Town of Huntington, NY - News Details

BLACK HISTORY MONTH: Town Board Renames Creek Road After One of Huntington’s First African-American Landowners

The Huntington Town Board held its February 23, 2021 meeting remotely and broadcast meeting audio and video live, and public hearings were scheduled to address the installation of wireless telecommunications equipment, noise pollution cause by gas leaf blowers and other major quality of life measures while infrastructure improvements were funded.

“It has been a priority of this administration to consistently improve quality of life and public safety across the Town of Huntington,” said Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci, who proposed the establishment of a new chapter in the Town Code, Chapter 194 (Wireless Telecommunications Facilities), for which five related public hearings have been scheduled for March 16, 2021 at 2:00 PM. “We are exercising the Town's authority to regulate the installation of cell phone towers, antennas and equipment to the maximum extent permitted by law to ensure proposed locations are suitable and neighborhood aesthetics and public health and safety are protected.”

The Town Board renamed Creek Road in Halesite as Creek Road/Peter Crippen Way, to honor Peter Crippen, one of the first African-American landowners in the Town of Huntington, on the street where his former home is currently undergoing preservation efforts. The measure, proposed by Councilman Ed Smyth, and co-sponsored by Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci, Councilman Mark Cuthbertson and Councilwoman Joan Cergol, passed unanimously with Councilman Eugene Cook seconding the resolution.

In January, Councilman Ed Smyth made a suggestion to rename Creek Road after Peter Crippen to honor his achievements as one of Huntington’s early African American landowners and as a founding member and trustee of what is now the Bethel AME Church in Huntington, “I think it's an appropriate monument to the African American community and to Peter Crippen here at this location to permanently rename this road in his honor.”

The Town Board approved major infrastructure improvements, including:

• $6.2 million for road repaving and traffic safety improvements consisting of$4.5 million for road repaving; $1 million in drainage improvements; $300,000 for improvements to curbs, sidewalks, and pedestrian ramps; and $400,000 for traffic signals and driver feedback devices used on roads to address speeding issues; and
• $1.675 million for improvements to the Town-owned structures at the LIRR Huntington Train Station, the North Parking Garage and West Pedestrian Bridge.

The Town Board scheduled public hearings for the Tuesday, March 16, 2021 Town Board meeting at 2:00 PM to consider:

• The increase and improvement of facilities of the Consolidated Refuse District, in the Town of Huntington, in the County of Suffolk, New York, pursuant to Section 202-b of the Town Law, consisting of the acquisition of Packer trucks at the estimated maximum cost of $435,000.
• The increase and improvement of facilities of the South Huntington Water District, in the Town of Huntington, in the County of Suffolk, New York, pursuant to Section 202-b of the Town Law, consisting of construction and implementation of wellhead treatment improvements for Plant No. 3, at the estimated maximum cost of $7,200,000.
• Amending the Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter 87 (Building Construction), Article III (Building Permits), §87-15.1 (Electronic Filing of Building Permit Applications); to simplify the building permit application process and allow the Town to accept building permit applications online.
• Amending the Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter 87 (Building Construction), Article III (Building Permits), §87-19 (Action on Applications; Acceptance of Permit; Posting; Assignment; Tampering); to hire qualified third party vendors to review building permit applications.
• Amending the Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter 137 (Marine Conservation and Regulation of Marine Structures), Article I (General Provisions); clarifies the existing jurisdiction Incorporated Villages have over Village waters.
• Amending the Code of the Town of Huntington Chapter 141 (Noise); Councilman Ed Smyth proposed the prohibition of the commercial use of gas-powered leaf blowers on residential properties on Saturdays in addition to the existing prohibition on Sundays and Holidays in order to reduce noise pollution and improve the quiet enjoyment of residents’ homes.
• Amending the Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter 160 (Registration and Permitting of Property), Article IV (Short Term Rentals); to prohibit the transient recreational use of a residential property by a third party.
• Amending the Code of the Town of Huntington so as to add Chapter 194 (Wireless Telecommunications Facilities); to exercise the Town's authority in regulating wireless telecommunication facilities to the maximum extent permitted by law while staying in compliance with Federal and State mandates. Four additional hearings have been scheduled pertaining to the establishment of Chapter 194:
  • Amending the Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter 87 (Building Construction), Article III (Building Permits).
  • Amending the Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter A202 (Subdivision and Site Plan Regulations), Appendix B (Fees), Schedule B (Site Plan Review and Approval- Fees).
  • Amending the Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter A204 (Zoning Board of Appeals Fees and Charges), §A204-1 (Fees and Charges).
  • Amending the Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter 198 (Zoning), Article XI (Conditional Uses; Supplementary Regulations) and Article XVI (Zoning Board of Appeals).
• Amending the Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter 198 (Zoning), Article III (Residence Districts), §198-21.4 (Equestrian Center Overlay District); allowing owners of an R-40 or R-80 zoned parcel with a minimum of 20 acres to apply for a change of zone to be included in an Equestrian Center Overlay District, to ensure five acres within the parcel be operated and maintained as an Equestrian Center, or open space only, to ensure the five acres will not be developed.
• Amending the Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter 198 (Zoning), Article XVII (Planning Board Approvals), §198-117 (Term of Office; Procedural Rules and Regulations); to establish alternate members for the Planning Board in order to substitute an alternate for a member who is unable to participate due to a conflict of interest or other disability for the purpose of deciding an application.
• Establishing potential terms of Town acquisition of Chichester Road, South Huntington Property (SHUFSD); to acquire approximately 2.8 acres of property on Chichester Road in South Huntington as recommended by the EOSPA Committee and which neighboring residents requested be preserved as active neighborhood parkland in a high-density (R-5 and R-7) zoned residential community; preserving the parkland would protect groundwater recharge, prime agricultural soil, a wildlife habitat, and a mature woodland tree canopy, providing a recreational area and natural buffer for the neighborhood.
• Amending the Uniform Traffic Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter TC5 (Commercial and Construction Vehicles; Weight Limits); including boat trailers as one of the types of vehicles prohibited from parking on Town roadways overnight and on Sundays due to their ability to cause the same or similar obstruction as the other vehicles listed in the existing Traffic Code.
• (Scheduled in their role as the Board of Trustees) 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: David HalpernLocation: 3 Clamshell Lane, Asharoken, NY SCTM#0400-005.00-04.00-014.000/0401-005.00-01.00-014.000.
• (Scheduled in their role as the Board of Trustees) 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: David HalpernLocation: 3 Clamshell Lane, Asharoken, NY SCTM#0400-005.00-04.00-014.000/0401-005.00-01.00-014.000.

