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"We're very, very anxious. All of our soup kitchens are at risk right now of closing." - Jean Kelly, Executive Director of the Interfaith Nutrition Network, on Suffolk County facing a federal aid cut to 20 hunger programs for $1 million |
Rose & KellyRose and Kelly Development, LLC is a premier development firm on Long Island. Their primary focus is on redeveloping blighted sites throughout Long Island. They have been an ongoing supporter of Smart Growth and Vision Long Island.
Become a supporter of Smart Growth
Vision Long Island prides itself on having a broad range of supporters. Become one today. A donation as small as $50 buys outreach materials to help a community build support for their vision. $500 sponsors an entire newsletter. $5,000 makes you a lead sponsor of our Smart Growth Summit, buying 10 tickets and a key branding opportunity for your organization. |
Deadline approaching for Smart Growth Awards - one week left to submit nominees!
The deadline for nominations for the 2010 Smart Growth Awards is now less than a month away. The eight annual event will honor individuals and organizations taking leadership in advancing Smart Growth projects, policies, regulations and initiatives. Specific focus areas include mixed-use development, affordable housing, environmental health and safety, open space and historic preservation, traffic calming and pedestrian safety, transportation enhancements, clean energy, downtown revitalization and/or community based planning. The deadline for submissions is February 28th. Award recipients will stand out from other entries in their ability to demonstrate one or more of these basic principles:
Submit this form and relevant materials to Vision Long Island, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation. Please include relevant reports, images, plans, renderings, news articles and other supportive materials. Do not send originals materials as we cannot guarantee their safe return. 
The Awards will be handed out on Friday, June 18th from 11:30am-2pm at the Crest Hollow Country Club. Registration information is available here. Attend Long Island's first LEED-ND® conference March 23rd
Please attend the first Long Island LEED-ND® conference March 23rd from 8:30am-3:00pm at the Sustainability Institute at Molloy College in East Farmingdale. Come to this informative worksession to learn about LEED-ND®: LEED®'s newest neighborhood-based green design standards, led by some of the region's foremost experts. LEED-ND® (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, Neighborhood Development) was developed in partnership with the US Green Building Council, Congress for the New Urbanism and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Workshops will cover: Smart Location & Linkage, Neighborhood Pattern & Design, Green Construction & Technology and Regional Priority Credit. Sponsorship opportunities are available, starting at $500 and going up to $3000. Individual tickets are $75. The event is sponsored by the Sustainability Institute at Molloy College, the US Green Building Council, Vision Long Island and CNU-NY. For more information or to RSVP, contact Vision Long Island at 631-261-0242 or email info@visionlongisland.org. Download the flyer for the event here. The Sustainability Institute at Molloy College is located at 7180 Republic Airport, East Farmingdale. |
Lake Ronkonkoma to be recognized as a Statewide Inland Waterway
The New York State Senate has passed important legislation, sponsored by Senator Brian X. Foley, officially designating Lake Ronkonkoma as an inland waterway. The bill is a crucial step towards cleaning up the lake and revitalizing the lakefront area, as it will be eligible to receive new streams of funding and expedite economic development. “It is critical that we clean up Lake Ronkonkoma and remove the pollutants that have been building up in the lake for years,” said Senator Foley. “This legislation will not only facilitate the cleanup process, it will also clear the way for lakefront revitalization.” Senator Foley’s bill passed unanimously in the Senate. It still has to pass the Assembly and be signed by the Governor, but both are expected to happen without controversy. Watch a video from the Senate floor here. Historic Preservation for Long Island Featured in LIBN
This week's Long Island Business News highlights the statewide historic preservation tax credit legislation that was signed by Governor Paterson last year. Long Island, which only has 300 recognized historic sites out of New York State's 94,000, is poised to take advantage of the new incentives. Long Island is filled with locally-recognized historic buildings and monuments, but statewide recognition is a step that has been complicated in the past. The new legislation adds large tax breaks for restoring older properties. Combining federal and state incentives, some buildings can receive up to 40 percent in tax credits. The article cites Daniel MacKay of the Preservation League of New York, who spoke at last week's LI Smart Growth Working Group to education Long Island leaders on the benefits of this new legislation. Vision's Eric Alexander was quoted in the article as saying, "In a difficult economy, tax credits for the restoration of historic buildings can energize redevelopment in Long Island's downtowns." Highlights of Transit-Oriented Developments
Long island Business News recently highlighted the benefits of transit-oriented development (TOD) on Long Island. The article begins:
The article goes on to focus on several exciting examples of TOD, including many recipients of Vision's Smart Growth Awards. Examples include Hawthorne Court in Valley Stream, AvalonBay's affordable housing development in Huntington Station, Trammell Crow Residential's Alexan @ West Hempstead on the site of the former Courtesy Hotel, the AvalonBay apartment project in Rockville Centre, several projects in Mineola, New Village in Patchogue, Freeport's North Main Street master plan, and a plan to reopen the East Farmingdale/Republic Airport LIRR station as a centerpiece for redevelopment in the area. National Grid announces New BPI Hydronic Professional Heating certification training program
