The Summit is Coming - November 13, 2008!
Long Islands premier Smart Growth conference has been building over 7 years. This year promises to be the greatest yet with improved networking opportunities and informative workshops on the best practices in Smart Growth and land use planning.
Come focus on the challenges before us, and policies and projects that must be implemented. You'll join broad Long Island leadership from community, civic, professional and governmental sectors to educate, strategize and move forward. Focus areas will include transportation, clean energy & green building, sewers & infrastructure, codes & regulations, commercial corridor redevelopment, community planning & public process, regional planning, housing & gentrification, downtown revitalization, and projects of regional significance.
These proceedings will guide our course over the next year and serve to update the regional Blueprint for Smart Growth. This Blueprint is a primary work product of all our Summits. It serves as a platform from which to advance quality growth and preservation on Long Island.
Sponsorship is a prime way to show your investment in Long Island solutions. Download registration form here. Contact our office at 631-261-0242.
Mount Sinai Plans Change for Better
After endless revisions, a new plan for the 30-acre mixed-use development off Route 25A in Mount Sinai has found broad approval. The latest plan takes the formerly clustered 98 residential units and scatters them above the commercial properties and throughout the 375,000 square foot development. This improves safety, by bringing more 24-hour activity and visibility, and it creates a truly varied tapestry of uses. Learn more here.
Banking on a Boycott
It all started three years ago when Commerce Bank bought a bucolic piece of Lake Ronkonkoma that residents and the Town of Brookhaven sought to preserve for a 9/11 memorial. Community members pleaded with the bank to relocate from the site, but the Town Planning Board approved the construction plans in March, and soon after the bulldozers broke ground.
In the face of defeat, the community remains strong. According to the recent issue of the Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Organization's Forth Wave Newsletter, the boycott calls for interested persons to call Commerce Bank at 1-888-751-9000 and let them know that you are boycotting them because they ignore the communities' wishes. More information can be found on the Civic Association's website.
Governor's Economic Security Cabinet - LI Town Hall Meeting
On July 30, 2008, Governor David Patterson’s Economic Security Cabinet held a three-hour Town Hall meeting at Farmingdale State College that provided residents with the opportunity to convey the Long Island perspective to representatives of multiple State agencies. Find out what they said here.
Rocky Point Re-Opens Veteran's Park
The first part of Rocky Point's 2007r visioning plan has come to fruition. On Tuesday, approximately 100 local residents, civic members, elected officials, and business leaders came together to celebrate the reopening of Veteran's Park. The formerly derelict park is in the first stage of restoration. After acquiring the necessary grants, the park will receive playground equipment, which the community hopes will enable it to become a village green. Learn more here.
CNU Covers Shifting Demand from Sprawl to Walkability
An article from the Congress for the New Urbanism monthly e-newsletter cited that, due to market factors, Americans are shifting demands away from suburban sprawl and towards walkable, urban communities. Due to record-high gasoline prices, the appeal of suburbia has wilted across the country while "good urbanism has clearly demonstrated its enduring value even amidst the economic challenges." Read more here.
First Smart Growth Bill to Ever Pass NYS Assembly and Senate!
Senator Carl L. Marcellino (R, Syosset) and Assemblyman Sam Hoyt (D, Buffalo) recently announced passage of Smart Growth Principles for New York State. This legislation defines Smart Growth Principles for New York State government and will guide the implementation of policies and programs towards Smart Growth and away from suburban sprawl. These principles require the State to review public investment, economic development, conservation and restoration, intergovernmental partnerships, community livability, transportation, sustainability, and consistency in future state infrastructure and development programs. Read more here
Thank you! 2008 Smart Growth Awards!
Over 700 people came out to honor projects from across the Island in fields such as mixed-use development, green building, and regional leadership. See more on last year's event here. Check back soon for copies of the journal, the press release and images from the event.
Learn about the 2008 Honorees! in the 2008 Smart Growth Awards Journal.
Gordon Heights Breaks Ground on Community Action Center
On Saturday, May 24th, the community of Gordon Heights saw the much anticipated ground breaking of their state of the art multipurpose community action center. This marks another milestone for Gordon Heights, which has been working with Vision Long Island past few years on a vision to revitalizate the downtown area. Other accomplishments this long-ignored community so far include park cleanups, grant money for sidewalks, and street lighting improvements.
Senator Owen Johnson Bolsters Bay Shore Marina Visioning
State Senator Owen H. Johnson (Babylon), Chairman of the Finance Committee, announced on May 18th that he has secured a $1.5 million New York State Economic Development Assistance Program (NYSEDAP) grant that would go towards the second phase of the Town of Islip’s Bay Shore Marina Improvement Project. Read more here.