The Huntington Town Board, at its January 14 meeting, approved a community benefits agreement with Huntington Station master developer Renaissance Downtowns that will help bring construction and permanent jobs to the community, provide business for local contractors and make available some funding for community-based programs.
The agreement is the result of discussions among the Town, the Town’s Community Development Agency and Renaissance Downtowns, and includes input from more than 40 community groups who attended meetings over the past year, as well as representatives from the building trades unions. As part of the master development agreement between the Town and Renaissance, a completed community benefits agreement is necessary before Renaissance can obtain site plan approval for any specific project.
“Completion of this agreement is a major step forward for Renaissance’s work to assist Huntington Station revitalization,” said Huntington Supervisor Frank P. Petrone, who spearheaded the process of obtaining the community input and refining those suggestions to be included in the document. “The agreement will help ensure that revitalization is more than just new buildings. Huntington Station residents will benefit through new jobs and new programs, making sure that the community shares in the success.”
Highlights of the agreement, which affects any projects Renaissance undertakes directly and any projects undertaken with Renaissance’s direction, include:
-- a goal that one-fourth of the construction jobs will be given to Huntington residents, with a preference for Huntington Station residents. Included in reaching this goal will be residents enrolled in construction skills apprenticeship programs.
-- a requirement that all contractors involved in large commercial development within the master developer’s area have a construction skills apprenticeship program
-- a goal that one-fourth of the value of work given to construction subcontractors be given to Huntington-based companies, with a preference for those based in Huntington Station.
-- a goal that one-fourth of the new hires for any permanent, non-construction jobs in a business created by these efforts be given to Huntington residents, with a preference for those from Huntington Station.
-- a requirement that funding derived from the agreement be used for a number of community-based initiatives, including the James D. Conte Community Center at the former Huntington Armory; the Huntington Opportunity Resource Center, which offers job training, job placement, resume writing and other programs; and on crime prevention, education, emergency services and youth programs generally in Huntington Station
-- an advisory committee of Town officials and community representatives to identify ongoing community concerns and needs and provide input on community program proposals.
In other action, the Town Board:
-- approved a major revision to the Town Code, sponsored by Councilwoman Tracev A. Edwards, requiring registration of non-owner-occupied residential rental properties and making it unlawful for real estate agents to list, show or offer for rent properties that do not have a valid rental permit. Real estate agents will be required to verify that a valid permit exists before listing or showing a rental property. Before a permit could be issued, the owner would have to obtain a certificate from a licensed professional engineer, a licensed architect or a Town code enforcement officer that the property is in compliance with Town code and applicable state, county and federal laws. The new code holds rental properties and absentee landlords to the same standards as homeowners with accessory apartments.
-- authorized a contract with Buckhurst Fish and Jacquemart Inc. to prepare the Melville Employment Center Integrated Land Use, Circulation and Infrastructure Plan. The Manhattan firm was chosen by the Melville Plan Advisory Committee from among six that submitted responses to a request for proposals issued last year. The committee, which is composed of stakeholders (including local developers, commercial and residential property owners, government officials and community service providers), will oversee the consultant’s work. The cost is not to exceed $200,000, with the money coming from the trust and agency fund established for planning and development in Melville with contributions from numerous projects over the years, most notably Canon USA’s North American Headquarters.
-- approved the first update in 15 years to the portion of the Town Code that regulates tow truck operators
-- authorized a contract, not to exceed $45,200, with L.K. McLean Associates to complete preparing the design and the bid documents for the rehabilitation of the Halesite Marina.
-- authorized two contracts, one with L.K. McLean Associates and the other with Liro Engineers Inc., for topographic surveys and an assessment of any necessary soil remediation, respectively, in the construction of Sweet Hollow and Burr’s Lane Parks. The cost of the two contracts is not to exceed $63,000.
-- took the first step toward updating the Town’s Solid Waste Management Plan by approving the hiring of L.K. McLean Associates to prepare the plan, which must eventually be approved by the State Department of Environmental Conservation. The current plan expires December 31. The contract is not to exceed $44,955.
-- scheduled a February 10 public hearing on a proposal to establish an annual joint meeting between the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals at which they would discuss common areas of concern and any joint zoning, planning and land use issues they might wish to address.