National Grid Energy Efficiency has announced a new Building Performance Institute (BPI) Hydronic Professional Heating certification training program, developed for residential heating contractors. BPI certification is a nationally recognized brand that has been in existence since 1996. Its educational curriculum ensures that contractors receive a comprehensive training course on heating and whole house concepts. The new National Grid Energy Efficiency BPI Hydronic Professional heating certification program has a concentration primarily on hydronic and steam systems. The course will also cover forced hot air systems, building science concepts and improving the efficiency of heating systems. Heating contractors who participate in the program and receive their BPI certification will be entitled to the following National Grid incentives: Technical Training Discount of 50% of the tuition cost, name added to the National Grid BPI Heating Contractor Listing (available here), National Grid Co-Op Advertising Program and financial incentives of $50 for each high efficiency heating unit installed. The BPI Tuition Fee is $1,550 per participant (for training and exams). National Grid will subsidize 50% of the tuition for contractors. |
Downtown Summit in Riverhead inspires progress
Early February's Downtown Summit in Riverhead has since gained some press attention. In the Riverhead News Review, Sheldon Gordon of Riverhead Enterprises, who owns several downtown vacant and occupied buildings, said "We are very excited about what's going to happen. We will cooperate, and we will listen, and we will try to make these things happen, because they're long past due." Despite this enthusiasm, some residents and developers were worried that the property owners' cost of developing would be too high. If those concerns could be worked out, developer Ron Parr said that he believes Riverhead could bring in residential rentals, small neighborhood businesses like pizza shops and possibly a movie theater. Other possibilities include a nursing facility or assisted living facility from the Peconic Bay Medical Center. Town Supervisor Sean Walter is dedicated to downtown revitalization. The Town is working on legislation to fast-track commercial site-plan applications for the downtown, which would include a 60-day approval or denial time frame for fully engineered site plans that meet all requirements. If that deadline passes, the proposal would be approved automatically. This week's Long Island Business News also covered the Summit, and cited Vision's Eric Alexander, who "urged the need for smart growth in whatever plans develop for the long-neglected area." The Wedge celebrates ten years
In 2000, citizens of the Mt. Sinai community came together with the Mt. Sinai Civic Association and the Heritage Trust to purchase and preserve an area of land which was slated to become a big box Home Depot store. Today, the land is a beautiful park and community center containing walking paths, a playground and soccer and baseball fields. It is home to various community gatherings and little league teams and is even cleaned up every few weeks by the local scout troop. Last month’s Times Beacon Record highlighted the ten year anniversary of the park, informally known as “The Wedge:” "A citizen and government partnership has created a model regional park valued and used by people of different ages. A flat, farmer's field has evolved into an attractive park. It was not easy. The Wedge is now a public gem with many different facets." The 18.2 acres, purchased in a citizen-government partnership, is now home to a beautiful park which can be enjoyed by all of the community's residents, regardless of age. “The Wedge,” officially named the North Shore Heritage Park and Heritage Center, is a classic example of just how effective a community can be when it comes together to achieve a common goal. This project is something the entire community can be proud of. Read more here. North Hempstead to eliminate on-street parking
The Town of North Hempstead's Town Board unanimously passed an ordinance this week that would eliminate on-street, parallel metered parking on a busy stretch of Main Street in downtown Port Washington. The ordinance would turn the area into a no-stopping zone in order to install a turning lane from Main Street onto Shore Road, which, according to the Town Board, is one of the worst intersections in the Town. To make up for the parking spaces, a Town-owned property on the corner of Main Street and Jackson Street would be converted into a parking lot. Local business owners are furious about the ordinance, saying that it will negatively impact business. Harry DeFeo, owner of Harbor Deli, told the Town Board that customers will bypass his quick-stop store if there is no parking in front. One resident confirmed that suspicion, saying that "If there wasn't parking on the street, I wouldn't have come in. It's a shame. It's hard enough for small businesses to make it anymore." Harbor Deli's attorney said that the ordinance would be the "death knell" of downtown Port Washington: "You don't want to turn it into a Route 110 speedway," he said. Business owners were concerned that the parking lot will not be a good solution, partially because entering and exiting the lot will be difficult. Some Town Board members want more time to consider making the no-stopping zone limited, from 4pm-7pm only. According to Newsday, "Supervisor Jon Kaiman said the town will monitor the impact of the change and whether it becomes necessary to restore the street parking and restrict the hours the no-stopping zone is in effect." |
Vancouver to focus on green re-use of Olympic buildings
As people from around the world are enjoying the 2010 Olympic games in Vancouver, we at Vision were curious about what the Canadian city had to do to prepare for the games. Vancouver, British Columbia is consistently ranked as one of the most livable cities in the world. The Economist's World's Most Livable Cities 2010 ranks it at number one, citing areas like stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. Vancouver's Olympic bid was announced in 2003, and since then the city has been working tirelessly to prepare for the games. Most notably is the Olympic Village, which will become a new neighborhood after the games.
