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Times of Middle Country

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File photo

By Samantha Rutt

Brookhaven Town Board held a public hearing on Thursday, Nov. 9, to consider the 2024-2028 Preliminary Capital Budget, exclusive of special districts.

The Preliminary Capital Budget is a plan for capital expenditures, which are projects expected to have a useful life of more than one year. The budget includes projects such as road repairs, parks improvements, building renovations and landfill expansion.

The town’s commissioner of finance, Tamara Branson, opened the hearing by presenting highlights of the 2024 preliminary operating budget. The total appropriations for the operating budget amount to just over $335 million. This represents an increase in spending of 1.6%, with a rise in the town property tax levy of about 1%. 

In her presentation, Branson noted the preliminary budget will use no fund balance to balance the budget in the seven major tax districts. Outgoing town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) — who is leaving office later this year to become Suffolk County executive — praised the budget.

“No fund balance has been used,” he said. “It’s all structurally balanced,” adding, “I think that’s important because some people lose that. Sometimes, you see towns using the fund balance or the reserves to balance a budget. We have not done that for years.”

The finance commissioner mentioned that the preliminary budget complies with New York State’s 2% levy cap, the town’s Tax Rate and Debt Management Cap and all fund balance policies adopted by the Town Board.

Branson’s presentation also noted no reduction in constituent services or total full-time staffing. The presentation further pointed out that the preliminary budget would lower property taxes across the nine ambulance districts by a combined 4.6%.

In the preliminary operating budget townwide summary, Branson noted the tax levy to be almost $195 million. Contrarily, to help balance the budget, the non-property tax revenues will equate to $140 million. To this, the finance commissioner commented on the work of the town Finance Department to help stabilize the budget.

“This is the area we have all been working on for the past decade,” Branson said. “To grow the non-property tax revenues.”

Romaine emphasized the importance of generating revenue from other sources, such as renewable energy.

“We want to encourage revenues from other sources, like solar,” he noted. “The more we grow non-property tax revenue, the less people have to pay — or the less we have to raise property taxes.”

Property taxes hold the most significant of the six major budget funds, supporting 54.5% of the total revenues. Second to property taxes, the town’s landfill, recycling and sustainability management contribute 22.3%. Building, fire prevention, and planning/environmental comprise the next biggest portion at 12.7%. The remainder of the total revenue includes parks, franchises, mortgage tax and state aid.

The preliminary budget’s planned expenditures are dedicated to employee compensation, employee benefits, contractual and equipment, and debt service. Romaine commented on the reduction of debt service, noting that the percentage of the town’s expenditures on debt service has decreased by 5% in the last decade.

The budget will feature new bond and reserve-funded projects totaling $47.9 million. Most of this sum will be allocated to highway development and improvement, focusing on roads, drainage, traffic safety, and updated machinery and equipment.

The remaining funds will support other projects such as parks and recreation facilities and equipment, open space preservation, public safety, planning and environmental, and landfill infrastructure improvements.

According to Romaine’s report of Sept. 29, the operating budget “reduces landfill revenues to reflect loss of volumes in 2023” and “grows the Landfill Post-Closure Reserve by $1 million to an anticipated $26 million.”

“I think this is a good budget,” the departing town supervisor indicated. “It is a very stable budget. It holds taxes very low — far below the rate of inflation — and allows us to move forward into the future.”

The board will consider the 2024-2028 Preliminary Capital Budget, exclusive of all special districts, during a public meeting on Thursday, Nov. 16.

To view the full hearing, please visit brookhavenny.gov/meetings.

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Photo courtesy Moloney’s Port Jefferson Station Funeral Home

Hazel Louise (Kanzler) Cardillo was a light so bright that her glow forever warms those blessed to know her.

As the sun rose on Monday, Nov. 6, Hazel succumbed to a valiant fight with ALS. She was 73.

Haze, as she liked to be called, was born on May 23, 1950, in Irvington, New Jersey, to the late John and Hazel (Hendry) Kanzler and stepfather Ernst Velle.

