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Town of Huntington Planning Board

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Nathan Hale Nature Preserve. Photo courtesy of Paul Thomson

By Sabrina Artusa

The Town of Huntington Planning Board rescinded preliminary approval for a development proposal in Halesite located at 78 Bay Ave. and 211 Vineyard Road. The developer, Vineyard Bay Estates LLC, proposed an eight-home subdivision to be built in on a 4-acre plot.

The board approved the application in February and has received ardent community pushback since its passing. The development sits on 10 acres of wooded, hilly land — an area the community says has immense environmental and cultural significance. The developers plan to preserve the remaining land.

Nathan Hale Nature Preserve filed a lawsuit against the Town of Huntington Planning Board and Vineyard Bay Estates in March, claiming that the Planning Board’s SEQRA declaration of significance is erroneous and lacking “a rational basis.” 

Paul Thomson, member of the Nathan Hale Nature Preserve, said that the Planning Board, instead of filing a pre populated environmental assessment form (EAF), the developer printed their own form which gave an “incomplete” analysis of the property and the impacts of development.

“We want this process restarted in good faith and we want to be able to publicly comment on this process going forward,” Thomson said. “And that they take a hard look under SEQRA to see if environmental impact statements are necessary.”

The formal EAF states that the area is sensitive for archaeological sites, but the developer’s form submitted that it was not a sensitive area.

At a June meeting the developer’s lawyer, Michael McCarthy, argued against an environmental review. The community, including Thomson, presented their concerns to the board, which included the fact that the area could hold significance to Native Americans. 

“​​If I need to supplement the EAF [Part 1], I’ll supplement the EAF,” McCarthy said at the meeting. “If I need to, you know, correct something that was a box that was checked wrong, we’ll will check the box correctly.” He went on to note that he does not believe a full environmental impact study is necessary.

In February, the Planning Board accepted the environmental review and the application simultaneously without allowing time for a public hearing. 

Lisa Perillo, attorney for Nathan Hale Nature Preserve, wrote in a letter to the board that the full effects of construction on such a steep slope have not been properly examined. 

“We don’t understand why the priority is to develop as opposed to protect, and we think the Town of Huntington has made it very clear in its voting process that we want environmental space and these sleeping slopes protected,” Thomson said.

He added, “Let the chips fall where they fall, we just want it done according to the law and according to the procedures.”

Thomson and the rest of the nonprofit’s members are also concerned the endangered northern long-eared bats would be put in danger by development. 

Last October, Thomson said he brought the issue to the attention of the town’s Environmental Open Space & Park Fund Advisory Committee, which advises the Town Board on buying and preserving open space. The committee reportedly agreed that the property should be preserved. 

According to Newsday, McCarthy and Planning Board attorney Ed Gathman have entered into a stipulation agreement to reset the approval process. 

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File photo

By Rokah Sejour

The Town of Huntington Planning Board unanimously voted Feb. 21 on the preliminary approval of the Vineyard Bay Estates proposed subdivision at 78 Bay Ave. and 211 Vineyard Road, Halesite.

This project has been planned for years and all of the proper analysis has been done. Improvements have been made to the plans as a result of some of the grievances brought by members of the community, the board said. 

A map detailing the proposed plans for the development showed plans for one flag lot, a widening of Bay Avenue, a proposed 1.84-acre open-space dedication to the Town of Huntington, and a 4-plus acre of hillside to be preserved within the subject lots. 

“You don’t have the right to make a determination tonight,” said Lawrence Kelly, a Bayport attorney present at the meeting. “You have a lot of procedural infirmities and you should just take the time to look at those.” He implored the board to take time to review the SEQRA determination.

This comes after a coalition was formed, The Nathan Hale Nature Preserve Committee, consisting of neighbors and residents surrounding the proposed Vineyard Bay Estates development.

The committee’s concerns focused on the preservation of the plot’s environment and ecosystem, especially with regards to the town’s steep slope law which sought to protect and safeguard scenic landscapes and the vegetative features of steeply sloped lands throughout the town. The committee worries that the statuesque specimen trees, rare and lush flora and fauna that the property preserved and protected will be at risk. 

It was brought up by NHNPC that the town should purchase the area to ensure that it would remain a preserved and protected mark for Huntington. However, Vineyard Estates said that the property was not for sale.

A lawyer was formally retained by the committee for expert counsel in respect of the concerns of the committee ahead of the Feb. 21 meeting.

In a letter dated Feb. 20, the committee wrote to the town Planning Board detailing their interest in the property as well as their mission purpose.

The committee hoped that any further approvals would be suspended for the Vineyard Bay Estates development until reports from independent experts on the environmental impact of this proposed project are completed through the SEQRA process. 

It was also requested by the committee’s lawyers in a Feb. 20 email to the Planning Board that “the public hearing be reopened so that the public may comment on the plans, as revised, and in response to any SEQRA determination this board, as lead agency, may be issuing.”

It was explained that this particular meeting was not a public hearing and that the other party was not present to counter any claims made against them.

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Indian Hills Country Club. File photo by Sara-Megan Walsh

The real estate developer for a controversial Fort Salonga development has handed over his proposed plans for a mandated environmental impact study for public consumption. 

The Hauppauge-based Northwind Group, founded by developer Jim Tsunis, submitted a 16-page report Aug. 14 outlining how potential impacts of The Preserve at Indian Hills will be evaluated prior to construction of the community. Residents have until Sept. 17 to give feedback and voice any concerns. 

Town of Huntington Planning Board voted Aug. 8 to issue a positive declaration that the submitted plans to construct 98 townhouses and a clubhouse on the existing Indian Hills Country Club golf course will have a significant environmental impact. In accordance with state law, the Northwind Group must undertake, with a detailed environmental impact study that looks at how the development may impact water quality of the
watershed, the area’s steep slopes and coastal erosion zone, added traffic and other issues. 

“The 99-lot yield is supported by a yield map prepared to town specifications and approved by the planning board for yield purposes and is less than what would be permitted as right-of-way under current zoning if each property were developed independently,” reads page 3 of the developer’s draft report. 

The Fort Salonga Property Owners Association has previously asked town officials to place a moratorium on new developments in the Crab Meadow Watershed area, which includes Indian Hills. The group has voiced fears, despite the developer’s revised plans that scales 108 units originally requested down to 98, the development will have a devastating impact on the local roadways and
surrounding wetlands.

“There is no doubt that this latest plan is completely unacceptable to the neighborhood,” John Hayes, president of the property owners association, said. “Like its predecessors, it does not fully address many of the environmental and social concerns that have been raised.” 

Hayes admitted he and others were still going over the 16-page report but said he is likely to suggest additional intersections be added to the traffic study. Those intersections already cited for inclusion by the developer include: Route 25A at Makamah Road, Route 25A at Fresh Pond Road, Makamah and Breeze Hill roads, Fresh Pond Road and Breeze Hill Road and Fresh Pond Road at Claymore Road.

“The roads are not designed for this sort of development,” Hayes said, citing numerous fatal accidents at Makamah Road and Route 25A. 

The draft environmental study outline also clearly stated the 18-hole golf course will be modified, but maintain 18-holes calling it “an important part of the visual character of the site and area.” 

The draft scope of the environmental study can be viewed on the Town of Huntington’s website, www.huntingtonny.gov, under the Planning & Environment Department page, under Site Specific Plans, Reports and Studies. 

Comments may be submitted through Sept. 17 via email to [email protected] or mailed to Huntington Town Hall, Department of Planning & Environment (Room 212), Attn: Preserve at Indian Hills Draft Scope, 100 Main St., Huntington, NY 11743. 

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