The first phase of the development plan set up the buildings for the Olympics, including 15-20 permanent buildings (including a large community center) and many temporary structures. The buildings were turned over from the City to the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee on November 1, 2009, and will be returned to the City on April 7, 2010. In the meantime the buildings are housing 2,600 athletes and officials. Features of the future community will include over 5,000 residential units that focus on families, a 45,000 square foot green community center including commercial, office and restaurant space, three child care centers, an elementary school, community-serving retail and services, a nonmotorized boating facility, an interfaith spiritual center, restoration of five heritage buildings, a public plaza and 10 hectares of park land including habitat, playgrounds, a community garden and more. Southeast False Creek, to be completed by 2020, will focus on mixed-use and walkability, as well as transit links between housing and local jobs.
Olympic Village has another title: the greenest neighborhood in the world. Millennium Waters recently became the second neighborhood ever to receive LEED Platinum certification for the entire neighborhood, as well as LEED Gold for all the buildings. According to Inhabitat, "With super energy efficient residential units, close proximity to the city center, a renewable energy heating system and a net zero energy building, this village is sure make other eco-developments green with envy." |
Keep our State parks open!
Several of Long Island's State parks are facing the threat of closure due to the Governor's budget proposal for the next fiscal year. As many as ten parks could close by summer, including Valley Stream, Hempstead Lake, Cold Spring Harbor, Trail View, Brentwood, Nissequogue River, Caleb Smith, Heckscher, Brookhaven, and Orient Beach. State Parks have seen funding reductions of 40 percent over the last two years, and these cuts would see an additional 16 percent cut. Closing these parks would be incredibly detrimental for local communities. In these difficult economic times, State parks are affordable places where families can gather and engage in both recreational and cultural activities. This is the last action the State should be taking to close its budget gap. Members of a Long Island State parks advisory committee have been meeting to look for ways to keep the budget cuts from closing the parks, including seeking corporate sponsorships for parks, a longer park season that includes collecting fees and raising beach fees from $8 to $10. According to NYLCV, with the closure of some State parks increasingly likely, "To soften the blow, the governor has since offered amendments that would divert $5 million from the state's Environmental Protection Fund, earmarked for park capital improvements, into park operating expenses. He also has proposed allowing state parks to raise fees to raise an additional $4 million." There are several ways to speak out against the closures:
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 Help Plan the Future of Suffolk County on February 23rd and 25th
Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy and the Suffolk County Planning Commission invite you to attend an important meeting on the update of the Comprehensive Plan for Suffolk County. There will be two opportunities to chime in to the master plan update: Tuesday February 23rd, 7:00pm, W. H. Rogers Legislative Building (725 Veterans Memorial Highway in Smithtown); and Thursday March 11th, 7:00pm, Suffolk County Community College - Eastern Campus, Shinnecock Building Room S-101 (121 Speonk-Riverhead Road in Riverhead). The meetings will provide an opportunity to learn about the Comprehensive Plan and what it means to the future of Suffolk County, participate in setting the scope and content of the plan, share with the County your goals for the plan, understand the process to involve the public and other stakeholders in the project and learn how local towns and villages will be also be involved. For directions, additional information or cancellation due to inclement weather, visit the Comprehensive Plan website or call 631-853-5191. Komedy and Karaoke on February 25th
On Thursday, February 25th from 6-9pm, come see Comedy to Go with Keith Anthony, as seen on Comedy Central. Anthony started stand-up comedy in 1991, and within one year he appeared on more than five television shows. He has been named by New York Magazine as one of the top eight comics in New York City. Television work to-date includes Showtime, Comedy Central, and the A&E network. The price of your ticket to this event, sponsored by the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce, includes beer, wine, soft drinks, buffet, entertainment, and limitless networking opportunities! The comedy will take place at Chesterfields, 330 New York Avenue in Huntington. Price is $30 for Chamber members and $45 for non-members. Register online here. One Man, One Cow, One Planet, on Feb. 25