She spent her childhood in Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, and graduated from Jefferson Township High School. At 15, she met Michael, her beloved husband of 54 years, while vacationing at Jones Beach. They made their home in the village of Port Jefferson, where they raised their two daughters, Nicole and Cherie, and welcomed four grandchildren to the world.

Haze was selfless, and her joyful, giving nature touched the lives of many, including the countless students she taught as an ESL teacher at Comsewogue School District and adjunct professor at Stony Brook University. Haze filled the world with song, playing piano and singing in the local United Methodist Church choir for many years. 

She lived a life of simple pleasures: strong cups of coffee in the morning, birds at her kitchen window, warm showers, beach walks, drives to the North Fork, wood-burning fires, cozy pajamas, old movies, brisk fall days, peaceful snowfalls and the sound of the ferry’s foghorn pulling into the harbor. Much like Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz,” she believed there was no place like home.

Haze was predeceased by her eldest brother, John, and is survived by her loving husband, Michael Joseph Cardillo; their children Nicole (Christopher) Barisic and Cherie (Jonathan) Totillo; grandchildren Claire, Mabel, Ada and Isaac; sisters Carolyn and Jean; many nieces and nephews; and their adored rescue dog, Mindy.

A memorial service was held Monday, Nov. 13, at Moloney Funeral Home in Port Jefferson Station, with a private burial following at Cedar Hill Cemetery.

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File photo by Raymond Janis

Clarifying recent events at Sherwood-Jayne Farm

Preservation Long Island would like to clarify the events that took place at the Sherwood-Jayne Farm on Nov. 8.

The entire 12.5-acre farm is private property, as are the grazing sheep and pony. We have made access to the animals and the property available to the public as a community benefit.

Considering that the farm site is not an active animal farm, we came to the realization earlier this year that the aging animals will soon require care beyond what we can provide. The decision was not financially driven — it was in the best interest of the animals.

While Susanna Gatz has undoubtedly been a loving caretaker, she is not the only person capable of caring for the animals. She was first made aware of PLI’s plans for the animals and the change in her status as early as April.

We understand how community members will miss the sheep and Snowball — as we will — but we have committed ourselves to finding a solution that will provide animals of an advanced age with the services they will require.

After working within the community and searching for the best possible fit, we found Berkshire Sanctuary Farm, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing aging animals with a serene location and professional veterinary care.

When Susanna’s friends arrived to protest the transfer of the animals to Berkshire on Nov. 8, we did allow children onto our private property to say goodbye to the animals as a courtesy. Unfortunately, the noise and activity of Susanna’s adult protesters stressed the animals into a state where Berkshire felt it was not safe to humanely move them during the commotion.

We hope we have not lost the opportunity to provide the animals with a forever home at Berkshire.

Alexandra Parsons Wolfe

Executive Director

Preservation Long Island

Sherwood-Jayne Farm animals should be allowed to stay

Sherwood-Jayne Farm on Old Post Road in East Setauket is a jewel of our community.

Thanks to the actions of people within our community and elsewhere, the farm has remained a lovely and happy place for both adults and children to enjoy just as Mr. Howard Sherwood envisioned long ago.

Unfortunately, the owners of the farm, Preservation Long Island, have decided to remove the animals from the residence, sending the four sheep to Berkshire Farm Sanctuary in Peru, Massachusetts, and Snowball the pony to an undisclosed location on Long Island.

I googled the sanctuary to find out about its purpose. Their mission is “to rescue, rehabilitate and provide a safe haven for abandoned, abused and neglected companion and farm animals and promote humane education and compassion to all beings.” This is a beautiful mission, but the animals at Sherwood-Jayne have never been abandoned, abused or neglected. They have been tenderly and compassionately cared for all their lives.

On Wednesday, Nov. 8, the executive director of Preservation Long Island, Alexandra Wolfe, and a security guard arrived at the farm with minimal notice with the intention to promptly remove the animals from the farm. Ms. Wolfe then refused to give information to the current caretaker as to where Snowball would be heading or who would be caring for her.

