Town of Huntington, NY - News Details

At its April 16 meeting, the Huntington Town Board took steps to help alleviate parking congestion, approved a local farmer’s market, and scheduled public hearings on various quality of life and public safety issues, among other Town business.

The Town Board approved two measures to help alleviate parking congestion in downtown Huntington village and the Huntington LIRR Train Station commuter parking lots.

The first measure equalizes rates at on-street parking meters per the recommendation of Level G Associates in a parking study conducted in July 2018. In the study, Level G Associates recommended the Town equalize existing parking rates at $1/hour.

“The 2018 study demonstrated that the $1.00 parking fee has achieved its intended purpose of promoting turnover and moving downtown employees from ‘premium’ on-street parking spaces into nearby parking lots and other spaces,” said Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci.

The Town Board also voted to strengthen the Town’s ability to collect on parking violations and enforce existing parking rules. Violators will be required to respond to a ticket within 30 days and failure to do so will result in the imposition of a default judgment, nonrenewal of New York State motor vehicle registration (if applicable) and/or immobilization. In addition, scofflaws will not be eligible to obtain various Town-issued permits and licenses, including: taxi and tow truck licenses, commuter parking permits, and Town recreational cards.

Under Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci’s direction, the Department of Public Safety began dedicating patrol resources to the new Parking Enforcement Team (PET) in downtown Huntington village and at the Huntington LIRR Train Station beginning on March 1.

“We have received positive feedback regarding the increased visibility of the PET patrols, particularly in the village,” said Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci. “We are stepping up enforcement to alleviate our long-standing parking congestion. It’s too early to expect much in the way of behavioral change by our parking patrons, which is the goal of our new, consistent parking enforcement patrols, but the PET has certainly made a difference, as the early returns bear out.”

Looking at the period from March 1 through April 10, 2019, PET officers have written a total of 3,303 parking summonses with a face value of $233,935; 1,550 summonses with a $129,830 face value were written for the same period in 2018. Summons activity increases were largest in meter violations (both the quantity and the dollar amount increased by 90%) and commuter permit violations (both the quantity and the dollar amount increased by more than 1,000%).

Public Safety Director Peter Sammis stated: “We’ve had virtually no negative feedback from the public since we rolled out our Parking Enforcement Team and summons numbers are up over 100%. I think people are relieved to see the enforcement of parking rules, especially when there has been abuse of parking for so long. Just this past week, my PET officers have told me they’ve been very well received – at this rate they will probably have celebrity status around here by summer!”

Prior to the full-time, dedicated Parking Enforcement Team (PET) patrol roll-out, the Town employed a patchwork of enforcement, scheduling patrols periodically, using available resources. The new Parking Enforcement Team currently employs two dedicated, full-time officers, specialists in parking enforcement who patrol regularly, as well as occasional part-time resources as they become available and if conditions warrant; the near-term goal is to have a minimum of four full-time PET officers, supplementing their efforts with occasional part-time resources.

The Department of Public Safety encourages parking patrons to report parking issues or suspected abuse of parking rules using the Town’s At Your Service system, online at http://www.huntingtonny.gov/public-safety 

The Town Board renamed the Town Clerk’s Archives and Records Center the Jo-Ann Raia Records Center and Archives, after Town Clerk Jo-Ann Raia, who is retiring from public office at the end of this year, her 38th year in office. Raia, Huntington’s longest-serving Town Clerk, is credited with developing a world-class records management program, including the creation of the Huntington Town Archives. The resolution to rename the archives and records center was proposed by Councilwoman Joan Cergol and was co-sponsored by Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci and Councilman Eugene Cook. The measure passed with unanimous support.

The Town Board scheduled public hearings for the Wednesday, May 29, 2019 Town Board meeting at 2:00 PM:

• To consider authorizing various actions be taken upon certain properties designated as blighted in accordance with Chapter 156, Article VII, §156-60 (Blighted Property).
• To consider an agreement to lease that property commonly known as the Woodbine Marina to the Incorporated Village of Northport.
• To consider amending the Uniform Traffic Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter 2, Article IV, §2-7, Schedule G.Re: Marion Lane, Sue Circle – Huntington – Stop Signs.
• To consider amending the Uniform Traffic Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter 2, Article IV, §2-7, Schedule G.Re: O’Hara Place - Halesite – Stop Signs.
• To consider amending the Uniform Traffic Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter 3, Article II, §3-3, Schedule J.Re: Fairway Place, Halyard Court, Pine Drive, Poplar Place, Thicket Drive – Cold Spring Harbor-Parking Restrictions.
• To consider amending the Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter 120 (Harbors and Waterways), Article I (Regulations and Restrictions); establishing a $40 resident mooring permit fee to cover the costs of resident-owned vessel wreck removal, pollution mitigation and remediation of other navigational safety hazards; increasing the required insurance limit to $1,000,000 from $500,000 for vessel wreck removal and pollution mitigation for special events requiring the use of a public dock; placing liability for all costs incurred by the Town in removing, storing and disposing of unseaworthy and wrecked vessels on the owner or person responsible for the vessel; requiring a $300,000 liability policy per occurrence for boats with internal fuel tanks covering vessel wreck removal and pollution mitigation; limiting the issuance of transient mooring permits to businesses and organizations owning property in Huntington; increases the minimum fine for violations from $50 to $250.
• To consider amending the Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter 166 (Shellfish Management), Article I (Title and Findings; Definitions), §166-1 (Title and Legislative Findings) and §166-2 (Definitions and Word Usage); Article IV (Rules and Regulations), §166-13 (Means of Taking and Handling Shellfish), §166-17 (Species and Season Restrictions), and §166-19 (Beam Trawls and Otter Trawls Prohibited); and Article VI (Penalties for Offenses; Severability), §166-31 (Penalties for Offenses).
• To consider amending the Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter 198 Zoning, Article I (General Provisions), Article XX (Accessory Apartments); reducing the minimum lot size requirement from 7,500 square feet to 5,000 square feet, reducing lot frontage requirement for an accessory apartment from 75 linear feet to 50 linear feet, also allowing the property owner to live within the accessory dwelling unit of their primary resident home.
• To consider entering into a franchise renewal agreement with Cablevision Systems Huntington Corporation.
• To consider the granting of a variance and the issuance of a special use permit pursuant to the Marine Conservation Law, Town Code Chapter 137 for the construction of a residential fixed pier and floating dock assembly. Applicant: Joseph Goller Location: 55 Asharoken Avenue, Northport, NY SCTM #0401-008.00-02.00-033.000.
• To consider the execution of a license agreement pursuant to the Marine Conservation Law, Town Code Chapter 137, for the construction of a residential fixed pier and floating dock assembly. Applicant: Joseph GollerLocation: 55 Asharoken Avenue, Northport, NY SCTM #0401-008.00-02.00-033.000.

The Town Board scheduled public hearings for the Tuesday, June 18, 2019 Town Board meeting at 7:00 PM:

• To consider zone change application #2014-ZM-403, 131 Spring Road, to change the zoning from R-10 Residence District to R-3M Garden Apartment Special District for the property located on the west side of Spring Road, South of Gaines Street, Huntington, SCTM #0400-096-03-044.002 & 046.002.
• To consider the application known as Huntington Village Hotel Partners to amend a previous approval and apply the Historic Building Overlay District to additional property located on the northeast corner of Main Street and Stewart Avenue, Huntington, to establish an 80-room hotel using Old Town Hall. The applicant has acquired an additional parcel to the east that would allow the hotel to expand to 80 rooms, previously the overlay allowed for 55 rooms. The proposal would place a three-story addition onto the rear of Old Town Hall. The addition would house the rooms while the original building would contain the lobby, offices and common areas. The existing surface parking lot would remain under the building addition and valet parking would be utilized to maximize parking capacity.

The Huntington Beautification Council joined with the Town Board to give recognition to homeowners, businesses, groups and organizations for their beautification efforts throughout the Town. The Huntington Beautification Council is a Citizens Advisory Committee reporting to the Town Board.  Its goal is to stimulate programs that improve the appearance of the Town.

2019 BEAUTIFICATION AWARDS WINNERS:

Home Category

Deborah Akeson, Greenlawn
Thomas & Meghan Foote, Huntington Station
Frank Di Andrea, Greenlawn
Brian & Robina Carey, Huntington
Helen Delea, Greenlawn

Beach Association Category

Bay Hills Property Owners Association, Shore Drive, Huntington

Commercial Category

The Laurel Group, Huntington
Meyers Law Group, Huntington
White Post Wholesale, Huntington Station

Restaurant Category

Dix Hills Diner, Huntington
TK’s Galley, Huntington

Historic Category

Huntington Historic Preservation Commission, Max & Rosie Teich Homestead, Huntington Station

Community Service Category

Main Street Nursery, Traffic Circles on New York Avenue, Halesite
Birchwood Intermediate School SBM Committee, Huntington Train Trestle Mural, Huntington Station

In other action, the Town Board:

• Codified a 2018 pilot program enacting an earlier commercial refuse collection schedule (beginning collection at 4:15 PM instead of 5:00 PM) at the request of merchants to enhance the downtown Huntington village experience for dinner patrons and alleviate rush hour traffic conditions.
• Approved an agreement for the 2019 farmers market held by Long Island Growers Market in a portion of the Elm Street municipal parking lot on Sundays between the hours of 7:00 AM and 12:00 PM from June 2 through November 24, subject to the execution of a license agreement and submission of required fees, bonds, certificates of insurance and all other required documents.
• Accepted $189,000 in Highway funding from National Grid to repave roads where the utility performed work: Woodland Lane, Valley Lane, Bayview Drive, Oakwood Place, Laurel Drive, Hillside Drive, Kent Drive, Knollwood Road, Hillcrest Street, Crescent Drive, Crescent Gate, Bay Drive East, Crescent Beach Drive, Highview Drive, Summit Place, Longview Court and Shoreview Place.
• Authorized the Town to co-sponsor a flag retirement ceremony at the Covanta Huntington plant on June 14, 2019.
• Adopted the recommendations of the CBA Advisory Committee to fund $5,000 in community and beautification improvements in Huntington Station, including $2,085 to Town of Huntington Project PLAY; $1,000 to Huntington Station BID; $840 to Huntington Head Start/DDI; $500 to Huntington Youth Bureau; $500 for landscaping and planters along New York Avenue; and $75 to repaint telephone poles.
• Authorized the Town to co-sponsor Huntington Station Hope Day with Huntington Assembly of God to promote unity at Manor Field Park on June 1, 2019.
• Accepted the donation of a gate between Stimson Middle School and Peter Nelson Park from Huntington Manor Volunteer Fire Department.
• Received $9,600 for a portion of land where a retaining wall built by Target Corporation had encroached upon Town property.
• Appropriated $4,500 from EOSPA Park Improvement funding to extend an irrigation system to support and match a NYSDEC Urban and Community Forestry Grant to purchase 84 new trees for planting at Manor Field Park.
• Accepted a donation of native shrubs valued at $800 from the Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Society for planting at Carpenter Farm Park to help restore a vital habitat for birds and other wildlife.
• Appointed Dr. James Wright, the new Huntington representative to the Suffolk County Board of Trustees of Parks, Recreation and Conservation, to the Town’s EOSPA committee for a length of service coterminous with his volunteer County Park Trustee service. The Suffolk County Legislature appointed Dr. Wright to their Board on March 5, 2019. Dr. Wright brings extensive athletic experience, as the Supervisor of Physical Education, Health, Athletics, and Recreation for the South Huntington School District.
• Appointed members of the Huntington Greenway Trails Committee: new members Charles Bravo of Concerned Long Island Mountain Bicyclists (CLIMB) (exp. 2022); Richard Meyer of the Conservation Board, Park Steward Coordinator (exp. 2022); and reappointed Laura McKellar, Chair (exp. 2022); Simone DaRos (exp. 2022); Laurie Farber (exp. 2022); Lynn Geisler (exp. 2021); Marvin Glassman (exp. 2021); Barbara Haerter (exp. 2021); Bruce Howe (exp. 2020); and Ginny Munger-Kahn (exp. 2020).
• Codified a pilot program, which began in summer 2018 at the request of boaters and was implemented with great success, for the storage of up to 20 sailing vessels up to 14 feet in length, including sailing dinghies, dinghies with masts, sunfishes and hobie catamarans, at Fleets Cove Beach at a cost of $200 per vessel per season (Memorial Day weekend through October 31).
• Reappointed members of the Beautification Council: Sandra Prior (exp. 2022); Barbara Wildfeir (exp. 2022); Judith Werber (exp. 2022); John Pryputniewicz (exp. 2022); and Virginia Muller (exp. 2023).
• Reduced the number of days a property may be used as a short term rental from 120 days to 90 days in a calendar year.
• Authorized the publishing of the Town Board Agenda to the Town website six calendar days before each regular meeting; prior to this move, the Agenda was published to the Town website on the Friday morning preceding each regular meeting.
• Refinanced $7,500,000 in outstanding bonds to save taxpayer money, a move made possible by the Town’s AAA bond rating by both Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s Investors Services.
• Authorized $250,000 in construction and improvements to various town buildings and facilities:
  • Improvements to the Flanagan Senior Center: complete restroom renovations for ADA compliance and ease of use; LED lighting for the hallways, lunch room and pool room; replacement of the glass sun roof due to extensive leaks; a new walk in freezer and refrigerator to increase capacity due to ever-increasing membership; and an outdoor emergency evacuation area away from the building.
  • Repairs at the Dix Hills Ice Rink to prevent extreme condensation issues causing dangerous ice conditions.
  • Remediation of buried fuel tank compliance issues at multiple locations.
  • Roof repairs at various locations.
• Approved adding an Emergency Vehicle Traffic Control Signal at Railroad Street in front of the Huntington Community First Aid Squad.

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