The Town Board scheduled public hearings for the Tuesday, April 13, 2021 Town Board meeting at 7:00 PM to consider:

• Amending the Uniform Traffic Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter TC4 (Parking Fields); clarifying the definition of "Town parking field" in the Traffic Code.
• Authorizing various actions be taken upon certain properties designated as blighted in accordance with Chapter 156, Article VII, §156-60 (Blighted Property).
• Zone change application #2020-ZM-448, Huntington Hospital, to change the zoning from R-10 & R-20 Residence Districts to C-1 Office Residence District for the properties located on the north and south sides of View Acre Drive, east of Park Avenue, Huntington, SCTM #0400-074-01-020 & 074-02- (011, 012, 013, 014, 015, 017.001, 017.002); the hospital owns the properties and wishes to expand and use the properties for medical office space and parking; the historic house on the 3.3 acre parcel on the corner of View Acre Drive and Park Avenue would remain.
• Amending Local Law No. 21-2010 so as to amend the covenants and restrictions established as part of zone change application #2007-ZM-368, Lowe’s Home Centers, Inc., changing the zoning from C-6 General Business District, C-10 Planned Motel District and R-5 Residence District to C-6 General Business District for a portion of the property located on the south side of Jericho Turnpike, east of New York Avenue, South Huntington, SCTM No.0400-198-01-085.001; to allow for a restaurant drive-through lane and a building canopy within the 30-foot buffer established in a prior application.
• Adopting Local Law Introductory No.3-2021 so as to create Chapter 9 (Citizens Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities) of the Code of the Town of Huntington; to formally establish the long-existing committee in the code and to clarify the purpose, membership and responsibilities of the committee.
• Amending the Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter 93 (Civil Enforcement and Administrative Adjudication); to update and clarify collection procedures for unpaid monetary penaltiesassessed in Bureau decisions and orders.

In other action, the Town Board:

• Established a Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Task Force and appointed Terese M. Kinsley as the Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Coordinator for the Town; Terese M. Kinsley, PE, LEED AP BD+C, is the Chief Sustainability Officer for the Town of Huntington.
• Appointed Senior Harbormaster Fred Uvena Interim Director of the Department of Maritime Services for the Town of Huntington.
• Appointed Dylan Thompson, whose request to the Town resulted in the deployment of Mobi-Mats at Town beaches, increasing sand and water accessibility in 2020, as a member of the Town of Huntington Citizen’s Advisory Committee for Persons with Disabilities (term expiring 2/23/2025).
• Appointed Jim Powers (term exp. 3/12/2023) and reappointed Nicholas Loizides (term exp. 3/12/2024) as members of the Historic Preservation Commission.
• Directed the Department of Maritime Services of the Town of Huntington to purchase two stokes baskets to ensure all Harbormaster response boats are equipped with equipment to expedite water rescue operations.
• Approved an agreement with PedalShare Inc. to place bicycle racks and bicycles on Town parks, beaches and other Town property for the operation of the Suffolk County Bike Share Program in the Town of Huntington.
• Designated the first Monday in March as “COVID-19 Victims and Survivors Memorial Day.”
• Authorized the Supervisor to apply for and accept free trees from the National Wildlife Federation’s Trees for Wildlife Program.

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