This action showed medical neglect as there was no exchange of information about the care that Snowball has received to keep her alive and well. Thanks to the uprising of concerned local neighbors, this event was drawn to a halt, and at the end of the skirmish, the animals remained at the farm. None of these actions make sense to me, or to many community members.

The animals should be allowed to live out their remaining days in their happy and safe place at the Sherwood-Jayne Farm.

Bonnie Dunbar

Setauket

Notice of important civic meeting on Jefferson Plaza

As president of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association, I want to inform my neighbors of the opportunity to shape the future of our community and have your voices heard. 

On Tuesday, Nov. 28, we will gather, as we do most months at 7 p.m. at the Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, and hold our regular civic association meeting. Check out our website at www.pjstca.org for future meeting notifications and join with others who seek to beautify, improve and celebrate Port Jefferson Station/Terryville. 

While I believe all our meetings are enriching and interesting, this particular meeting is of significance as it will be dedicated to the discussion of the redevelopment by Staller Associates of the Jefferson Plaza Shopping Center, where the Post Office is on Route 112.

The proposed project envisions the construction of 280 units of residential apartments in two structures, which could reach 50 feet in height, as well as include 49,000 square feet of new and updated commercial space to serve the new and existing residents.

Such a proposal presents this community with an opportunity as we seek to renew and revitalize an area that has been a concern to many and has focused us on quality-of-life issues in our community. But, as with any potential change, there are related impacts that have been raised by active members of our civic and the broader community as occurred in February 2022 when the developer presented this concept to 125 concerned citizens who attended that night.

More recently, I heard this past weekend that up to 80 people met at the shopping center on a cold Sunday morning to discuss the new project and connect with their neighbors.

It is my hope on Nov. 28 to facilitate an informative and vibrant discussion of all the implications — positive or negative — such an opportunity presents in order to develop consensus of how our community views this pivotal development. I am certain there will be spirited debate as there are many opinions to be aired by everyone. I also hope we can do so with an attitude of acceptance, decorum and mutual respect.

All of this activity is taking place in advance of a public hearing at 5 p.m. on Nov. 30 at Town Hall when the Brookhaven Town Board will consider this zoning change request. Therefore, I invite all those interested to join us on Nov. 28, so we can raise our voice two days later at the Town Board and help influence the future of this hamlet we are so proud of in a positive direction.

Ira Costell, President

Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association

Have our leaders ever traveled along the Port Jeff Branch?

You can learn a great deal about the priorities of our elected officials by what they do and don’t do when it comes to delivering funding for transportation projects.

Over the past few days, U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer [D-NY] and Kirsten Gillibrand [D-NY], joined by Gov. Kathy Hochul [D] and others, announced federal funding of $1.3 billion toward advancing the $1.6 billion East River Tunnel reconstruction, $1.6 billion toward the $3.1 billion Metro North Bronx East Penn Station Access, $3.4 billion toward the $7.7 billion New York City Transit Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 and $3.8 billion toward Amtrak’s $16.8 billion Gateway Tunnel (for two new tunnels plus rehabilitation of two existing Hudson River tunnels connecting New Jersey with Penn Station) projects.

Not a dime as a down payment to pay for any National Environmental Policy Act review, additional planning or preliminary design and engineering for the $3 billion-plus MTA Long Island Rail Road double tracking electrification of the Port Jefferson Branch.

This seed money, in the millions, is necessary if these improvements to the LIRR Port Jefferson Branch can become eligible for any future Federal Transit Administration Capital Investment Grants New Starts Core Capacity Full Funding Grant Agreement for $1.5 billion many years down the road.

Schumer, Gillibrand and Hochul, by their actions — or in this case, inaction — have clearly indicated no interest in supporting any advancement of future capital improvements to the Port Jefferson Branch. Commuters, residents, taxpayers, project advocates and others may want to consider withholding your potential campaign contributions and votes when they run for another term in office.

This is the only influence you have.

Larry Penner

Great Neck

Editor’s note: The writer is a transportation analyst and former director for Federal Transit Administration Region 2.

