At Thursday evening's meeting the three basic desires were again debated - give us positive flow of tax revenue, an efficient road network and limit the amount of new residents and children to the area.

   After days of deferring the question "Exactly how many units are you building?", the developer took another approach and answered the question with a variable- in order to generate their desired profit  they needed to develop 3.6 million square feet. Based on the average unit of 2,000 square feet, there would be a maximum of 1,800 units which could be built with a population increase of about 5,400. But, they conceded this would be unlikely since their plan also calls for a portion of the site to be developed for commercial and mixed usage.  At this point they offered the group the option of which type of development the community would prefer, stating they could build any combination of residential, commercial, mixed use, adult and senior living. Mr. Duany did however caution the group about the danger of having too much of any one type.
   This could be a positive, but it begs the question "Who will ultimately determine what is really what is best for us?"

   The first day of meetings held at the San Remo school proved less than fruitful.  Dubbed the Transportation Meeting, approximately 80 people were in attendance.  The event began by encouraging guests to identify themselves briefly.  Those in attendance included residents, members of local civic groups, chamber of commerce members and members of the planning and zoning boards, some of which remained anonymous. 
   The meeting transpired as DZP offshoots were holding business in the background.  Transportation   and engineering expert Rick Hall took front and center.  A rather down to earth gentleman, he professed his interest in listening to the community and proceeded to share his observations and knowledge of traffic both in and outside the Kings Park area.  Having worked with DPZ and other Charrette firms, Hall was both used to and prepared for the standard run of questions.   He is presently working on several projects in the LI area (still in the planning stages).    

   Selling the walking friendly new urbanism as opposed to suburban sprawl where motor vehicle use was excessive, he talked about arterial highways and their detriment.  He said, “since World War II, Long Island was built in a fashion that assumed the only way to get around was by motor vehicle, walking, biking and mass transit have been forgotten”.    Continuing on the concept of walkable communities, Hall talked about the main benefit that would arise from new urbanism including less motor vehicle use.   The crowd wasn’t buying it and they insisted that the proposed occupants would still be driving in and out of Kings Park on a regular basis.  They weren’t convinced that all the residents’ needs would be met within the new village.   Several present Kings Park occupants spewed angry rhetoric about the potential traffic nightmare.   Unfortunately for the DPZ team, they weren’t armed with the number of people that came in and out of the hospital property daily when it was running at full peak.  It would have been to their advantage to show that, with all shifts included, in all probability, several thousand people traveled in and out of the property on a daily basis.  One resident insisted that most of the employees were local but asked if they all walked to work, she gave no response.  This is something that needs to be explored further.

Hall spoke of the inefficiency of widening roads, temporary solutions that in the end prove fruitless by increasing traffic and losing the charm of the area surrounding such roads.  He said, “widening every busy road is a losing battle”.  Professing the dangers of arterial roadways (such as Indian Head and 25A) Hall went on to site quotes about pedestrian vehicular deaths.  Having done his own research in town, he confirmed that when the light went green on Indian Head and Main Street, the average car was going 21 miles per hour.  However, 3 blocks south of Main Street on Indian Head, he clocked the average speed at 39 miles per hour.   What does this data mean to Kings Park residents?   Hall mentioned fatality statistics and said if you get hit by a car going 20 miles an hour you have a 5% chance of fatality, when the speedometer gets to the 30 mile an hour range your chance of succumbing to the accident increasing to over 50%.  If a cars is moving along at 40 miles an hour or better, your chance of dying reaching the 85% level.   Not pleasant data considering drivers  zip along at 40 miles an hour or better on 25A, St. Johnland, Indian Head, Pulaski and Old Dock.  No doubt suburban sprawl includes vehicular dangers.  

  The opening meeting for the KPPC "Charrette" turned into the chagrin of many  as Andres Duany started to piece together some of the overall plans his employer, Lamb Aquistions, has for the KP Psych Center property. The presentation started just after 7 p.m. to a packed Kings Park High School Auditorium with an estimated 800 or so in attendance. As was the case with the LIRR meetings, overflow from the crowded hall was directed to the gymnasium where a monitor supplied a live feed of the meeting.
   A good portion of the time was utilized to set the stage for what was being planned. A variety of slides and comparisons were employed to depict how inefficiently our small towns were designed and how DPZ, Mr. Duany's organization, could change that trend with using a  "smart growth" approach to develop the 370 acre Kings Park site. Some the ideas presented made sense, but many local residents quickly determined, not all of the principles could be applied to our particular situation. There was overall unanimity with the negative facts: 25a or as Mr. Duany puts it A25, along with the surrounding local arteries are currently at their maximum utilization; our local schools are currently at their maximum utilization and  will be further burdened with the additional development; and, the area does not have enough development which is tax revenue generating.
    The murmur that 270 acres of the 370 available are to be developed disturbed many in the audience including Councilwoman Jane Conway who asked for clarification of the issue. To the shock of the majority, Mr. Duany indicated it was his understanding that 270 and not 90 acres were to be developed. After the session, Councilwoman Conway stated it was her understanding the town and Gov. Pataky agreed when the Nissequouge River State Park was carved out, there would be a 3 to 1 open space requirement on the remaining 370 acres. In an effort to ease the minds of some residents as well as her own, the Councilwoman said she would contact the State for confirmation of the fact. Another alarming revelation was Mr. Duany's comment- based on his experience with other developments, 14 units per acre were needed to support their plans. He did at one point concede that this may be a bit high for this site and 10 units per acre would be more realistic.

