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Village of Port Jefferson

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Richared Harris and Kathianne Snaden join Joey Zangrillo in his new outdoor dining spot located behind his restaurant, Joey Z’s. Photo by Julianne Mosher

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Long Island in March of last year, restaurants had to shut their doors and come up with creative ways to survive.

At first, they utilized contactless, curbside pickup, and then as the summer approached, the warm weather opened up impromptu outdoor dining.

“It was a scary time,” Village of Port Jefferson trustee Kathianne Snaden said. “But the attitude with outdoor dining was whatever they need, we will make it work within reason and safety.”

Restaurants had to make use of whatever outdoor space they had — Joey Z’s, for example, be-ing just two tables on the busy sidewalk in front of its location. Others used their back parking lots, taking up space from visitors and their cars.

Snaden said they were able to relax their already-in-place outdoor dining codes to help the businesses stay open. 

“Even though it was hurriedly done, we still did everything to the standards with the fire marshal and the attorney that visited every site,” Snaden added. “We were very careful with that stuff. Our goal was for the businesses to continue doing business and stay open.”

Now that this has become the new normal, the village knew they had to prepare early for the busy season, using what they learned last year to make outdoor dining even better.

Deputy village attorney Richard Harris and Snaden began researching different accommodations the village could make. 

“We came up with a waiver form,” Harris said, “And whenever people came in for an application, for the most part we said ‘yes.’”

Using the good and the bad from what they learned early on in the pandemic, Harris and Snaden began measuring different spots that could accommodate outdoor tables, again joined by the fire marshal to make sure everything was safe, and ADA compliant. 

“We were able to take more time in identifying locations,” Snaden said, adding that this year the village again waived the $100 table fee restaurants typically need to pay for outdoor dining. 

And this year, the village is continuing to assist the restaurants which could use the extra space.

Recently, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced that indoor dining could seat at 75% capacity, but some restaurants Down Port are small spaces that still cannot make a profit without a full house. 

So, the outdoor dining helps.

Joey Z’s, located at 217 Main St., is now utilizing a small park behind his restaurant, at the bottom of the staircase by Toast Coffeehouse.

Joey Zangrillo, owner of the Greek and Italian spot, said he is grateful for the tables located within the park because he knows it’ll help his business this summer. 

“This whole place, the way it looks right now, looks perfect to me,” he said. 

And the tables will not interfere with the rest of the park, Snaden said, because benches are still available for people to take a break. 

“Everybody that requested a certain area or type of outdoor dining, they were not denied,” she added. “We worked within our parameters and what the code allows, but nobody was denied what they asked for.”

While many restaurants are beginning to utilize the outdoor dining now that spring is here, Harris said applications are still rolling in, and have been since early March. 

“If you let us know what you want, we’ll take a look at the permit and make it work for you,” he said. “We want the businesses to survive — that’s our job.”

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File photo by Heidi Sutton

During Monday’s virtual board of trustees meeting, the Village of Port Jefferson agreed upon the 2021/2022 budget, with a total increase of 1.9% to $10,187,442.

Treasurer Denise Mordente explained on April 5 the increase over last year’s budget of $9,992,565 is attributed to several factors, including the loss of LIPA revenue and increases in state mandated expense lines.

A simple roll over budget would have resulted in a budget gap of approximately $400,000.

But according to Mayor Margot Garant, “The village was able to manage the gap reducing it to $194,877,” just slightly over the impact of the loss of LIPA revenue of $116,646 by reassigning resources and not rehiring staff in positions vacated due to retirement or attrition within certain departments. 

“We’re looking to make up the difference by increasing taxes by $122,000 with the balance covered  by increased revenues sources,” added Garant. 

“The impact to the average household, which would have an approximately $1,500 village tax bill is approximately a $45 increase,” she said. 

“We feel the budget, as proposed is going to provide the necessary resources, the village needs to continue to do its job, which is to provide our basic services to its residents.”