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Embark on a journey with our reporter to Sherwood-Jayne Farm in East Setauket, capturing the intensity of protesters rallying against Preservation Long Island’s plan to remove its farm animals. Then, delve into municipal land-use policy as we dissect the Brookhaven Town Board’s consideration of a zone change for the Jefferson Plaza shopping center in Port Jefferson Station.

But that’s not all — dive into the excitement of Ward Melville and Earl L. Vandermeulen high schools’ postseason volleyball runs with our sportswriter. Then, join us in reflecting on the crucial role of local election inspectors and the urgent need for more volunteers to uphold our democratic process.

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Photo by Heidi Sutton

“Thank you for your service.”

Especially around Veterans Day, we say and hear these words many times. We express our gratitude and appreciation for American veterans, those who risked it all so that we may enjoy our cherished American freedoms.

The freedom to speak one’s mind. The freedom to exercise one’s sincere religious convictions. The freedom to peaceably assemble and petition government — and the freedom of the press.

While we often take these freedoms for granted, we must remember that they are not guaranteed. Throughout our national history — from imperial Britain to the Confederate States to the Axis powers to al-Qaida — our enemies have sought to deprive us of our sacred freedoms. They have sought to undermine and wipe away our way of life and our democracy.

Standing in their way time and again have been American service members. To protect and defend our democratic norms and our way of life, veterans risked their lives, many paying the ultimate sacrifice.

Along the North Shore, we live among some of American history’s greatest patriots. No matter his or her tour of service, each veteran has a story to share. And crucially, many have carried the banner of service back into civilian life, building up our local communities and making this a better place to live.

We would be deeply troubled by the loss of local and national historical memory. Thankfully, we have history courses built into elementary and middle school curricula. We also enjoy and sincerely appreciate the efforts of local historical societies here preserving our history.

History gives us roots, establishing a sense of who we are and where we came from. To move forward as a community and nation, we must first grasp how we arrived at where we are. Fortunately for us on Long Island, we have a path ahead.

At the former Rocky Point train station, a collection of veterans and local volunteers are building out the Suffolk County World War II and Military History Museum. This regional veterans museum, to be operated by VFW Post 6249, aims to tell the stories of local service members from across Long Island. The museum is slated to launch on Thursday, Dec. 7.

Since learning of this project, our staff has enthusiastically supported its mission. We believe the museum will help foster two of our central goals as a staff: informing locals about their community and inspiring love for this place we call home.

As this year’s Veterans Day services wind down, we can all help this museum get off the ground. The museum is actively seeking donations in the form of equipment, uniforms, combat supplies and other artifacts and memorabilia.

We ask our readers to honor a veteran in their own lives by donating. We urge all to help lend a hand — because these stories are too valuable to lose to history.

To donate, contact the museum’s curator, Rich Acritelli, by emailing [email protected].

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A scene from 'The Play That Goes Wrong' Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from 'The Play That Goes Wrong' Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from 'The Play That Goes Wrong' Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from 'The Play That Goes Wrong' Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from 'The Play That Goes Wrong' Photo by Julianne Mosher
A scene from 'The Play That Goes Wrong' Photo by Julianne Mosher
The cast of 'The Play That Goes Wrong' Photo by Julianne Mosher

By Julianne Mosher

Your parents always said, “two wrongs don’t make a right.” Well, that’s not necessarily true. Sometimes two wrongs continue into three, four, five… and then a whole show ends up collapsing.

In Suffolk County Community College’s latest Selden production, “The Play That Goes Wrong,” the audience is watching a play within a play and it will have you laughing from the moment you sit down. 

Written by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, the show starts off with some audience improv — two cast members are setting up the stage and communicating with everyone settling in. From the moment you walk in, shenanigans are already starting — like fixing a broken mantlepiece, looking for a lost dog and trying to figure out where someone’s Duran Duran CD went. 

Then we’re introduced to “The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society’s” director, Chris Bean, who gives us a little history lesson on the troupe. Known for their productions including Two Sisters, The Lion and the Wardrobe, Cat, and James and the Peach, it’s safe to say the group is a little unlucky and a little under budget. But that doesn’t stop the actors from giving it their all with their latest production of The Murder at Havensham Manor — a 1930s murder mystery play.