LET’S EAT! Films on Food Co-Presented by Slow Foods Huntington presents "One Man, One Cow, One Planet" on Thursday, February 25 at 7:30pm at Cinema Arts Centre. Join Water Mill biodynamic agriculture expert Steve Storch for a Q&A and reception following the screening. What does an environmentally friendly biodynamic food system capable of feeding everyone actually look like? One Man, One Cow, One Planet follows 78-year old Peter Proctor, who some call the modern Gandhi, as he exposes globalization and the mantra of infinite growth in a finite world for what it really is: an environmental and human disaster. When Water Mill biodynamic agriculture expert Steve Storch was growing up in Coney Island, the depletion of farm soils was the last thing on his mind. But when he married into the Halsey farming clan and moved to the East End to study marine biology 24 years ago, all that changed. Mr. Storch now runs Natural Science Organics. He is a relatively strict follower of the spiritually-based agricultural practices first proposed by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner in 1924, in which every part of that “farm organism” is treated as an interconnected link to the rest of the farm. In that world view, human health, soil health and vegetable health are all dependent on factors that have as much to do with spirituality as science. Tickets are $9 for members and $12 for the public, and tickets can be purchased online or at the box office, or by calling Brown Paper Tickets at (800) 838-3006. For more information visit the CAC website. 2010 Long Island Youth Summit at Dowling College on March 5
On March 5th, high school students from all over Long Island will convene for the 2010 Long Island Youth Summit that will take place at Dowling College in Oakdale. The purpose of the Summit is to work with the brightest and most active high school students in order to make them aware of the socio-economic and environmental challenges that are affecting or may affect suburban Long Island in the near future. Long Island Faith and Hunger Conference on March 5th
How can it be that the latest study of hunger on Long Island, released on February 3rd, 2010, found an estimated 283,700 Long Islanders are at risk of hunger everyday? How can one of America’s 10 wealthiest regions tolerate nearly 100,000 children being food insecure? We are in the worst economic recession since the 1930s only explains a small part of the problem and the reality is that, in good and bad times, we have had a hunger crisis on Long Island. The time has come for us to take action to end the crisis and the scandal of hunger and poverty amidst our plenty. The Long Island Faith & Hunger Conference will take place on Friday, March 5th from 11:30am to 4pm at Upper Room Ministries, 722 Deer Park Avenue in Dix Hills. This will be an opportunity to discuss how the faith community can work together for social and economic justice in our communities. The conference will provide an update on critical hunger issues on the federal, state and local levels; make plans for action; and provide congregations with the tools they need to educate and advocate to end hunger. The conference is hosted by the Faith and Hunger Network (FHN) and the Mobilized Interfaith Coalition Against Hunger (MICAH). Workshops include: Randi Shubin Dresner of Island Harvest: “Hunger in America 2010 - The Local Report for Long Island”, Mark Dunlea, Esq. of Hunger Action Network of New York State: "State Budget & Issues You Need to Know”, Rev. Derrick Boykin of Bread for the World: “Strengthening and Protecting Tax Credits for Low-Income Families”, and Richard Koubek, Ph.D. of MICAH (and a Vision Board member): “A Tool Kit for Congregations to Educate and Advocate to End Hunger on Long Island." We need to use our voices to ensure that our nation’s public policies truly benefit—and not hurt—low-income people. Please RSVP via email to LIFaithNHunger@gmail.com or by telephone to 212-741-8192 ext. 3 by February 26th. Huntington Town Board to hold public hearing for Huntington Station TOD on March 9th
The Huntington Town Board, at its first meeting of the year, voted to schedule a March 9th public hearing on the creation of the Huntington Station Transit Oriented District, a move aimed at allowing a range of housing opportunities for people at different income levels and at different stages of life at a location where residents will have increased access to mass transit and a reduced dependency on the automobile. This district will be applied to the 26.6-acre district located on about a half mile from the Huntington Long Island Rail Road station, on the north side of East Fifth Street, which AvalonBay Communities Inc. is looking to develop with a mix of market rate and affordable housing. Details regarding time and location will be announced soon. Read more on the Town's website. The Green Economy: Promise and Potential on March 12th
