Scene from the Town of Brookhaven’s annual “Sticker Shock” Campaign on May 30. Photo from TOB
Scene from the Town of Brookhaven’s annual “Sticker Shock” Campaign on May 30. Photo from TOB
Scene from the Town of Brookhaven’s annual “Sticker Shock” Campaign on May 30. Photo from TOB
Scene from the Town of Brookhaven’s annual “Sticker Shock” Campaign on May 30. Photo from TOB
On Friday, May 30, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Daniel J. Panico and Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich joined Ward Melville High School students at several locations across the community for the Town of Brookhaven’s annual “Sticker Shock” Campaign, an outreach effort organized by the Drug Prevention Coalition, according to a press release.
As part of the campaign, all health students at Ward Melville High School participated in a sticker design competition to raise awareness about the dangers of adults purchasing alcohol or vape products for minors. The top three designs, selected by the Drug Prevention Coalition, were printed and distributed at local businesses with the support of the student designers and their classmates.
Throughout the morning, students visited several community locations—7-Eleven in Port Jefferson Station, Setauket Beer and Beverage, and Luigi’s Pizzeria—placing the warning stickers on alcoholic beverage cases, takeout bags, and pizza boxes to deliver an important public health message to local residents.
Supervisor Panico and Councilmember Kornreich joined the students on-site, showing support for their efforts and recognizing the positive impact of this student-driven initiative. The event was made possible through a partnership between the Town, the Three Village Central School District, Suffolk County Police Department, and local business owners.
“The Town of Brookhaven thanks all participating students, educators, business owners, and coalition partners for their collaboration in this meaningful initiative,” read the release.
A pamphlet containing pictures and the 1970 annual report from the time capsule. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Time capsule from Suffolk County Federal Savings and Holdings is opened after 50 years. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Time capsule from Suffolk County Federal Savings and Holdings is opened after 50 years. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Time capsule from Suffolk County Federal Savings and Holdings is opened after 50 years. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Time capsule from Suffolk County Federal Savings and Holdings is opened after 50 years. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Time capsule from Suffolk County Federal Savings and Holdings is opened after 50 years. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Time capsule from Suffolk County Federal Savings and Holdings is opened after 50 years. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
From left, Robert Walther, Betsy Whitney, Will Stowell and Greg Balling. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Time capsule from Suffolk County Federal Savings and Holdings is opened after 50 years. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
By Sabrina Artusa
A time capsule from 1971 was unearthed after a Teacher’s Federal Credit Union in Port Jefferson Station off Route 112 was demolished.Â
Members of the Suffolk County Federal Savings and Holdings company stood before the Port Jefferson Station Civic as they took a step back in time to 50 years ago. Yellowed newspapers, performance reports and pamphlets were tucked inside the capsule and passed around, reminding the former staff of the homey workplace that sparked lifelong careers in banking.Â
Assistant manager Robert Walther said he was present when it was put together. “This was kind of like us giving back to the community. Our manager always thought that banking was for the community,” he said.Â
The Suffolk County Federal Savings and Holdings company was the beginning of a long string of banks for most of these employees, many of whom stuck around for the several mergers that took place after it was acquired by Long Island Savings.Â
Will Stowell, who worked in maintenance, heard that Staller Associates was going to demolish the building, which was a vacant Teacher’s Federal Credit Union, and remembered the time capsule hidden in the side of the building. He recounted the mason enclosing it.Â
For staff members like Walther, Stowell, and Betsy Whitney, Suffolk County Federal Savings and Holdings was where they got their start in the industry. Whitney started working as a teller during summers off from college; when she graduated she enrolled in the management program. Stowell rose through the ranks of building maintenance.Â
“Things have changed in the banking business since then,” said Walther.Â
The staff would have Christmas parties and decoration contests with the other branches – which they often won. They would sit on floats and take part in parades. Pouring over old photos, Whitney remembered sitting in a float in New York City with her co-workers and seeing Luciano Pavarotti on a horse next to them.Â
“They treated us so well,” she said. “We were like movie stars.”Â
Stowell remembers the bank being like “a living room”; it was so comfortable. One civic member was a customer. “I can’t tell you how helpful they were when we first moved out here. I can’t talk highly enough about the employees that were there. [I was so upset] when they left us and turned us over to Astoria,” she said.
