyandanch Sewer Plan Clogged

Six months ago, Town of Babylon Supervisor Steve Bellone announced that the distressed community of Wyandanch would receive new sewers to allow for downtown revitalization and growth. The Supervisor promised that the sewers would lead to new shops and sidewalks on a vibrant main street. However, the process is now stalled while the community waits for its allotted federal stimulus dollars to come in from the State. The Town is waiting to find out when and how much money it will receive from a $2 billion federal drinking water infrastructure fund. They are expecting $10-12 million to install the sewer lines, which Long Island Business News says is "a necessary precursor to the $500 million redevelopment of Straight Path. The project will encompass 134 acres, including 50 acres in the area’s downtown that will house European-style plazas, fountains and an ice skating rink. The road is being rebuilt from four lanes to two with street parking and medians to slow traffic down through the area." 

Bellone said that design work for the downtown project should be completed by the end of this year, which is when the sewer installation should be taking place: “This is about creating a downtown in an existing community by infilling that underdeveloped commercial corridor,” Bellone said. “Wyandanch has a lot of challenges that it faces, including a lack of infrastructure and a problem with crime and poverty.”

LIBN cited this week's Long Island Lobby Day. Wyandanch was on the group's list of priority sewer funding projects: "Eric Alexander, executive director of Vision Long Island, who helped organize meetings with state legislators regarding sewer projects and other issues, said sewers are an important piece of infrastructure necessary to build the smart growth downtowns that are deemed necessary by reports such as the Long Island Index. He said the areas on the lobbying group’s priority list have their engineering profiles complete. They just need the necessary money to make it happen. 'We have to keep the momentum going,' Alexander said. 'We need to make sure Long Island gets its fair share.'"

 

Hicksville residents unite over revitalization efforts near train station

On Saturday January 23rd, over 150 enthusiastic Hicksville residents, civic leaders and property owners met to discuss the future of downtown Hicksville.  Hicksville has a lot of history and is home to one of the largest and busiest railroad stations on Long Island.  Currently, the area finds itself at a crossroads:  the shops and stores surrounding the train station are in dire need of an update and there is an increasing vacancy rate.  The area surrounding the train station should be a place where both residents and commuters want to relax with a cup of coffee, grab a drink after work, take the family out to dinner or just walk around and enjoy the scenery.  There is so much potential for this part of Hicksville to become a vibrant, economic asset to the community.

The meeting covered issues taking place not just in Hicksville, but across all of Long Island, from young people leaving at an alarming rate to a diminishing tax base to a lack of job opportunities and senior and next generation housing.  Residents at the meeting were able to address exactly what they want and do not want to come out of this project. Presentations from Vision Long Island's design team included AECOM, PS&S, Anderson|Kim, ADL III Architecture and Economic Research Associates covered pedestrian safety, parking management, the need for next generation and senior housing, promoting transit-oriented development (TOD) and essentially transforming the look and design of the study area.

Setting a positive tone to the meeting, residents had far more “hopes” for the proposed revitalization than “horrors.”  The biggest fear seemed to be that nothing would take place and the community would remain stagnant.  Residents were also concerned about traffic and the empty parking lots that have become eyesores.  The hopes included increasing the number of parks and greenery to create an area rich in cultural arts and family activities, filling vacant stores, creating a restaurant row and increasing walkability. While still in its early stages, the project holds a lot of potential.  The community is rallying around the initial proposals and while this meeting was only a very small step, it was certainly in the right direction for a community seeking change. The Hicksville Chamber of Commerce and Hicksville Community Council sponsored the downtown revitalization workshop. There will be a follow-up presentation to the community on Thursday, March 4th.

 

Riverhead Supervisor Holds "Downtown Summit"

 

Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter and the Town of Riverhead held a “Downtown Summit” on Friday morning, February 5th at 121 East Main Street, Riverhead. Over 100 developers, property owners and community members attended the event.

The past few years have seen Riverhead’s downtown fall onto hard times with the vacancy rate sitting at approximately 70 percent. A longtime “Master Developer” agreement with Apollo Enterprises was recently cancelled by the Town with a number of projects slated to be built in Riverhead stagnating since then.

“The longest journey begins with the first step," said Town Supervisor Walter, "I have organized this ‘summit’ as a first step to bring capital sources, potential tenants, business owners, landlords, developers and governmental agencies together to talk, meet and discuss the future of downtown Riverhead. The Summit will be the first step in a new way of doing business in Riverhead. No longer will we complain or cry about downtown. Today we will roll up our sleeves and get to work. Today we begin the process of renewing our downtown.” Read more in Long Island Business News. A full update from the meeting will be published in next week's newsletter.

 

Pedestrian Safety Report released, Long Island roads worst in the region

The Tri-State Transportation Campaign released its annual report, “Most Dangerous Roads for Walking: And How States Can Make Them Safer.” The report uses three years of federal data, from 2006-2008, to pinpoint the exact location of pedestrian fatalities in the tri-state region. For the first time this year, Tri-State created a Google Map image to graphically demonstrate exactly where those pedestrian deaths occurred.

Once again, Long Island roads top the list for most pedestrian deaths in the region. Hempstead Turnpike in Nassau came in first with 13 deaths in the three year period. Sunrise Highway in Suffolk came in second with 11 deaths, and Middle Country Road in Suffolk tied for third place with 9 deaths.

The report finds that more than 1,200 pedestrians have been killed by car collisions in the three year period. It also found that over 60% of these deaths occur on multi-lane arterial roads. The report stresses the importance of pedestrian safety projects, as they offer inexpensive ways to reduce pedestrian deaths and injuries. Additional recommendations in the report include boosting funding for the Safe Routes to School, Safe Routes to Transit, and Safe Routes for Seniors programs; designating a fair share of federal funding to improving bicycling and walking; and enacting meaningful complete streets legislation.

Download the full report and more on Tri-State Transportation Campaign's website.

In addition, transportation advovate Ryan Lynch, of Tri-State Transportation Campaign, had a letter printed in Newsday on December 31st titled "Islandwide partnership." Here is the link to the letter; below are some excerpts:

Partnership works. County Executives Steve Levy and Edward Mangano should be applauded for their initial willingness to work together to address regional issues ["Working together," Opinion, Dec. 23].

Supporting key transit investment projects, like the Third Track and double- tracking the Ronkonkoma line, as well as channeling funding to municipalities willing to promote smart growth and develop in a more sustainable manner, would be good first steps.

Presenting a united front on these issues will show that the region is willing to adapt to meet the economic, environmental and quality-of-life issues of the 21st century.

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