During the pandemic this fiscal year, Garant said, “We’re actually at $8.7 million in revenue, so we’re about $1.2 million short.” 

However, despite the loss of revenue, the village also managed to maintain services and staffing by implementing a spending freeze and strict oversight of village resources. 

The budget hearing has been posted the Village of Port Jefferson’s YouTube account. 

To read this year’s budget, visit the village website.

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Chef Andrew Seeley with host Cliff Crooks as he samples his dish, as seen on Chef Bootcamp, Season 1. Photo from Food Network

A staple in the Port Jefferson community is heading to the small screen, sharing their story on the Food Network’s newest series, “Chef Boot Camp,” to air on at 10 p.m. on Thursday, April 8.

Under the guidance of chef Cliff Crooks, culinary director of a global restaurant brand, the show takes struggling chefs from family owned businesses and helps their techniques. 

In its season premiere, a local bar and eatery is stepping up to the plate — with chef Andrew Seeley of Tara Inn.

“They take a troubled chef, that’s a good chef, but who needs technique to help a place that’s struggling in the area,” he said. “Prepandemic and now, this area is not what it used to be.”

But Seeley said thanks to the new apartments soon to be developed in Upper Port, the inn has “an amazing opportunity here.”

According to the Food Network, Crooks will put a trio of underperforming chefs each episode through a grueling series of challenges to test their real-world culinary skills and fitness for the role. 

With their jobs on the line, these chefs will attempt to not only survive but thrive in “Chef Boot Camp” and prove to their owners they have the talent and passion that it takes to succeed. 

Owners Tara and Kate Higgins also joined in on the episode, where they offered tips that Seeley needed to work on. 

“The chef spends time with you, teaches you techniques and kind of puts you to the test to see what you can do and what you can’t,” he said. 

Kate, a Port Jefferson Station resident, said last summer the bar received a phone call from a producer with the Food Network. She didn’t believe the message, but called them back to find out they were interested in featuring her family’s spot in their new show. 

“I thought it was a joke,” she said. “I’m not even sure how she found us, but I’m happy they did.”

From July on, Seeley and the Higgins family talked with producers and got ready to film at two locations —  in Manhattan and New Jersey — in November. This week’s episode is the first one to kick off the season, where Seeley and the bar’s owners will be featured in the hour-long show.

Boot camp

Chef Andrew Seeley, as seen on Chef Bootcamp, Season 1. Photo from Food Network

The Food Network said in a statement that Crooks assesses the three featured chefs’ skills in the kitchen and addresses their areas for improvement. 

After an introduction to each chef that reveals what brought them to boot camp, Crooks gets a firsthand look and taste of one of their signature dishes to begin to understand what the issues may be. 

Next, the chefs must demonstrate fundamental cooking techniques of a classic dish, which they must create on time and to Crooks’ satisfaction, showing their skills, knowledge and ability in the kitchen. 

Then, the chefs must bring it altogether — working a fast-paced, live dinner service at one of Crooks’ restaurants, and then, finally, whipping up a creative, new dish for their restaurant owners to demonstrate their growth and progress from boot camp.  

The chef

Seeley has been working at Tara Inn for a year and a half, but his experience comes from a hands-on approach.

He said when he was a child, he would come to Tara’s with his grandmother and enjoy their famous $1 burgers. He spent his young adulthood visiting the bar scene with friends. 

After a move to Florida, he owned several food trucks, but due to some unfortunate family problems, he had to forfeit them, eventually moving back north. 

Now living in Wantagh — and commuting to Port Jeff — Seeley would come into the inn for lunch, according to Kate. She was looking for someone to help with a few shifts, and he asked if he could join the team. 

“Sometimes hiring customers doesn’t necessarily go well,” she said. “But he started on Sundays, it was a five-hour shift, and three weeks later, he was working six days a week.”

An emotional experience heading back into the kitchen, Seeley said joining Tara’s brought his love for cooking to a whole new level.

“It’s amazing,” he said. “They’ve adopted me as their little brother.”

