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Town of Smithtown planning board

By Chris Mellides

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Concerned local property owners were joined by members of Saint James-Head of the Harbor Neighborhood Preservation Coalition and other representatives to block the planned subdivision by Gyrodyne to repurpose the 63-acre Flowerfield site. A legal challenge was filed April 26 to overturn the March 30 preliminary subdivision approval by the Town of Smithtown Planning Board.

The application proposal from Gyrodyne included a multistory 125-room hotel along with 250 assisted living housing units, 175,000 square feet of office space, parking to accommodate over 2,000 cars and a 7-acre sewage plant. 

Among those who spoke at Tuesday’s press conference on the corner of Mills Pond Road and Route 25A outside of Flowerfield were local attorney Joseph Bollhofer; Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook); legal counselor E. Christopher Murray; and Judy Ogden, Head of the Harbor village trustee and neighborhood preservation coalition spokesperson. 

“Our lawsuit has been filed and the decision to file this litigation against the Smithtown government was not made lightly,” Bollhofer said. “Like many of you, I love this town. I grew up here, my wife was born in St. James. In the 1970s, I did my Eagle Scout project for the benefit of the people in this town.”

Bollhofer went on to say that the “Smithtown government is doing a very good job” yet its handling of the Gyrodyne application has been bungled. “It’s been our hope that we are able to preserve this property,” he added. “We’ve been doing our best to get the people involved with this to come together to try and find a way to get the money to pay Gyrodyne fair compensation for this open space.”

Representing Three Village Civic Association was Herb Mones. “Smithtown has to go back and review its determinations on this property,” he said, while also saying that in the opinion of many in the civic association, the Town of Smithtown did not pay close enough attention to the law that required them to “carefully review what the buildout would mean to the surrounding community.”

Living just 600 feet up the road from Flowerfield, Ogden spoke on behalf of residents in the communities of both St. James and Head of the Harbor. Together, Ogden said community members have been speaking publicly against the Gyrodyne subdivision application for the past two years.

“We’ve been speaking at public forums, at Zoom meetings, writing letters and sending emails at every opportunity that has been provided to express our concerns with the proposed Gyrodyne megadevelopment,” she said. “But no matter what we say or how many people show up, our voices have been ignored.”

For more than a year, opponents to the subdivision application have said that the environmental impacts of changes Gyrodyne made to its original plan after the initial environmental review was completed have not been evaluated and “did not comply with state law,” according to a press release issued on the day of the event.

“The role of government is to show leadership, which represents all people of the community and follows a comprehensive plan steering development in the right direction, while preserving and enhancing the nature of our community and natural resources,” said Ogden.

Local citizens are concerned that a proposed sewage plant on the Gyrodyne property in St. James will negatively affect local waterways. Photo by Chrissy Swain

The Town of Smithtown’s Planning Board voted unanimously March 30 to give Gyrodyne preliminary subdivision approval for its property located on Route 25A in St. James.

Before the company receives final subdivision approval from town officials, which would then allow development on the property, it must secure approvals from Suffolk County Department of Health Services and Department of Public Works, New York State Department of Transportation and final subdivision map approval from Smithtown, according to a press release from Gyrodyne. 

The pending approvals require the company to provide additional engineering analysis due to a proposed sewage treatment plant, traffic changes on local roads, storm drainage and more on the property known as Flowerfield.

The March 30 Planning Board vote came after nearly two-and-a-half hours of testimony from Smithtown residents as well as Head of the Harbor Mayor Douglas Dahlgard and Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) during a Zoom public hearing. Many have been against the proposed development of the 75-acre parcel.

Opponents have cited concerns about the possibility of excessive traffic on Route 25A, the proposed sewage plant dumping sewage effluent into Stony Brook Harbor and have criticized the town’s environmental review, calling it flawed. In addition to local criticism of the current proposed plan, the community advocacy group St. James-Head of the Harbor Neighborhood Preservation Coalition has suggested an alternative plan and are planning to file a lawsuit, which could delay the current process.