When the curtain rises, mayhem ensues and it’s chaotic from beginning to end. 

Delaina Wratchford, who plays Bean, who plays the inspector, plans on heading to Broadway after her time at SCCC, and with this performance, she’s going to get on that stage sooner than later. 

That being said, what’s interesting and really special about this show is that each actor is playing two parts — they’re playing another actor who is then playing a character in The Murder at Havensham Manor. Writing that out sounds confusing, but trust me, when you watch it, it is so seamless that it makes perfect sense and there is not one flaw in it … other than all the chaotic bad luck the actors have during their performance. 

Jerry Ewald, who plays Robert Grove, who plays Thomas Colleymoore, lights up the room with his humor and his ability to stay in character even throughout the intermission. The same goes for Aiden Gomez (Jonathan, then Charles Haversham), William Begley (Max Bennett, then Cecil Haversham) and Carson Warkenthien (Dennis Tyde, then Perkins). They were able to switch back and forth between their characters to the play performers with ease. 

Even the “background” performers have a huge part in the show. First-time SCCC performer Scott Dowd (who plays Trevor the sound tech) and Kayla Pisano (Annie) bring another level to the show — because they represent people that we can relate to, personally.

One slight disclaimer, without giving too much away. You’re going to see a lot of stunts in this show, and for performers like Wratchford, Ewald and Michaela Fitzsimmons (Sandra Wilkinson, then Florence Colleymoore), you’re going to wince, but be so impressed by their professionalism under these dire movements.

So, that leads to a huge kudos to the set design staff. The stage is set up like an old-time parlor, with two levels and an elevator. The carpentry and engineering that was put into this design — created by students — is truly something you’d see on Broadway, possibly even better.

The show is special in many ways, but an interesting fact is that it was directed by Bryan Kimmelman — a Smithtown native who studied on the same stage as a theater major nearly two decades ago. 

“I’ve never forgotten my two years here,” he said. “And it’s carried with me the last 10 years with anything professional I’ve done.”

Kimmelman said that when he was a student, he knew the caliber of the education he was receiving at Suffolk.

“I know what comes out of this school and they always produce quality work,” he said. “People are going to come here and see young people working towards being a professional on all levels. So, if you want to see professionals in their moment of prime, then you need to see this show.”

Tickets for The Play That Goes Wrong are on sale now for viewings on Nov. 16, 17 and 18 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 19 at 2 p.m. at the Shea Theatre, Islip Arts Building on the Ammerman Campus, 533 College Road, Selden. General admission is $15, veterans and students 16 years of age or younger is $10. Suffolk students with current ID can receive two free tickets.

For more information or to order, visit sunysuffolk.edu/spotlight or call 631-451-4163.

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METRO photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

We’ve come a long way from the “my dog ate my homework” days.

I mean, come on, let’s give our society the credit it’s due. We have taken the blame game, the finger pointing and the it-couldn’t-be-me-because-butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-my-mouth game to an entirely new stratosphere.

Gone are the days of simple, linear and mostly nonsensical excuses.

Let’s start in Washington, DC, which is the biggest clown show this side of the Atlantic and where the notion of a democracy gets battle tested nearly every day

Who is responsible for the national debt? That, of course, depends on whom you ask. The democrats point to former President Trump, while the republicans accuse President Biden and the Democrats.

Maybe those wily politicians are onto something. You see, if no one takes responsibility for anything and we can point fingers at the other side reflexively and without any effort to compromise and work together, we can live without consequence, create our own economics and come up with judgmental and schoolyard bully nicknames for the other side.

Brilliant! Blame someone else convincingly enough and not only do you not have to look in the mirror or come up with solutions, but you can also turn your entire reason for being into defeating the other side or, at the very least, enjoying their losses.

Look, I’m a Yankees fan. I know all about Schadenfreude. The next best thing to a Yankees victory, and it’s a close second, is a Red Sox loss.