The legacy 

Kate Higgins, Andrew Seeley and Tara Higgins at Tara Inn. Photo by Julianne Mosher

Tara Higgins said her father, Joe, opened Tara Inn in 1977. Now 90 years old, he has passed the responsibility to Kate, but all eight of his children have worked at the bar at some point in their lives. 

“It’s part of who we are,” she said. 

Tara, a Port Jefferson resident, village judge and attorney at the Suffolk County Supreme Court in Riverhead, said the inn has always been a labor of love. 

“Not just having Andrew work here, but having him be on our team, is such a weight off of our shoulders,” she said. 

Located at 1519 Main St., and known for their inexpensive but filling bar food —the former $1 burger now costs $2 — Seeley said there’s more to Tara Inn than the food and drinks.

“It’s also the guests that come in here,” he said. “When you come here, you’re coming into a place that has been around for so long it’s a legacy.”

The motto the Higgins family has held for 43 years is what keeps Seeley going.

“My favorite thing they say here is, ‘We don’t have customers, we have guests,’” he said.

Tara added the vibe of the inn has always been like their living room — a place to get together, share a meal and a beverage, and just hangout. 

“I think people believe that just because we’ve been here 43 years means that we’re going to be here for another 43,” Kate said. “And that’s not going to be the case if we don’t continue to get local support.”

Joe Higgins is happy that after four decades, people still stop into Tara’s.

“Dad was saying that he feels sorry for the local people that don’t realize this gem is in their own backyard,” Tara said. “And it’s true. You know, I used to say the only place to go that’s cheaper is McDonald’s, and now we’re cheaper than McDonald’s and the food is much better.”

And now thanks to “Chef Boot Camp,” Seeley might have a few new tricks up his sleeve. 

Although he can’t give away too much, he said on the episode he works on his seasoning and plating techniques. 

But in the end, no matter how cheap the food — and how delicious it is — people come back to Tara Inn for its welcoming attitude. 

Father offered more advice when Kate took over.

“Dad said to me, ‘You have an opportunity to be good to people and to help people,’” she said. 

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Photo by Julianne Mosher
Photo by Julianne Mosher
Photo by Julianne Mosher

Here comes Peter Cottontail … 

On Sunday, April 4, Barbara Ransome, director of operations with the Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce, dressed up in her Easter Bunny costume to hand out treats and take photos with passerbyers for the holiday.

Over the past 25 years, Ransome has played the role, carrying a basket full of candy — and carrots for herself — throughout Main Street.

From 11 a.m. until the late afternoon, Ransome visited the local shops to say hello, and took pictures with several families. 

“We’re hoping next year we can have our parade and egg hunt,” she said, “But in the spirit of the holiday, I wanted to spread some cheer.”

Last year, the holiday events were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and this year was the same but that didn’t stop people from snapping a selfie with Ransome, or a quick group photo with the local Easter Bunny.

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The crime scene outside Dunkin' Donuts in the village. Photo from Margot Garant

It was a tragedy, but local officials say all the right protocols were in place which led to the quick arrest of a Port Jefferson Station man in the fatal shooting of 25-year-old David Bliss Jr. of Shirley.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, March 24, at approximately 3:35 p.m., when Bliss was shot in front of 122 Main St. in the village.

According to a Suffolk County Police Department spokesperson, police from the 6th Precinct were on the scene within 2 minutes, 32 seconds after the victim was hit. 

Mayor Margot Garant said the whole incident itself took less than 10 seconds, from the argument between the two men to the duo in the car driving off. 

“Upon learning of the incident, our code enforcement chief and I immediately headed to the scene,” she said. 

But the police were already there, and once the SCPD steps in, they take the reins on any incident. Upon assessment, the police spokesperson said, the detectives on the scene immediately determined that it was a targeted incident.

