"Complete streets are vital for older residents to maintain an independent lifestyle. That is why AARP has organized this statewide initiative to evaluate the most dangerous roads and intersections in New York so that we can help community members document the problems in their neighborhoods." - Lois Aronstein - AARP New York State Director

Bethpage Federal Credit Union

Bethpage Federal Credit Union is a full-service financial institution, committed to providing our members with extraordinary value and service, anytime, anywhere. We're headquartered on Long Island in Bethpage, NY, and have assets of over $3.7 billion with a broad membership base of approximately 165,000 members nationwide. Our members represent a diverse cross-section of the Long Island economy, including employees of many of the largest firms in the high tech, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, legal and service industries.

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.
 
Your tax-deductible donation goes directly to Vision and lets you help strengthen efforts to put Smart Growth principles into action.

2010 SMART GROWTH

AWARDS

Friday, June 18th at 11:30am

The 9th annual Smart Growth Awards will honor individuals and organizations taking leadership in advancing Smart Growth projects, policies, regulations and initiatives.

This year's distinguished honorees include:

Regional Leadership: Hon. Tim Bishop US House of Representatives
Creates a mix of uses:		Provide a variety of transportation choices:
Glen Cove Waterfront redevelopment RXR Glen Isle Partners		Rt. 347 NYS DOT
Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, historic & critical environmental areas:		Reinvesting in & Strengthening Communities:
Hon. Kate Browning & Hon. Ed Romaine, Suffolk County Legislature		'Buy Locally' Campaign Huntington Township Business Council
Encourage citizen and stakeholder participation in development decisions:		Create walkable neighborhoods:
Sergio Argueta S.T.R.O.N.G.		Dave Glass NYS DOT Bike-Ped coordinator (posthumously)
Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a sense of place:		Takes advantage of compact building design:
Village of Babylon		The C, Freeport Signature Organization
Housing opportunities & choices for a range of household types, family sizes & incomes		Fostering clean energy & green building development
Summer Wind Square Eastern Property Investor Consultants, LLC, Suffolk County Concern Riverhead Concern for Independent Living		Affordable housing development Roosevelt Development Group, Long Island Housing Partnership

The 9th annual Smart Growth Awards will be held on Friday, June 18th from 11:30am-2pm at the Crest Hollow Country Club.

Registration information is available here.

RPA hosts 20th Regional Assembly with focus on innovation

Regional Plan Association hosted their 20th annual Regional Assembly last Friday, April 17th at the Waldorf-Astoria in Manhattan. The conference's theme was "Innovation & The American Metropolis," and the event's attendees were treated to an inspiring day of workshops and speeches that focused on the future of our region.

The day began with introductions by RPA Executive Director Tom Wright and the conference's chairperson, NRG Energy's David Crane. The morning keynote speaker was William McDonough, founder of William McDonough and Partners, who talked about healthy growth and envisioned a future where we live locally, based on natural and scientific systems. He showed some green innovation with which we can curb carbon emissions and save money, such as green roofs. He encouraged elected officials to focus less on metrics when dealing with climate change (i.e. reduce carbon emissions by 50% in the next 20 years) and more on values and action.

Next came a morning panel featuring Robert Atkinson of the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, Julia Vitullo-Martin of the Center for Urban Innovation, Christopher Ward of the Port Authority of NY & NJ, and Robert Yaro of RPA. Moderated by Nicholas Thompson of Wired Magazine, the panelists each covered what they saw as an innovation of the future. Atkinson talked about a fourth wave of IT, which included distributed, mobile networks and intelligence all around us, thereby creating more effective cities and better priced markets. Ward then talked about hard infrastructure systems (transportation) that need to be reinvented now. Yaro spoke about high speed rail, which will reduce airport and road congestion, reduce carbon emissions and make the U.S. more economically competitive with the rest of the world. Finally, Vitullo-Martin discussed how technology will increase democratization and decentralized government.