But I digress. People have turned blaming others into a fine art. In sports, athletes and coaches deploy the modern blame game to excuse their losses or to step back from accepting responsibility or, perish the thought, to give the other team credit.

Like a zebra in the Serengeti to a hungry lion, referees in their striped uniforms in football games become convenient targets. They took away a victory by calling a game against us. Athletes and coaches can dig their verbal claws and teeth into those officials, who stole what would certainly have been a more favorable outcome.

How about school? It couldn’t possibly be the fault of our angelic children, who were busy watching these athletes on TV or on their phones the night before, for doing poorly on a test. It has to be the teacher’s fault. If teachers could only inspire their classes, our children would learn and excel. 

You know who I like to blame? I like to focus on tall people. Don’t get me wrong. Some of my best friends are tall. It’s just that, well, have you noticed that tall people get a lot of attention? Some of them are CEOs of big companies and make enormous salaries. They are also picked first in gym, which gives them the confidence to become successful.

While we’re affixing blame, let’s also shake our heads at gym class. Sure, it’s healthy to run around and have a few moments when we’re not listening to teachers who may or may not inspire us, but gym class can bruise egos and create a Darwinian world where height, which is kind of the fault of our parents and their parents and on and on, is an advantage.

Hey, I’m not whining. Okay, well, maybe I am, but it’s not me and it’s certainly not my fault. I blame society, commentators on TV, coaches, politicians, teachers, my parents, your parents, the parents of the kid who served as a bad role model for my kids, and maybe Adam, Eve and the snake for putting us in this position.

Oh, and you can be sure butter wouldn’t melt in my mouth. I have a dairy allergy, which, ironically, is the fault of my dairy farmer grandfather.

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METRO photo

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

Just for fun during a break, I wandered around the office, asking staffers what they liked best about themselves and what they liked least. I got some interesting answers after assuring them they would not be identified nor fired as a result of their responses.

I would ask you the same question, dear reader. But first, perhaps you would like to know what some of the others said. These are not direct quotes but are intended to summarize the thoughts.

“ I like my ability to analyze a situation, to think it out,” said one. “By the same token, I don’t like that I tend to overthink issues and questions, like this one. Or my self-criticism.”

“I’m pleased that I’m steadfast and see my way through a project or a decision,” said another. “I’m not easily dissuaded or derailed.” What wasn’t appreciated? “I’m shrinking, losing height as I age.”

Here are some more comments, some delivered off the top of their heads; others after some premeditation, were emailed to me.

“Three things I like about myself: My sense of humor; my capacity for compassion and thoughtfulness, although it can be heartbreaking at times; and my ability to see multiple facets of a situation.” As far as dislikes: “Although I like being direct, sometimes I can be too direct and it may take people off guard; I don’t have much patience; I can’t seem to stick with an exercise regimen.” 

This same person added, “Well it’s been an interesting exercise. I have been doing a little experiment of my own with this. I’ve been asking my friends and family which has led to great conversations. So thank you for that!” 

Not having enough patience was often cited as a shortcoming. Other positives were offered with enthusiasm.

“Authenticity!”

“Comfortable in my own skin!”

“Integrity!!”

“Good listener!”

“A good friend!”

“My curiosity!”

Another staffer referred to a sense of humor twice: “I like my humor—but sometimes it gets me into trouble.” This same person “cares about other people.”

“I like that I get along well with other people,” was shared with me by another. “I am a team player and I always pay my bills on time.” On the other hand, “I have a time management problem, and I worry too much. In fact, I worry about worrying too much.”

And here is an almost universal one. “I can’t stay on a diet!”

So it seems only fair that I tell you my top likes and dislikes. Here goes, dislikes first.

I’m a lifelong procrastinator. ‘Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow’ was a saying made for me. Now in my defense, I will suggest that there might be some wisdom in that because…sometimes problems and chores disappear by tomorrow. But most of the time, that’s a lame excuse. I’m sure one of the appeals of journalism for me is that it has unyielding deadlines for press time, thus forcing me to get going.

Another personal drawback is my tendency to keeping my desk messy. I know where everything is, but no one else does. Then I have to go through extended bouts of straightening the many papers.