Unfortunately, the bank could not compete with higher interest rates. Managed by the Federal Savings and Loans Insurance Corporation, they couldn’t raise their mortgage rates due to state law.Â
“We couldn’t offer any higher than 8.5% anymore because of state law and that put the bank in a financial position where we couldn’t survive,” said Walther. In the 1980s, before the bank was acquired by Long Island Savings, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate reached 18%.Â
“We thought we were going to be there for years,” Walther said.Â
The bank closed and many of the staff retired, but some still keep in touch. The community-based approach to banking has stayed with the employees for decadesQ, shaping their careers and lives.
Greg Balling, who was a locksmith for the bank, had fond memories of his time there. “We were like family,” he said.Â
Stony Brook, NY; Stony Brook University: Science on Stage member Heather Lynch
The League of Women Voters of Brookhaven will welcome renowned Stony Brook University scientist Heather Lynch to speak at their monthly meeting at Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson Station on Friday, May 16 at 1 p.m.
Many of the medicines and products that we rely on have been created by scientists working on research grants from the federal or state government.
Lynch, a quantitative ecologist and a professor at Stony Brook University, will speak on “The role of grants to universities: How are they selected and monitored?” and “How will current changes to grant funding impact our scientific competitiveness?”
Dr. Lynch is the Institute for Advanced Computational Sciences Endowed Chair for Ecology and Evolution and leads the Collaborative for the Earth, which facilitates university-wide research, education, and public policy engagement around global environmental crises. Her research is dedicated to the population dynamics of Antarctic wildlife, with a particular focus on penguins and other seabirds.
Dr. Lynch’s research in Antarctica has been funded by a range of federal and non-governmental organizations, including through a National Science Foundation Career award—the most prestigious NSF award that supports early career faculty. Dr. Lynch was the first ecologist ever to win the Blavatnik National Medal for Life Sciences, the world’s largest unrestricted prize for young scientists.
All are welcome to attend this event. No reservations necessary. For more information, call 631-928-1212.
Emma Samghabadi at the New York Marine Rescue Center. Photo courtesy Jennifer Samghabadi
By Daniel Dunaief
The odds haven’t always been in favor of Emma Samghabadi.
The Comsewogue High School senior and Port Jefferson station resident was born under two pounds and spent over a month in the neonatal intensive care unit at Stony Brook Hospital.
After maneuvering through a period her parents Jennifer and Pedram Samghabadi described as “touch and go” for a while, she flourished and is poised to graduate from high school in June and enter college this fall.
Emma Samghabadi after singing with the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra in 2022. Photo courtesy Brian Kacharaba
A gifted singer and performer, Samghabadi, who recently played Velma Kelly in a teen edition of “Chicago,” applied for the Live Más scholarship through Taco Bell, where she has been working since last summer.
Samghabadi spent close to three months putting together a two minute video describing her passions, which include performing, singing, and serving as a conservationist.
On April 25th, Samghabadi, 18, was working at the drive through window at Taco Bell and learned that she had won a $10,000 scholarship, which she will use at the University of Rhode Island.
“It was a complete surprise to me,” said Samghabadi, who was thrilled when her managers and coworkers celebrated her scholarship with balloons and congratulatory posters in the dining room of the restaurant. “All my managers were there and my regional managers were there as well.”
Indeed, Samghabadi called her mother, who works as a registered nurse and her father, who is a social worker, to celebrate.
Jennifer Samghabadi was “overjoyed, proud, grateful and also humbled” with the scholarship.
“The odds [of winning] are very, very low,” her father said. “This was her exhibiting her unique mix” of passions.
Out of 500 scholarship applications from New York, Taco Bell awarded 13 at this level, which is just over two a half percent of the state’s entries.
The Taco Bell Foundation has been awarding these scholarships for 10 years, with some notable past winners including Mato Standing Soldier, a film and TV composer who was named to Forbes 30 under 30 List for 2023 and Brooke Taylor, who is dancing on Broadway in Moulin Rouge.
Samghabadi gave her scholarship entry considerable thought. The scholarship is based on a student’s passions, social impact, personal presentation and educational goals and does not include any reference to a grade point average or standardized test scores.
“As soon as I started finding pictures, I was already thinking about what I wanted to talk about,” Samghabadi said.