The keynote speaker will be New York Times bestselling author Peter C. Fusaro, who is the Chairman and Founder of Global Change Associates. Panel discussions include Government Policy that Promotes Green Job Creation and The Nuts and Bolts of Green Jobs. Speakers and invited speakers include Neal Lewis of the Sustainability Institute, Richard M. Kessel of New York Power Authority, Thomas P. DiNapoli, New York State Comptroller, Kevin S. Law of Long Island Power Authority, Steve Bellone, Babylon Town Supervisor, Alfonse D’Amato, Former U.S. Senator and Founder of Park Strategies LLC, Edward P. Mangano, Nassau County Executive, Kate Murray, Hempstead Town Supervisor, Steve Levy, Suffolk County Executive, Kristopher Shaw of Crescent Energy, LLC, David Kirkpatrick of SJF Ventures, Albert Harsch of Eastern Energy Systems, Dawn Dzurilla of Gaia Human Capital Consultants, David Schieren of EmPower, John Cameron of Cameron Engineering, Ross D. Ain of Caithness Long Island, LLC, John Durso of Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW, Ray List of EnLink Geoenergy, and Micah Kotch of Polytechnic Institute of NYU. The event will be followed by a cocktail reception and networking until 6pm. Please RSVP by March 5th. Tickets are $50 per person. For more information, email event@molloy.edu or call 516.678.5000 ext. 6622. |
 Department of Environmental Conservation offers grants for Environmental Restoration Program
The Department of Environmental Conservation will be issuing grants through the Environmental Restoration Program, which aims to provide funding to qualified municipalities in an effort to reimburse up to 90 percent of on-site eligible costs and 100 percent of off-site eligible costs for site investigation and remediation activities. Once the remediation has taken place, the property may then be reused for commercial, industrial, residential or public use. The purpose of the Environmental Restoration Program is to help fund cleanup and redevelopment of properties that have been contaminated with hazardous substances and/or petroleum. Eligible entities include counties, cities, towns, villages, local public authorities, public benefit corporations, school and supervisory districts, and improvement districts. Contact the Department of Environmental Conservation for funding figures. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. For more information: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Attn: Environmental Remediation, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233, 518-402-9764, derweb@gw.dec.state.ny.us. |
Oscar Nominated Short Films at Westhampton Beach
This weekend, the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center presents the Oscar Nominated Short Films 2010. Films to be shown include: "The Door" Juanita Wilson and James Flynn, "Instead of Abracadabra" Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellstrom, "Kavi" Gregg Helvey, "Miracle Fish" Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey, and "The New Tenants" Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson. Show times are Saturday Feb. 20 at 7:30pm and Sunday Feb. 21 at 1:00pm and 4:00pm. Tickets are $7-10. The Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center is located at 76 Main Street. Visit their website for details and ticket information. 101 Ways to Torture Your Husband
This Saturday at 7pm at Book Revue, KJOY morning host Maria Garcia Kalb will speak about and sign her new book, 101 Ways to Torture Your Husband. From one of the friendliest voices on Long Island radio comes this distinctly devilish new book for ladies trying to keep their men under control. 101 Ways to Torture Your Husband is a fun manual for every wife who dreams of making her husband pay for his naughty wrongdoings. Here, weary wives learn clever tricks—all guaranteed to put misbehaving husbands in their rightful place. Whether she drinks his last beer or posts his Red Sox memorabilia on EBay, this book proves hitting him wear it hurts is the key to marital bliss. Maria Garcia-Kalb is an award-winning radio broadcaster who is currently an on-air personality on WKJY-FM 98.3 "K-JOY" in Farmingdale. Garcia-Kalb's quick wit, and effervescent personality has won audiences for more than 15 years, being held in the highest regard by women of all ages who she says are her inspiration to "take the world by storm." As a self-proclaimed relationship expert, Garcia-Kalb strives to encourage harmonious unions...with just a touch of torture. Books signed at Book Revue events are asked to be purchased at Book Revue. The bookstore is located at 313 New York Avenue in downtown Huntington. |
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"Finishing second in the Olympics gets you silver. Finishing second in politics gets you oblivion." - Richard M. Nixon |
SMART GROWTH NEWS Newsletter Editor: Michelle Dutchen, Director of Communications We strive to provide continued quality publications such as this each week. If you have any news or events that you would like to add to our newsletter, submit them to info@visionlongisland.org for consideration. If you are interested in becoming a newsletter or news blast sponsor, please call the office at 631-261-0242 for rates and opportunities.
For more information about Vision Long Island, visit visionlongisland.org or contact us at: |