“Upon arrival at the Port Jefferson shooting scene, police knew the shooter had left the area in a vehicle immediately following the shooting and a lockdown was not necessary,” the police said in a statement to TBR News Media. “Each incident presents specific circumstances that are assessed by responding personnel to determine if a lockdown is warranted and what radius needs to be covered.”

Village trustee Kathianne Snaden said that although some people are curious and are upset over the protocol, the village did everything within their ability to keep their residents and children safe.

“Everybody wants to know why a lockdown didn’t happen, and the last answer is we do not have that authority,” she said. “We confirmed that with our attorney and we don’t have that right.”

Garant reiterated the same, that although people may think the local government has more ability to shut down a village, they do not. 

“As soon as Suffolk is on the scene, it is their game,” she said. “I do not have the authority to put the village in a lockdown situation. Under New York State law, I do not have that authority.”

Thanks to the village’s street cameras, police were able to get a license plate number and began tracking the vehicle which was already headed into Smithtown.

“The police officer on the scene confirmed the community is not in harm’s way,” Garant said. “He said they are tracking the vehicle in Stony Brook, heading to the Smithtown area and this is very much a one-on-one attack.”

And because investigators on the premise knew right away that the shooting was not a threat to the rest of the village, schools were not put on lockdown.

Snaden, who was watching her daughter’s tennis game at the school, got the call from Garant and immediately asked if a lockdown was needed.

“We can’t say it enough — as soon as the call came to me, my first question to the mayor was, ‘Are the kids safe?’” she said. “Margot was standing with Suffolk police who confirmed ‘yes.’”

Snaden, who is also the community liaison between the school district and the village government, began tracking down Port Jefferson Superintendent of Schools Jessica Schmettan who was already aware of the situation and rerouted the buses to avoid Main Street.

“Everybody was fully aware, and the school was already doing whatever protocol they do in these situations,” Snaden said. “Superintendent Schmettan had already, long before, already known about it and was acting on their behalf.”

Schmettan told the mayor that once she heard of the incident and bus reroutes, she communicated with the SCPD and verified that a lockdown was not needed — all within less than 10 minutes of the actual shooting.

Snaden said that upon learning of the incident, students were brought into the building out of an abundance of caution at the discretion of the athletic director and coaches who had kids outside.

“Upon notification of an emergency situation, our district immediately enacts our safety and security plans to help safeguard our schools,” Schmettan said in a statement. 

“These plans have prescribed actions specific to various potential scenarios and are often guided by the unfolding details of the events transpiring. As the safety of our students and staff remain our top priority, we are thankful to our partners in law enforcement and our village officials for their continued partnership with regard to our safety efforts and for their open lines of communication along every step of the way.”

The next day

Garant said that the next day the village had a debriefing and decided to begin using their CodeRED system for situations like this.

Criticisms have been made that the village should have used the system to let residents know what happened, and Garant said normally CodeRED is used for villagewide emergencies, like natural disasters. 

“If we had used CodeRED in this instance, because of the initial information and the lack of information from Suffolk at that point, the CodeRED would have just said that there is police activity on Main Street, please avoid the area, period,” Snaden said. “It wouldn’t have said lockdown.”

She added, again, the village does not have the authority to lockdown. Only the governor or county executive can make those decisions. 

Garant said that the social media hysteria that happened along the way could have caused more harm than good.

“It’s dangerous, because what happened was parents rushed to the school, there could have been a traffic accident, there could have been who knows what,” Snaden added. “The rumors were extremely reckless.”

Some of the rumors claimed that a student from the Port Jefferson School District was the culprit, another was that it was an active drive-by shooter. Both of those claims ended up being false right away, but the threads kept going.

“It didn’t really matter what we did or didn’t do that day,” Garant said. “My job is to keep this community as safe as possible, and not create more chaos or danger to them.”

But Garant said she did have the executive decision to give the community statements on what was going on. 

“This is because of who we are as government officials that we choose to do,” she said. “Because we feel it’s important. We’re not required to have this line of communication with the district.”

Garant added the CodeRED system currently has 4,800 subscribers and, after last week’s event, they will now use it more consistently.