Editing the presentation to under two minutes was a “struggle,” she added.
The work paid off, as a Taco Bell Foundation spokeswoman suggested that Samghabadi’s video embodied the key traits they seek in an applicant: strong passion, a focus on social impact, clear educational goals and compelling storytelling.
Samghabadi, who has a weighted grade point average above 100, has impressed her high school teachers.
Rosa Antelo, who teaches Samghabadi’s Advanced Placement Class and was also her instructor for Advanced Spanish in 10th grade, described her student’s potential as “unmeasurable.”
Antelo suggested that Samghabadi is “not just a great student, but she’s truly an amazing person.”
Antelo, who wrote a college recommendation for Samghabadi, recalled a time when her student helped her manage through the strain of a stressful situation.
“She’s so positive and is looking for the best of everything,” said Antelo, who has been teaching for 26 years and believes Samghabadi stands out among her many students.
An early curiosity
When she was five, Samghabadi found a large green caterpillar in a hibiscus bush, which she brought home.
She and her parents looked up how to care for it. The caterpillar formed a cocoon and emerged as a moth.
After that, Samghabadi was hooked, establishing a monarch butterfly way station where she has released over a hundred of the orange and black insects that, while not endangered are threatened by a loss of habitat, pesticide use and climate change.
Dedicated to conservation and marine biology, Samghabadi has worked as a volunteer at the New York Marine Rescue Center in Riverhead.
She tells visitors about the only effort in the state to rescue and rehabilitate sea turtles and seals. She has also helped with beach clean ups and, in 2023, became scuba certified.
Samghabadi’s favorite animal is the manta ray, which she hopes to study in college.
From ‘The Lion King’ to community theater
Around the same time that she found the green caterpillar, Samghabi, saw her first broadway show.
Watching “The Lion King” sparked an interest in performance and theater.
Samghabadi has been an extra in short films and commercials as well as in the movie “Uncut Gems.”
As a 10-year old, she spent a day on set as an extra, sitting behind Adam Sandler in a movie theater.
She has performed in several shows and goes through cycles of singing different Broadway songs in the house.
These days, she’s using her soprano voice to belt out “Sweeney Todd” in the house.Â
Samghabadi is open to combining her interests in conservation and music. At some point, she would like to conduct research on bioacoustics. She could also envision using music as a part of public outreach for conservation.
Despite all her commitments, including working with second graders to help teach them Spanish, Samghabadi is able to enjoy leisure activities with her friends by organizing herself.
“I have a set plan for what I need to do each day,” she said.
Multiple scholarships
Samghabadi’s talents and dedication have earned her other competitive scholarships.
She will receive $84,000 over four years as a part of the inaugural Schilling Scholars Program at the University of Rhode Island. She will also receive $68,000 from the presidential scholarship at the university.
The New York Elks Association recently awarded her a $1,000 scholarship.
Samghabadi is the second generation in her family to work at Taco Bell, where her favorite meal is the Cantina Chicken Bowl.
When he was earning money for college, Samghabadi’s father Pedram worked at the restaurant chain.
Samghabadi’s parents are grateful for the life their daughter has lived and the energy and passion she brings to her interests.
“You can’t be thankful enough,” said Pedram Samghabadi. “We still cannot believe what we went through” in the first year of her remarkable life.
Their daughter. whose singing they will miss when she attends college, gave them a preview of what was to come early in life.
Comsewogue midfielder Hunter Marquardt splits the pipes for the Spartans in a non-league game against Port Washington. Photo by Bill Landon
Senior midfielder Doug Anacelli looks for a cutter for the Spartans in a non-league game against Port Washington. Photo by Bill Landon
Freshman defender Dylan Giorlando looks to clear the ball for the Spartans in a non-league game against Port Washington. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue midfielder Nick Saladino fires at the cage for the Spartans in a non-league matcup against Port Washington. Photo by Bill Landon
Comsewogue attack Anthony Marino looks for a cutter for the Spartans in a non-league matcup against Port Washington. Photo by Bill Landon
Sophomore defender Jack Pacifico charges up-field for the Spartans in a non-league game against Port Washington. Photo by Bill Landon
Sophomore midfielder Nick Saladino looks to clear the ball for the Spartans in a non-league game against Port Washington. Photo by Bill Landon
Sophomore goalie Ryan Schnepf with a save for the Spartans in a non-league game against Port Washington. Photo by Bill Landon
By Bill Landon
The Comsewogue Spartans boy’s lacrosse team looked to play “up” in their first of two non-league games of the season and play up they did, when they hosted Nassau County conference 1 powerhouse Port Washington (5-1). Comsewogue, a Suffolk Division II team got their nose bloodied in a rain swept matchup that yielded only two goals for the Spartan’s in a home game on April 12.Â
Port Washington rattled off eight unanswered points in the first half before Comsewogue senior midfielder Doug Anacelli broke the ice when his shot on goal stretched the net just before the half to trail 8-1.