A third is my inability to resist a nosh, especially if it is something sweet.

As to my likes, I, too, value my sense of humor, which has enabled me to endure the incongruities of life. Also I am intrigued by and deeply interested in others’ lives, which I guess is a help in interviewing. And lastly, I am grateful for my appreciation of the natural beauty in the world. Snow-covered mountains, a slow moving river under umbrellas of green trees, the waves in the harbor rhythmically caressing the shore, the light on the underbellies of the clouds after a rain, the bluejays casing my deck for next year’s nesting, the bright yellow forsythia after a brown and grey winter, all bring joy to my soul.

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Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich, right photo, speaks to a crowd of residents assembled at the Jefferson Plaza shopping center in Port Jefferson Station on Sunday, Nov. 12. Photos by Carolyn Sackstein

By Carolyn Sackstein

On the first cold day of the season on Sunday, Nov. 12, locals gathered in the parking lot of Jefferson Plaza along Route 112 in Port Jeff Station to discuss the proposed revitalization of the plaza.

In the days before the gathering, Paul Sagliocca and members of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association canvassed the neighborhoods surrounding the shopping center. This preparation brought out roughly 80 residents.

Sagliocca was joined by fellow civic members Lou Antoniello and Jerry Maxim. Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) spoke to the crowd and Suffolk County Legislator-elect Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) — both representing PJS/T in their respective districts — listened to the concerns of attendees.

The speakers called for residents to attend PJSTCA’s upcoming meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 28, at 7 p.m. at Comsewogue Library. They especially urged residents to speak up during an upcoming meeting of the Brookhaven Town Board to consider a proposed change of zone to a new Commercial Redevelopment District classification on Thursday, Nov. 30.

Questions raised

Owned by Staller Associates, Jefferson Plaza is currently zoned for commercial use. Staller must seek zoning changes from Brookhaven Town for mixed-use development of the property. The proposed revitalization calls for 263 residential units in a four-story structure.

Sagliocca suggested that residents to the west were anxious that the new apartments would have sightlines into their yards and windows. Critics also expressed concerns over increased traffic and possibly rerouting traffic with one-way streets, making accessing their homes inconvenient. 

Others raised concern over the impact of potentially many new residents on the environment, especially the aquifer. They questioned how much more stress the local environment could bear.

Another concern was the blocking of the sun by the height of the new structure. Maxim called for a “shade study” to determine how far the shade would extend into the neighborhood. Sagliocca spoke of the impact on Mather and St. Charles hospitals in Port Jefferson, which serve Coram, Selden and the greater Port Jefferson area. Kornreich emphasized the need for a traffic study to be conducted independently and objectively.

Maxim highlighted the potential impact of the proposed units on the Comsewogue School District. 

Antoniello explained, “I’m not saying we don’t need multifamily housing, but you can’t have it dictated by the people up in Albany. Right now, the development they want for this area is really land abuse, not land use. They are looking for a density that is three times the allowable density that the Town of Brookhaven allows. This will set a precedent for every multifamily project that occurs in Port Jeff Station, Terryville and Port Jefferson village.”

He added, “As per our hamlet and [commercial] hub study, over 80% of the people questioned said they didn’t want multifamily units. We’re now taking studies which cost combined over a hundred thousand dollars. We are throwing them in the trash. Those are our bibles. We have to do it right, we don’t have a choice.”

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The Brookhaven Town Board will consider a proposed change of zone for the Jefferson Plaza property on Thursday, Nov. 30, at 5 p.m. File photo by Raymond Janis

Port Jefferson Station/Terryville is approaching a potentially community-defining transformation as the Brookhaven Town Board weighs the future redevelopment of the Jefferson Plaza shopping center, owned by Islandia-based Staller Associates.

Later this month, the board will consider rezoning the 10-acre parcel at the intersection of state Route 112 and Terryville Road to a Commercial Redevelopment District, or CRD, a new classification within the town’s Zoning Code. Jefferson Plaza would be the first property in town history to receive this designation if approved.

