LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE: CITIZENS DESERVE A VOICE AND A PLAN!

Huntington’s Comprehensive Plan was created to protect and preserve our town’s colonial and cultural riches, scenic waterfront, vibrant village center, suburban neighborhoods, commercial zones, green, open spaces — and our aquifer!

But in recent years, recreational facilities, historical sites, open land, and single-family neighborhoods have been either destroyed or threatened by developers building high density luxury housing, squeezing every dollar they can get out of our communities -- because the town council grants zone changes that violate the Comprehensive Plan.

From the destruction of Indian Hills in Northport to the destruction of equestrian facilities and the construction of high density housing p in the Whitman Heritage Corridor, from housing built on water authority land on Spring Street, to the spot-zoning schemes threatening Dix Hills and the development of a former bird sanctuary in Halesite, developers keep on threatening the character and beauty of our town -- as well as our irreplaceable open spaces. 

UPDATE: NOW TOWN OFFICIALS HAVE VOTED TO ADD 1500 APARTMENTS IN MELVILLE —  WITHOUT AN AREA PLAN OR A COMPREHENSIVE IMPACT STUDY, DEVELOPERS WILL ADD 1500 MORE RESIDENCES AND DOZENS OF INTENSIVE USE ESTABLISHMENTS IN AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE GROUNDWATER RECHARGE AREA — A SITE WHERE OUR AQUIFER IS REPLENISHED — AND DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE ALREADY CONGESTED ROUTE 110. THIS NEW ZONING VIOLATES OUR TOWN’S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AND THE COUNCIL’S PROCEEDINGS VIOLATE SEQRA’S LAW FOR FULL DISCLOSURE OF ALL POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.

When it comes to new housing, town officials must work with the people and adhere to the Comprehensive Plan for sustainable solutions protecting the quality of life that makes Huntington such a special place to live.

·         We request a moratorium on all change of code/zone applications until a panel of civic leaders is created to discuss the Comprehensive Plan with town officials on an ongoing basis – as required in the plan itself -- ensuring that new developments adhere to a plan that preserves and protects our history, green spaces and treasured landmarks.

·          We also request that all applications submitted to the town boards -- and all correspondence pertaining to those applications -- be publicly posted as PDF files on the town web site as soon as they are submitted. When changes to our community are proposed, we deserve this transparency so that we can engage in productive DIALOGUE with our town officials.