“I think the thing that we learned from this is that we’re going to use our CodeRED and you need to be on our system,” she said. “You can get a text, you can get a voicemail, you can get  an email. And that’s how you’re going to get alerted from us from this point forward.”

Catching the culprit

“The good news is because of their thorough investigation, they caught the shooter within 72 hours,” Garant said. “That’s exceptional.”

Snaden said the cameras that are throughout the village are state-of-the-art devices, which are hooked up to the Suffolk County Real Time Crime Center — the first village within the county do so.

When the code officer was on the scene, a doctor and nurse bystanders were already tending to the victim, as police headed over.

 “There were good people that did help,” she said.

Snaden added that the village has 37 code officers, plus the chief, who monitor the area, and who work alongside the police. Two more hires are planned for this month.

“We have a good working relationship with the SCPD,” she said. “The code officer that was there was the supervisor at the time and secured the scene. He did what you are supposed to do as an officer.”

On March 27, SCPD arrested Joseph Garcia, 19, of 11 Market St., Port Jefferson Station, and charged him with 2nd degree murder. 

He was arraigned on March 28 and pled not guilty. 

The investigation is still ongoing and details about the altercation between the two men have not been released.

The SCPD encourages anyone with information about a crime to report it to 911 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS (8477).

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The crime scene outside Dunkin' Donuts in the village. Photo from Margot Garant

This story was updated to include more details provided by the SCPD:

Suffolk County Police Homicide section detectives are investigating a homicide that occurred in Port Jefferson on March 24.

According to a representative from the SCPD, an adult male was fatally shot on Main Street, near West Broadway at approximately 3:35 p.m.

Sixth Precinct officers responded to a 911 call reporting a man shot in front of 122 Main Street. Upon arrival, officers found a man on the ground with a gunshot wound.

The man was transported to St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson where he was pronounced dead. His name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Mayor Margot Garant said the two individuals involved in a dispute were not from the area and a new camera located on the corner of the site was able to capture the altercation. The camera is hooked up directly to the SCPD Real Time Crime Center.

“We’re very sorry to see this happen,” Garant said. “This just shows that nowhere is exempt from gun violence, but we are committed to keeping our village safe.”

She added that code enforcement and the village are working diligently alongside the police department throughout the investigation.

On March 25, SCPD released the victim as 25-year-old David Bliss Jr. of Shirley.

This is an ongoing story. Check back to TBR News Media for updates.

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Stock photo

Over the last month, elected officials on both the county and village levels have been trying to tackle reckless bicyclists on the road.

Suffolk County

Last week, Suffolk County voted on a new bill aimed to give bicyclists distance with a new 3-foot passage rule — the first county in New York State to implement the law.  

According to the new legislation, “The operator of a vehicle which is overtaking, from behind, a bicycle proceeding on the same side of the road shall pass to the left of such bicycle at a distance of at least 3-feet until safely clear thereof.”  

Violators can face fines not to exceed $225 for a first offense, $325 for a second offense and $425 for any subsequent offense. The minimum distance requirement, however, will not apply on roads that have clearly marked bicycle lanes.

Authored by Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket), it was originally in response to a bill sponsored by Legislator Rudy Sunderman (R-Mastic) which aimed to ticket and condemn bike riders who popped wheelies, swerved into traffic or biked while intoxicated across Long Island.

Hahn said she filed her bill, and abstained from Sunderman’s, to focus more on education for drivers and bike riders, as well as keeping veteran bicyclists safe. 

“I filed a bill that looks to fix the problems that existed,” she said. “I felt there were problems in the one that passed a few weeks ago.”

Sunderman’s bill was originally passed by the Legislature in February but was vetoed by Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) earlier this month. 

“We believe this legislation is overly broad and that current law provides the necessary tools to address this issue,” Derek Poppe, a representative with Bellone’s office said in a statement. “We remain committed to working with the Legislature address safety concerns around bicycling practices.” 