Enacted in 2020, the CRD enables mixed-use development along parcels of over 5 acres in size. According to the code, the CRD aims “to create the type of planning and zoning flexibility which is necessary to stimulate the revitalization of abandoned, vacant or underutilized commercial shopping center, bowling alley and health club properties.”

Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook) represents Port Jefferson Station on the Town Board. In an exclusive interview, he summarized the CRD’s purpose as “more housing, less commercial space, generally.”

“The local government has created an incentive to spur redevelopment,“ he said. “But it hasn’t been used yet, so we’re trying to use it now.”

Commercial decline

Kornreich said this new approach to commercial revitalization is guided by a sequence of “extinction events” occurring within the local retail market.

Since the establishment of these local downtowns in the previous century and even earlier, Kornreich identified the emergence of automobile culture and the growth of large box stores as the first threat to traditional mom-and-pop storefronts and downtown economies. In the wake of this first extinction event, “retail took a hit that it never really recovered from,” Kornreich said.

Retail’s downward trajectory was further exacerbated by e-commerce, which began to put even the big box stores and large retailers out of business. “And then, of course, COVID came, and that hit commercial real estate and retail,” the councilmember noted.

Confronting the many changes reshaping the commercial landscape, Kornreich said the CRD would help spur commercial redevelopment.

“This is our existential challenge: How do we help guide the redevelopment of our community so it can be healthy, so that it can thrive, and so that people can afford to live here and have a good quality of life,” he said.

Richard Murdocco is an adjunct professor in the Department of Political Science at Stony Brook University, specializing in land use, real estate markets, economic development and environmental policy. Given the current pressures upon the commercial sector, Murdocco concluded that “these antiquated shopping centers need a redo.”

While redevelopment has traditionally elicited local opposition from nearby residents, Murdocco suggests that various projects throughout the region have gained traction among locals.

“It seems to me that a lot of these redevelopment projects are starting to gain momentum because the property and the blight are so large,” he said. “These are significant pieces of property,” adding, “Government responded to the need for adaptive reuse, and now there’s a legal mechanism through the zoning district on which to do that.”

Questions raised

The push for commercial redevelopment has met with scrutiny from some.

Ira Costell, president of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association, raised several questions about the Jefferson Plaza proposal.

The CRD “hasn’t been used previously, and this does seem to be the test case,” he said. “In my estimation, it’s the lynchpin for further development in our community, so that’s why it’s essential that we get this right and not rush to judgment.”

“To address those things, I think we need better community input,” he added. To generate such input, he has asked residents to attend the civic’s upcoming meeting at Comsewogue Public Library on Tuesday, Nov. 28, at 7 p.m.

Local civic members are ringing the alarm over the CRD in the neighboring Three Village community. Herb Mones, land use chair of the Three Village Civic Association, highlighted the need to remediate commercial blight but suggested the CRD code is too developer-centric.

“On every level, the intention of redeveloping neglected or failing shopping centers is an admirable goal,” he said. “But the way that the code is written allows for really unprecedented development that has a tremendous negative effect on communities that are impacted by the density that results.”

Mones said the language of the CRD code is “so vague, so arbitrary and so capricious that it could be applied to virtually any shopping center in the Town of Brookhaven.”

Based on the statute, which incentivizes redevelopment of blighted properties through relaxed land use standards, Mones said the CRD code “encourages landowners to purposely neglect their properties in order to promote this eventual redevelopment.”

George Hoffman, also a member of TVCA, concurred with Mones, referring to the CRD code as “a very vague law that I think was done in haste.”

“It was really a code change that was done when we didn’t know what was going to happen with COVID,” Hoffman said. “I think it really has to be reevaluated, and I don’t think it works in this situation here” at Jefferson Plaza. 

Given that Jefferson Plaza would be the first parcel listed as a CRD, he added that this matter has implications for residents townwide.

“If they use this code to the maximum allowable density, I think it’s going to set the standard of a new suburban model for development,” he said.

The Town Board will consider the proposed change of zone for the Jefferson Plaza property on Thursday, Nov. 30, at 5 p.m.

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