Junior midfielder Hunter Marquardt would be the only other Comsewogue stick that spoke the rest of the way when his shot found its mark in the third quarter. Port Washington cruised the rest of the way to a 15-2 victory.
Comsewogue goalie Ryan Schnepf had 12 saves in net.
Scene from the 16th annual Port Jefferson Health & Wellness Fest. Photo by Joshua Kim
Scene from the 16th annual Port Jefferson Health & Wellness Fest. Photo by Joshua Kim
Scene from the 16th annual Port Jefferson Health & Wellness Fest. Photo by Joshua Kim
Scene from the 16th annual Port Jefferson Health & Wellness Fest. Photo by Joshua Kim
Scene from the 16th annual Port Jefferson Health & Wellness Fest. Photo by Joshua Kim
Scene from the 16th annual Port Jefferson Health & Wellness Fest. Photo by Joshua Kim
Scene from the 16th annual Port Jefferson Health & Wellness Fest. Photo by Joshua Kim
By Joshua Kim
The 16th annual Port Jefferson Health & Wellness Fest was held Saturday, April 12, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Meadow Club, on Rte. 112 just off the 347. The event was organized by the Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce and supported by 12 sponsoring institutions, including the three major hospitals in the area: Stony Brook Medicine, John T. Mather Hospital and St. Charles Hospital.
The many attendees who parked in the adjacent Port Plaza’s parking lot were directed across the street and into the venue by Suffolk County Crossing Guards in bright neon yellow raincoats. Inside the Meadow Club, the glistening crystal chandeliers, marble floors, and bright, lively atmosphere struck a sharp contrast with the cold, gloomy weather outside.
The Fest was supported by over 50 local health providers, businesses and organizations that filled over 90 tables where they could distribute brochures, merchandise and, in some cases, massages. The standard rate for a table was $250, while Chamber of Commerce partners paid $200 and nonprofits $100 – some organizations, like Hope for Cleo Animal Rescue, which brought along puppies, attended for free; “animals are a draw,” said Barbara Ransome, the director of operations at the Chamber.
Stony Brook Medicine commanded the largest presence with 11 different tables dedicated to several health topics, including obstetrics-gynecology, urology and chronic kidney disease. Dr. Soo-Jin Lim of the Stony Brook Medicine Heart Institute spoke of the opportunity that the event provided to screen people who might typically ignore their health, saying that they had referred at least one person with high blood pressure to treatment.
Mather Hospital had the next largest presence with eight tables arranged along the side of the room, also dedicated to similar health topics.
St. Charles Hospital had fewer tables, but, as in years past, they provided the refreshments for the fest. The head chef at St. Charles Hospital Mohamad Saleh, or “Chef Mo,” who typically makes sure that “the patients in the hospital are getting food they like and eating healthy food,” made healthy muffins and Açaà bowls. “[We’ve] had a great experience with everybody–some of them are actually patients in the hospital,” said Chef Mo.
The event also was not limited to only organizations or businesses traditionally associated with health and wellness: everyone from the Port Jeff Free Library to Port Jeff Bowl to, Moloney Family Funeral Homes had a table set up, seeing the event as an opportunity to “put their name and face out there.” However, many of these groups used the event to highlight health-related services they offered that were less well-publicized, such as the Port Jeff Free Library’s “huge range of programs, from nutrition facts to stroke awareness, to a workshop on knee and shoulder pain.”
People from all over Suffolk, and even Nassau County, attended the fest. Some had seen the promotions in the paper or on Facebook; some had “just been passing by” on the road and decided to pop in and still others had attended the fest other years and were coming back.