On March 16, the Legislature approved Hahn’s bill, and Sunderman’s veto override failed the same day. 

Hahn said that the county was named by Bicycling Magazine as the most dangerous county in the country for bike riders and has since continuously been in the top 10.

“There are approximately 350 accidents a year in Suffolk County,” she added.

The vote brings Suffolk County closer to becoming the first county in the state to adopt a 3-foot-rule requirement. 

“I think it’s just really important that people know they have to give bicyclists room when they pass them,” Hahn said. “They might not hear you and the tires of a bike cannot handle roadway obstacles the same way a car can.”

Hahn noted that things such as sand, sticks, leaves, trash, a storm drain or pothole can be life-threatening to bikers. 

“A car can handle those, no problem, but a bike tire makes those obstacles potentially deadly,” she said. “Sometimes the cyclist needs to swerve a little bit and this 3-foot buffer gives them space.”

The bill will now go to the county executive for a separate public hearing and his signature within the next 30 days.

“I am thrilled,” she said. “This is a real concrete step to improve safety, and at the same time it makes a statement that we care about our residents on the road.”

The Village of Port Jefferson 

Village officials have been tirelessly enforcing their own rules when it comes to reckless bicylists. 

Signs like this will be posted throughout the village encouraging visitors to call code when they see disorderly behavior. Photo from Kathianne Snaden

Last year, when outdoor dining began, there were concerns over individuals harassing diners and drivers while they popped wheelies and swerved into traffic on Main Street. 

They began enforcing a code created in 2019, with new training, to keep residents and visitors safe. 

Mayor Margot Garant said a new bicycle task force has been unveiled, encouraging business owners and residents to call code enforcement when something doesn’t look right. 

“Our code specifically looks toward curbing the behavior of the individual riding a bike down the middle of the street or sidewalk in a dangerous and reckless manner,” she said. 

With rules penned by trustee Kathianne Snaden, the bicycle task force is comprised of Snaden along with a representative of the Suffolk County Police Department, the chief of code enforcement, Deputy Village Attorney Richard Harris, the Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce and members of the business community. They simply ask, “If you see something, say something.”

The “see something, say something” campaign encourages business owners to keep their eyes peeled on issues throughout the village, and to call code immediately before the problem accelerates. That way the code officer can talk with the individual and give a warning before someone gets hurt.

“This time of year, we don’t see the issue,” Snaden said. “But the minute warm weather hits, it becomes an issue.”

And the last few weekends have shown how popular Port Jefferson is when the sun is out, and a light jacket is needed. 

Signs are posted up throughout the village, like this one seen here. Photo from Kathianne Snaden

“I want everyone to be aware if bicyclists are doing the right thing, obeying the traffic laws, we welcome them with open arms,” the trustee said. “We want to be ready to intervene before it becomes a problem — we’re not going to intervene if there is no problem.”

Along with the campaign, the village has begun using officers on bikes and has instituted a designated officer to patrol on foot throughout Main Street. Snaden said there will always be someone on duty, with no absence in shift changes. 

“I’m confident to date we have bridged that gap,” she added. “The communication is now there. We work as team to dissuade any potential issues.”

If dangerous behavior is happening within the village, readers are encouraged to call code at 631-774-0066.

The original article did not mention the chamber and business owners who are part of the task force. They have been added to the online copy.

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Jefferson’s Townsend House, shown in 1908, was located on the corner of Main and East Main streets. Under the Parking District Plan, the historic building would have been demolished and replaced with Woodard Square. Photo by Arthur S. Greene. Kenneth C. Brady Digital Archive

By Kenneth Brady

Visiting the beautiful downtown Port Jefferson of today, it seems inconceivable that the village’s commercial center of the 1950s was thought to be dead, stagnant and depressing.

Businesses were leaving Port Jefferson and relocating along major highways and at malls, where in contrast to the village, there was adequate parking for customers.