 Bottom line facts

   Out of the gate the Charrette was well attended, packing about 800 plus people into The Kings Park High School auditorium with impressive overflow into the hallways.  Builder Charlie Lefkowitz took the podium front and center and introduced Andre’s Duany, Project Director for the Charrette team - Duany Plater-Zyberk (DPZ).   DPZ is known throughout the building industry as one of the best Charrette teams in the nation.  Duany gave an overview of the Charrette process and spoke extensively about engaging the community in the procedure, as well as smart growth, the problems with suburban sprawl and the positive aspects of new urbanism.  Duany urged citizen participation stressing the importance of the pin up sessions on Thursday May 6th and Saturday May 8th as well as the final presentation on Tuesday May 11th at 7:00 at the high school.  It was stated that there will be ample opportunity at these particular sessions for community input and Q & A’s. 
   High Density was a term tossed out frequently throughout the evening.  However, with the 50 million dollar environmental remediation of the site, high density would be the only vehicle that which would yield a profit for the builders.  Duany stressed that this in itself was hardly a new concept.   The post-war development of suburbia was based on development for profit.  Through a series of slides, Duany pinpointed the cons of various single function development strategies such as subdivisions, strip malls and office parks.   The B Word was mentioned twice.  Duany said, “it (the property) is essentially a Brownfield site”.   Stay tuned for more about Brownfield’s and their relevance to zoning and planning boards overrides.  Developers are often given certain incentives for development Brownfield or areas of blight.    The Environmental factor will be expanded on over the course of the week and therein lie some of the most important questions, i.e. will buried toxins be unearthed, demolition and what it will do to the air quality etc. (freeing asbestos and other toxins). 
   The crowd was ruled by fear and the builders were ruled by profit and the mix proved combustible.  Nearing the end of the presentation some residents began to shout angrily at the DPZ representative.  Although not designed as a Q & A session, Duany did take several questions.  The climate was angry and untrusting, however, the real anger should be directed at New York State who owned and operated the property for one hundred plus years and cowardly scampered without cleaning up their mess.  They were not held accountable for their sins.  The builders and Charrette team are bearing the burden of the fear and anger left in the state’s shadows.
   Keep in mind, the smart growth process is not an easy process or an expedient process – as it stands now; the property is zoned for 1-acre lots.  Regardless of the public outcry and decisions that will follow in the wake of the Charrette, in the end, our zoning board will have the final say about what and how many will inhabit the psych hospital property. 
   Smart growth concepts include “mixed use” and “walk able communities”, environs that were more “environmentally friendly”, places where folks could gather and shop, see a show or walk in the park without hopping in their car.  The air was thick with skepticism and expected by DPZ team.  The biggest bomb dropped by the DPZ people was the amount of acreage they planned on using.   The community was previous lead to believe by local civic groups and local publications, that only 90 acres would used for development.  Councilwoman Jane Conway posed the important question about acreage and Duany debunked the 90-acre number and threw out a 200 plus acre number that drew many by surprise.  
   Affordable Housing was touched upon briefly with legislation waiting in the backdrop that would require 10% of all new housing built on LI to include affordable dwellings.  One of the best questions of the night came from resident and Kings Park Neighbor Association member Cathy Moonis.  She asked, “is Lamb just cleaning up what they are building on or will the entire site be cleaned up”?   Like many of the other questions that arose, Duany didn’t have the answer at the moment but promised one before the Charrette was over.   Time frame was discussed and Duany said, “the estate may close within a year, the permits would take about tow years and the build out would occur in 1- -15 years”.  
   Log in daily for a synopsis of all the Charrette meetings.   If you are unable to attend a specific meeting and need a question answered, please forward your question to Loezlane@optonline.net It is imperative to keep the lines of communication open, information is power.  We can work together and use the Charrette process to ascertain what is best for the Kings Park Community.    

Smithtown, NY - Legislator Lynne C. Nowick recently hosted Webelo Scout Troop 326 from Smithtown at the Suffolk County Legislature Building in Hauppauge as the scouts learned first hand how government is operated.  The scouts listened as Legislative Aide Meghan O’Reilly spoke about how the Legislature operates and the responsibilities of the eighteen members.   

   Legislator Nowick greeted each scout and their families and asked them what they knew about government.  After discussing the responsibilities she has as their representative, she asked them about various issues that the scouts had information about.  The scouts then took on the roles of Legislators and sat around the horseshoe and listened to ‘testimony’ on a proposed anti-smoking bill.  Legislative Aides took on the roles of residents in favor and in opposition to proposed legislation as they each argued their position.  The scouts were then free to ask questions, and debate the issue.  After the debate was concluded, Legislator Nowick called for a vote on the legislation.  The scouts voted ‘yay’ or ‘nay’ on the issue, which then passed and was sent on to the ‘County Executive’. 

   The Webelos completed their visit by receiving a Certificate of Merit for outstanding public service for serving as ‘Legislator’ for the day.