Two friends, Kim and Marianna, had heard about the event on Instagram and came from Nassau County and Babylon to “understand and better [their] own health” as they neared retirement age. “It’s great to see that they have so many supporters, people who are willing to come out on a Saturday to help other people understand the importance of taking care of yourself,” said Kim. “It’s much bigger than I had expected.”
“We really feel that the Village of Port Jefferson has become a mecca for health and wellness services,” said Ransome. “And we do this event – that’s how we support it.”
She concluded, “The turnout has been exceptional. The weather wasn’t so great, but I think we did really, really well.”
A scene from the Hands Off! rally in Port Jefferson Station on April 5. Photo courtesy Dee Hensen
A scene from the Hands Off! rally in Port Jefferson Station on April 5. Photo courtesy Dee Hensen
A scene from the Hands Off! rally in Port Jefferson Station on April 5. Photo courtesy Dee Hensen
A scene from the Hands Off! rally in Port Jefferson Station on April 5. Photo courtesy Dee Hensen
Some locals traveled to New York City to participate in a Hands Off! march. Photo by Michael Vincenti
By Sabrina Artusa
Port Jefferson Station was one of over a thousand across the country to participate in a “Hands Off!” demonstration on April 5.Â
The protest was organized as an objection to the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s involvement in government affairs. Residents stood along the intersection of Route 347 and Route 112 voicing their opposition to the Department of Government Efficiency, the sidelining of climate issues, cuts to veteran affairs, deportations and the increased tariffs.Â
The North Brookhaven Democratic Club was the main host of this arm of the “Hands Off!” movement.Â
Dee Hensen, president of the club since its inception 6 years ago, said this protest was the largest one she has ever attended.Â
“It was really energizing and it gives you a little bit of comfort knowing there are so many people out there with similar concerns,” Hensen said. “It is great to be a part of a big movement.”
The communal passion and dedication exhibited during the protest revitalized Hensen in her mission. “It gives you confidence that you can fight these things and make it better,” she said.
This protest comes after several protests across the Brookhaven, Smithtown and Huntington areas since President Donald Trump (R) took office. In March, there was a protest every weekend. Furthermore, residents have taken to demonstrating outside the offices of their elected officials. Congressman Nick LaLota (R, NY1) has had two protests outside his Hauppauge office, with residents criticizing his lack of town halls and compliance with some federal initiatives.Â
Michael Vincenti, a Stony Brook resident who attended a “Hands Off!” march in New York City, said, “It was great to be surrounded by like-minded people. I was astounded to see so many people show up in the rain and stop traffic for miles.”
Cary Staller talks to the group and addresses concerns. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
The plan designs. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
The plan designs. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Cary Staller talks to the group and addresses concerns. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Of three proposed architectural designs for the buildings, this one was voted most popular, according to a raise of hands. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Of three proposed architectural designs for the buildings, this one was voted in the middle, according to a raise of hands. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Of three proposed architectural designs for the buildings, this one was voted least popular, according to a raise of hands. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Community members at the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association meeting on 3/25/25. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
By Sabrina Artusa
Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association met on March 25 with Staller Associates Realty and its architect to discuss possible architectural designs for the Staller’s 280-unit, three-story apartment complex, which would replace the abandoned shopping center on Route 112, between Cherub Lane and Terryville Road.Â
John Lewis from NELSON Worldwide, described as a “masters of suburban mixed-used development master plans” by Staller Associates Vice President Valentin Staller, presented three possible designs for the civic’s consideration. The three buildings were all angular, with long wrap-around balconies, large windows, discrete first-floor parking garages and glass elements.Â
The first design was mostly brick with a “warehouse or mercantile kind of feel,” said Lewis, who was inspired by feedback about the Staller’s property in Farmingdale, The Lofts on Main; the second integrates more color and other textures and materials with sleek white columns, while the third is more geometric, contemporary and mostly white.Â
“A more residential tone is more of a tone of exclusivity than inclusivity. A commercial feel allows people to feel welcome and draws them in,” Lewis said, saying later that the property will be a community center as people walk from store to store.Â
Some residents repeated the complaint that it is reminiscent of Brooklyn and Queens; others thought it was trendy and would be popular among the younger generation; many wanted a more subdued, classic New England feel — something that would mesh more with Port Jefferson.Â
While aesthetic discussion revolved mostly around feel, but some residents wanted specific elements such as a unique trim, no shutters or more cast stone.