Abandoned by some merchants, Port Jefferson’s shopping section was characterized in local newspapers as ramshackle and dilapidated.

pictures five of the proposed parking lots within the Port Jefferson Parking District. The construction of the squares would have entailed the demolition of historic buildings in the village’s commercial center. Kenneth C. Brady Digital Archive

Absentee landlords were lambasted for not razing structures that had been gutted by fire, particularly burnt-out properties along the village’s East Main Street and East Broadway, while indifferent businessmen were faulted for running drab, seedy stores with dirty, unimaginative window displays and dated, limited stock.

Making matters worse, heavy trucks rumbled through downtown Port Jefferson day and night hauling oil, sand, stone, gravel and fly ash from the various industries along the village’s waterfront. According to critics, the lumbering vehicles created noise, dust, spillage  and traffic problems on the streets in Port Jefferson’s business district, driving potential customers away.

In 1957, the Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce conducted a study to determine what could be done to revive the village’s ailing retail center and found that 87% of the shoppers surveyed were dissatisfied with parking conditions in Port Jefferson. The report called for enlarging public lots, routing trucks off Main Street, relocating store entrances and other suggestions.

In response to these recommendations, Brookhaven Town appropriated $20,000 in 1960 for a Parking District Committee to study the creation of a Port Jefferson Parking District. In 1961, the committee proposed the establishment of seven parking areas in the village including “Crystal Lake Square” and “Round the Block Square.”

The construction of these lots would have entailed the demolition of historic buildings in Port Jefferson’s downtown business district such as the Townsend House and Aldrich House both of which would have been razed and replaced with the asphalt of “Woodard Square.” 

A public meeting was held at Port Jefferson High School on August 22, 1961 to present the plan and allow villagers to voice their reactions. Over 600 indignant residents attended and expressed their overwhelming opposition to the scheme that they believed would destroy the historic character of the community. 

Many villagers were bothered by what they saw as the patronizing attitude of an “elite” that had decided that urban renewal, condemnation and eminent domain were best for Port Jefferson.  

Residents were also insulted by the contents of a 132-page report that had been prepared for Parking District Committee members only, but had been leaked to the public, and had concluded that 30% of the homes in Port Jefferson were deteriorating, there were slum-like pockets within the village and Port Jefferson’s citizens were poor and aged.

While conceding that improvements were warranted and long overdue, many villagers were miffed that control over parking would have been placed in the hands of a distant Brookhaven Town Board in Patchogue, not the people who actually lived in Port Jefferson.

Brookhaven Town’s unwavering support of the parking plan, even as most villagers emphatically rejected the proposal, sparked the creation of the Port Jefferson Property Owners Association. Organized in September 1961, the civic group soon formed a committee to study incorporation.

Jefferson’s Townsend House, shown in 1908, was located on the corner of Main and East Main streets. Under the Parking District Plan, the historic building would have been demolished and replaced with Woodard Square. Photo by Arthur S. Greene. Kenneth C. Brady Digital Archive

The idea of home rule was not new to Port Jefferson. As early as 1895, the Ladies Village Improvement Society of Port Jefferson had called for incorporation, but the parking plan and an indifferent Brookhaven Town Board had prodded villagers into action and awakened a sleeping lion.

On Dec. 7, 1962, by a 2-1 margin, Port Jefferson’s residents voted to incorporate, deciding in favor of local control and the right to govern independent of Brookhaven Town.

The Parking District Plan was dead.

Kenneth Brady has served as the Port Jefferson Village Historian and president of the Port Jefferson Conservancy, as well as on the boards of the Suffolk County Historical Society, Greater Port Jefferson Arts Council and Port Jefferson Historical Society. He is a longtime resident of Port Jefferson.

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Photo by Julianne Mosher

The long-awaited Barnum Avenue parking lot has officially opened, and it is something the village has never seen before. 

“This is a unique lot,” said Mayor Margot Garant. “This is the first lot in 50 years that we’ve added to the village.”