Gyrodyne plans to divide its land into lots that can be used for, in addition to a sewage plant, a hotel, assisted living facility and medical offices. There are currently no prospective buyers.

Joseph Bollhofer, a lawyer and chair of the Head of the Harbor Zoning Board of Appeals, spoke during the Zoom hearing. He said in addition to traffic and environmental concerns that could occur due to development on the Gyrodyne parcel, he is also worried about other properties in the vicinity of Flowerfield that could be developed and the any buildout of Stony Brook University Research and Development Park.

“All of these properties essentially are contiguous with Gyrodyne’s parcel right in the middle,” he said. “Gyrodyne’s application cannot and should not be evaluated as if these other properties and their likely development will not impact traffic or other issues.”

He and others have said the environmental impact statement conflicts with the town’s draft master plan, citing that the plan calls to enhance the historic, cultural and architectural character of Smithtown. The plan also calls for development in existing downtown areas and heavily traveled highway corridors. Many residents have said the Route 25A property does not meet those requirements. According to a town zone study, the hamlet of St. James has only 1.6% of open space and the rest of Smithtown has an average of 18%, which opponents say is an additional reason the development goes against the draft master plan.

Bollhofer said that a few people have been working for more than two years to create a plan where Gyrodyne would be compensated for the parcel and development would be avoided, and it has received support from state and county elected officials.

“I urge town officials with authority to join with those state and county officials, and private parties who are also interested in this, and concentrate their efforts on finding the money to compensate Gyrodyne for its property and make what I consider to be the only logical solution of reality — preservation of the open space,” Bollhofer said.

Dahlgard said during the public hearing that Gyrodyne being zoned for industrial use is wrong and the Village of Head of the Harbor will be affected negatively as the company is liquidated.

“The town as the lead agency on this application has the responsibility to protect our community’s character,” he said. “We asked the members of the Planning Board to be open minded on this issue, follow the town’s draft master plan that promotes retaining open space and maintaining the character of a community. I speak to you as a neighbor, as a resident of both the Town of Smithtown and the Village of Head of the Harbor.”

Matthew Aracich, president of the Building and Trades Council of Nassau & Suffolk Counties, spoke in favor of the proposed subdivision. He said the council represents 65,000 members, with many of them living in St. James and Smithtown. Aracich said the proposed development represents hundreds of jobs in the future that will provide not only salaries but pensions and health care.

He added senior housing is important on Long Island as the available units in Suffolk and Nassau counties are insufficient.

“We want to keep people who have lived here their whole life and want to continue to live here to see their grandchildren and their children,” he said. “We have to make sure projects like these are both sustainable and able to be built.” 

Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) said there are many people in his town “who are adamantly opposed to this development.”

He said one of the main concerns is that Route 25A and Stony Brook Road cannot handle any more traffic. While he agrees in some ways with Aracich, he said development is not fitting for the particular area.

“Not every square inch of Suffolk County needs to be developed, and this is one area that doesn’t need to be developed to the maximum,” Romaine said.

The Brookhaven supervisor said that he agreed with many Smithtown residents that the proposed development goes against the town’s draft master plan, and he feels the traffic and environmental impact reviews have been insufficient.

He added 300 feet from the property is the Stony Brook Historic District and therefore Brookhaven resources will be used by those traveling to and from the development, and Stony Brook Harbor would be in jeopardy due to the sewage treatment plant.

Natalie Weinstein, a St. James business owner since 1985 and resident since 1973, said in earlier years the town’s administration wasn’t open to progress but the new one since 2017 has been. Weinstein added that no matter how residents feel about the plan, they all love St. James.

“I think that we all are looking at it from a different vantage point,” she said. “I, as a business owner and someone who has been actively involved in creating change in the Lake Avenue historic business district, sees the value of things that occur that are well controlled and well documented.”

Nicole Garguilo, Smithtown public information officer, said in a phone interview, that it’s important to remember the plan is conceptual in order to determine the possible impacts if the property was developed. The preliminary subdivision application approval is just the beginning of the process as no development is approved or pending at this time.

Once a lot is bought, the owners will also be required to go through the land use process, which will include presenting site plans and going through the environmental process.