“They are a little sterile. I like the idea of making it more farmhouse or colonial,” said a Port Jefferson resident.Â
“We are the gateway to Port Jefferson…is there a way to make this more to that kind of perception?” asked another.Â
Staller had previously lowered the building height at the request of the civic. The property will have a 25-foot setback, be 35-45 feet tall and will not include balconies in the back where the building faces a residential area as well as a larger buffer.Â
PJS/Terryville Civic President Ira Costell appreciated the effort to involve the community, but was dissapointed with the renderings. He said a computerized model that displayed the depth and other aspects of the project would have given a “real sense of the feel of the place” and allowed for more effective communication in the future. The meeting which was attended by around 70 people and lasted 2 hours.”It is a starting point rather than ending,” Costell said.
Staller Associates President Cary Staller said construction will start in two to three years. He still intends to devote 20% of the units to people with disabilities, although he doesn’t have a price point per unit approximation. Staller Associates is still looking for vendors, and the civic responded with many suggestions, ranging from a health food grocery store to a bakery, a suggestion that was enthusiastically received.Â
Bike lanes and sidewalks are part of the plan, and Cary Staller said he is trying to connect the bike lane to the existing lane. “We are going to have bike lanes from Terryville throughout the site and then to [the Greenway] and we think that will make the Greenway a lot more desirable,” Cary Staller said.Â
Lewis said there will be some construction traffic but roads will remain open.Â
A picture of the property to be annexed, screen shotted from the Town of Brookhaven’s online map application. The upper gray portion indicates the Incorporated Village of Port Jefferson. Photo courtesy the Town of Brookhaven website
By Sabrina Artusa
The Incorporated Village of Port Jefferson Board of Trustees and the Town of Brookhaven Council met for a joint public hearing for the prospective annexation of the Port Jefferson Station property on March 6.
James Tsunis, owner of the 5.6-acre parcel next to Baylis Avenue in Port Jefferson Station, initiated the historic hearing between the entities when he requested that five plots of land be annexed to Port Jefferson village. The last time the two entities met for a joint hearing was in 1978.Â
Area in question is highlighted during the meeting on March 6. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Tsunis and his company, Northwind Group, intend to develop the area into a 48-unit multifamily townhouse complex, which would be impossible under Brookhaven’s current industrial zoning. If the land is annexed, it will be in the purview of the Port Jefferson village planning board, and Tsunis would apply for a rezoning application with the village instead of the town. In this 3.5-hour meeting, Tsunis, as the petitioner, was to prove to both boards that there is a clear public benefit from annexation.Â
Previously, Brookhaven council members gave feedback indicating that if Tsunis were to submit a rezoning application, it would be rejected.Â
Tsunis, a 50-year Port Jefferson resident, said “None of the residents of the Village of Port Jefferson want industrial [development] on the property. So what do we do? We annex it into the village because that is who is affected by the use of this property.”
In conjunction with his Brook Meadows plan, Tsunis would contribute $500,000 to the village, assist in rebuilding the William Tooker House, the oldest structure in the village, build a community garden and build a sidewalk from the property to Sheep Pasture Road.Â
Baylis Avenue and Sheep Pasture Road
Brookhaven Town Board Meeting on March 6. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Tsunis’ attorney Michael Towey argued that the singular access road to the property from Sheep Pasture Road, which serves as the border between the town and the village, is problematic. “This section is completely geographically isolated from the town. It is only accessible through the village,” Towey said.Â
Since Sheep Pasture Road is the only entry point, Towey argued that the village residents will be affected by whatever is built on the parcel. “We believe the village and its residents [have] reason to be concerned not in the sense of any imminent threat, but in the sense that they presently lack control over how this territory or how these properties will be utilized in the future,” he said.Â
Supervisor Dan Panico (R) said that any property adjacent to an incorporated village would be implicated by that argument. Indeed, in order to reach Scenic View Court, a residential area neighboring Baylis Avenue, one must pass through the village from the east, though the road can be accessed without entering the village from the west. The Port Jefferson Marina, owned by the Town of Brookhaven, requires passing through the village.