The new 32,000-square-foot lot includes 46 new spaces oriented diagonally, including two handicap spots and two EV charging stations. It’s a free municipal lot with a one-way entrance, to help alleviate traffic congestion. 

Located east of the Joe Erland baseball field, an old, vacant building was once located on the property. Deemed an eyesore, it was a several-year-long process to remove the building, clean it up and turn it into a free municipal lot that is futuristic in its amenities. 

“People think it’s just pavement and drawing lines,” Garant said. “But this is 70% technology — everything is cloud-based with new technology.”

Photo by Julianne Mosher

And that’s part of a pilot program the village board approved, with the goal to improve the ability to find parking. In April, the Parking Logix counting system will be installed at the Barnum lot to assist residents and visitors in giving them a real-time counting and management system. 

Kevin Wood, the village’s parking and mobility administrator, said the counter will be able to show drivers how many spots are available in the lot before they even pull in. 

“I had always taken notice of parking anxiety,” he said. “It’s a real thing … people get worried thinking, ‘Am I going to find a spot?’ People fighting for spots, this takes a little of the edge off.”

And that’s just part of it. The parking lots within the village will continue using QR reader technology through Honk Mobile to help people pay from their vehicles, not need to search for quarters and reduce touch points on meters in a pandemic world. 

“We’re way ahead of the curve on that,” Wood said. “We had instituted it before COVID. You don’t have to visit a meter; you can be in your car and shoot the QR from your window and pay in your car.”

Wood said that the last month visitors were required to pay for parking was in November, and 55% of the transactions were paid for through this new technology. 

He added that the QR reader in the Barnum lot will be used to track how long people park in their spots when they check in, and hopes that business owners will encourage staff to utilize the space. 

There will be no overnight parking (from 1 a.m. until 6 a.m.) in the Barnum lot, Garant said. “Code is going to enforce that.”

The only things remaining, along with the counter, is the additions of bioswales bordering the foot entrance on Barnum Avenue to aid in flood mitigation. Once constructed, the bioswales will look like two dips in the ground with plantings overlaying them, and a brand-new sign will be installed at the Joe Erland field. 

A ribbon cutting is planned in the upcoming weeks.

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The sand dredging component of the East Beach renovations was completed earlier this year. Photo from Margot Garant

As part of the ongoing renovations of Port Jefferson’s East Beach, the village recently completed the bidding process to rebuild of the beach’s retaining wall. 

During the village’s virtual board of trustees meeting on March 1, Mayor Margot Garant announced the milestone — a project that has essentially been going on since Hurricane Sandy hit Long Island in 2012. 

“We’re happy to see this project underway,” she said. “Everything’s in order.”

According to Garant, a construction meeting will be held with village administrator Joe Palumbo in the upcoming week, with plans to start the wall’s renovations before beach season starts. 

Along with East Beach, the retaining wall at Highlands Boulevard will also be included. 

A view of the current retaining wall at East Beach that will undergo a makeover thanks to the village’s bid approval. Photo from Margot Garant

In a recent newsletter from the village sent to residents, it stated that the project was awarded to Galvin Brothers and Madhue Contracting, both of Great Neck, as a joint venture for a total of $474,830. The expenses for the structural repairs are included in the budget and were part of a bond anticipation note. 

Garant said this action will be a “springboard” as the village awaits DEC permits to finalize the East Beach project. After the retaining wall, revegetation of the bluff at the beach will be next on the list. The village is currently waiting for confirmation to see if it is eligible for FEMA reimbursement as a result of bluff loss at the site during Tropical Storm Isaias. The funds could help pay for the bluff’s restoration.

Earlier this year, sand dredging at East Beach, near Mount Sinai Harbor, was finalized — a project that took nearly a decade to complete, cost several million dollars and was a collaborative effort between the village, town, county, state and federal governments. Close to 80,000 cubic yards of sand was brought back to the beach. 

This retaining wall will continue to help keep the beach looking the way it does now. 

“It’s retention of our assets,” Garant said. “Plus, protecting our environment is critical.”

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