She added it could be up to six months for Gyrodyne to file its final application with the town.

Updated April 6 to reflect comments from public hearing.

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Watermill Caterers requests special-exception use to allow a new four-story hotel at its catering hall. Image from the Town of Smithtown

Smithtown community members are not rolling out the welcome mat, when it comes to a proposed boutique hotel.

Watermill Caterers requests special-exception use to allow a new four-story hotel at its catering hall. Image from the Town of Smithtown

Residents crowded town hall to protest a  hotel planned for a seven-acre parcel next to the Watermill Caterers, a catering hall on Route 347 and Terry Road. Their main concerns: increased traffic in the surrounding area, lower property values and several environmental issues.

Smithtown Town Board held a hearing May 23 on the project, proposed by business owner Anthony Scotto. The much-awaited hearing filled the Eugene Cannataro Senior Citizens Center to standing room only. The $28.2 million project would need a special-exception use for it to begin construction. The site is currently zoned for industrial and neighborhood business and not for a hotel.

Scotto’s team of consultants presented an updated site rendering of the hotel to the crowd. The Sands Point businessman looks to build a four-story, 130-room hotel at the Watermill, a property that he also owns.

“This is a project that Smithtown will be proud of,” Scotto said to the crowd. The mention that many residents would one day become customers drew jeers from the crowd.

According to the business owner’s team, the hotel would only have a 1.09 percent increase in traffic around the hotel and would yield $680,000 annually in tax revenue for the town.

The consultants pointed to a traffic study performed that showed the hotel would generate about 97 vehicle trips during peak hours on a Friday and 61 during Saturday — which drew a sarcastic laugh from the crowd.

Roseann Salamone of Smithtown said her house is right behind the property and she is worried about decreasing property values for her and neighbors.

“Who here would buy a home with a four-story hotel right in the back of it?” she asked. “I will not be able to enjoy my backyard and lose all my privacy.”

“Who here would buy a home with a four-story hotel right in the back of it?”

— Roseann Salamone

She also cited the potential of increased noise and air pollution the hotel could bring.

“My home is on a hill which means the people in the hotel will be able to look directly into it,” Salamone said.

Many residents raised concerns about the traffic in the neighborhood, stating that it is not uncommon for patrons at receptions to go on beer runs. Instead of using the main roads, they use residential streets like Rhoda Avenue and Sheppard Lane to get to 7-Eleven.

“Moms are pushing wagons, people are walking, families are about … that could have tragedy written all over it,” one resident said. “How is that beneficial to this community and their families?”

Nick Donohue of Smithtown also expressed his concerns on the traffic on Rhoda Avenue stating that the traffic study shown left out the impact on that street.

“My neighbors have seen me countless times repairing my sprinkler system after cars drive on my lawn,” he said. “I don’t need more traffic coming down the block. I also have children and we are always on our wagons going down the block — there are no sidewalks in this neighborhood.”

Another thing Donohue was concerned about was the design of the building which supposedly will be no higher than the roofs of the home located south of the hotel’s property.

“If this was done right, it could be a benefit”

— William Capurso

“The elevations they chose [in their presentation] are misleading,” he said. “You don’t compare the roofline of a hotel and a home — you look at the first floor. It works to their advantage, but it doesn’t adequately tell you that when you look outside your window, you will
see this four-story monstrosity.”

The Smithtown resident said he and others moved there to get away from the urban sprawl of Nassau County.

Out of the more than 20 people who spoke against the proposal, only two individuals were supportive.

“If this was done right, it could be a benefit,” said William Capurso of St. James. “He [Scotto] is investing in our township. That’s a good thing.”

Some residents mentioned that the hotel development could cause more problems in an area that is known to flood.

Bob Goykin, a board member of the We Are Nesconset civic group, said despite being friends with Scotto he doesn’t believe the community needs this hotel.

“Mr. Scotto’s wrong when he says we need this hotel,” Goykin said. “We don’t need his hotel — he needs his hotel. A four-story building is an abomination in this location and goes completely against the character and feel of this community.”