Services
If the annexation is approved by both boards, the children who reside on the property would attend the Comsewogue School District, despite living in the village. The properties are currently serviced by the Terryville Fire District and will remain so even if the property is annexed. “An annexation of the property would place a division in unity of purpose of the public services providing emergency and educational services,” Town of Brookhaven Planning Director Don Hohn said.Â
Area in question is highlighted during the meeting on March 6. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Towey argued that the village already assumes responsibility for the road, and including the road in Brookhaven’s district was not efficient, although this could not be proven. Brookhaven paved the road in 2023.Â
Town of Brookhaven Superintendent of Highways Dan Losquadro (R) issued a letter of support of the annexation, writing “this will alleviate the duplication of services by more than one municipality on the same roadway.”Â
Some speakers reiterated the revitalization of Port Jefferson village as a benefit of the Brooks Meadows plan. Of the 24 speakers that addressed the board, 18 were in support of the development.Â
Jim Steiner hopes Brooks Meadows would breathe new life into the village: “[Revitalization] has been a slow process and to have a townhouse type place within walking distance will help lift up the neighborhood.”Â
Industrial vs. Multifamily
Hohn noted the increased traffic associated with multifamily zoning, stating that the daily trips would be lower if the area remains zoned industrial. “If the maximum building size allowed on a L1 industrial lot were to be developed, this would generate 214 total daily trips. The maximum building size on a multifamily lot, were it to be developed, would be 372 daily trips.” This assertion was corroborated by the Town of Brookhaven Highway Department, though the letter added that the traffic wouldn’t create “significant traffic impacts.” The maximum building height would be 50 feet in light industrial zoning and 35 feet in multifamily zoning in Brookhaven.Â
Alexander and Jim Tsunis listening to the public testimonies at the Brookhaven Town Hall in Farmingville. Photo by Sabrina Artusa
Many residents expressed displeasure over the aspect of letting the property remain industrial. Port Jefferson resident Gary Zamek said, “The Village of Port Jefferson does not need more industrial land on Sheep Pasture Road…I know Port Jefferson is trying to revitalize our uptown area. It just seems obvious to me that more residents as opposed to trucks would help create that.”
Businesses such as health clubs, offices, warehouses and veterinary hospitals would all be permitted in an area zoned industrial, as noted in Chapter 85 in Brookhaven’s town zone.
Further, some speakers supported the annexation as it would supply additional housing. Town of Brookhaven Councilman Jonathan Kornreich (D, Stony Brook) said, “On the application, it indicated there would be four affordable units…This will not be affordable housing by any means. Four of them will be.”
“As a trustee, I want to see owned real estate,” Port Jefferson village Trustee Xena Ugrinsky said.Â
The Brook Meadows site proposal was analyzed by the Suffolk County Department of Economic Planning and Development in 2023 before it was removed for consideration by Tsunis. The plan was analyzed and disapproved by the Suffolk County Department of Economic Planning and Development in 2023, citing incongruence with adjacent industrial zoning, additional traffic and that a change of zone is simply unnecessary and prohibitive to prospective light industrial zoning developments. The walkability score from the property was listed as 56 partly due to its distance to the Port Jefferson Train Station and downtown, an estimated 10-minute walk. Tsunis then withdrew his application.
“If it was to be developed industrially, it would likely, in my opinion, be developed into something more demure when it comes to light industrial like a self-storage, which is typically a generator of almost zero,” Panico said.
The prospect of a rail yard being built by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority at the Lawrence Aviation site is another consideration of the Brookhaven town council. Tsunis included a 100-foot buffer from the tracks in his plan, but Panico argued that this location would not be in the public’s best interest.Â
The town and the village have to vote on the annexation within 90 days of the hearing. If the town and village don’t vote in agreement, then one entity could appeal the other’s decision, according to Town of Brookhaven Attorney James Burke.Â
The public comment period closes on March 14 at midnight for online submissions and at 4:30 p.m. for physical submissions by mail.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the man who was involved in a hit-and-run crash in Port Jefferson Station.
A man driving a black Kia, Florida plate RETD20, pulled out of the parking lot at 5145 Route 347 and struck a 2020 Ford SUV traveling eastbound on Route 347 on March 12 at 9:15 p.m. The Kia sustained to the front driver’s side. No one was injured in the crash.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS, utilizing a mobile app which can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play by searching P3 Tips, or online at www.P3Tips.com. All calls, text messages and emails will be kept confidential.