Next came the first of two breakout workshop sessions. Vision staffers attended the workshops on "Building a Green Infrastructure" and "New Tools for Civic Engagement and Community Design." The green infrastructure panel featured David Burney of the NYC Department of Design and Construction, Helena Durst of the Durst Organization, Caswell F. Holloway of NYC Department of Environmental Protection, Guy Nordenson of Guy Nordenson & Associates, and Jeffrey Raven of The Louis Berger Group. It was moderated by James S. Polshek of Polshek Partnership Architects LLP. The panel discussed the city’s effort to separate the aging combined sewer/stormwater system to avoid sewer overflow during heavy rainfall. New York City has made significant progress in this area as shown by the significantly improved water quality of New York’s bay and inlets. They also discussed innovative methods of dealing with stormwater runoff through bioswales along roadways, rain gardens along sidewalks and green roofs or rooftop gardens on both new and existing buildings. The parks department has even designed a new facility where rainwater will be captured and used to wash municipal vehicles.

The civic engagement workshop was an interactive session moderated by Edward J. Blakely of the University of Sydney. Panelists included Barbara Faga of AECOM Design & Planning, Nick Grossman of the Open Planning Project, Robert Lane of RPA, and Damon Rich of the City of Newark (urban design and waterfront planning) and the Center for Urban Pedagogy. The session analyzed how to harness the power of new technologies and social media to enhance public participation. There was some thoughtful conversation about demographic differences in reaching out through social media and traditional methods and how to bridge those gaps. There were some concerns about the time it takes to build trust versus the time frame of some projects, and the panelists agreed that it was important to maintain engagement with a community beyond the short time frame of a project.

The luncheon's welcoming speakers included RPA's Robert Yaro to speak about RPA's accomplishments and Elliot Sander of AECOM, former MTA chief and new RPA Board Chair. Next came New York's Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch, who talked about our nation's crumbling infrastructure and the need to reinvest. Ravitch presented RPA's Lifetime Leadership Award to former RPA Board Chair Peter W. Herman. Finally came the luncheon keynote speaker, Adolfo Carrion, the Director of the White House Office of Urban Affairs. Carrion, himself originally a New Yorker, gave an engaging speech, and sent the crowd greetings from President Obama. "Necessity is the mother of innovation," he said. As we plan for future growth, the President wants to see an end to unsustainable land use practices. Obama "gets it," said Carrion: he wants to enhance the creativity and ingenuity of local communities throughout the country, while creating competitive regional economies.

The crowd split for the final breakout panels. Vision attended "Radical Housing" and "The Future of Intercity Transport." The housing panel was moderated by Center for Urban Innovation's Julia Vitullo-Martin and panelists were Rosanne Haggerty of Common Ground, Michael Kelly of NYC Housing Authority, Jerilyn Perine of Citizens Housing and Planning Council, and Jonathan F. Rose of Jonathan Rose Companies. Much of the discussion was centered around subsidized housing projects, with several Hope 6 projects featured. These projects showed the reconstruction of inhumane barrack or tower style apartment complexes into mixed use, mixed income communities. They are designed so that subsidized units are indistinguishable from market rate units from the exterior in order to minimize the stigma of living in subsidized housing. There were also several examples of historic buildings converted into safe and affordable and energy efficient apartments for the homeless in convenient locations. As one panelist remarked, “by locating affordable housing in areas far from services, shops and transit we are not serving those residents, but condemning them.”

The intercity transport panel focused on the future needs for air and train travel in the U.S., which must adapt to new growth while managing existing congestion and insufficient infrastructure. The panelists envisioned a seamless high speed rail network that supplemented and connected with airports and other transit systems. They also discussed some federal legislation and potential funding streams that will make that network a reality. For example, the next federal transportation bill that will replace SAFETEA-LU, as it stands now, will provide $50 billion for high speed rail over 6 years and an additional $450 billion for other transportation investments. Panelists included Susan Baer of the Port Authority of NY & NJ, Hershel Kamen of Continental Airlines, Congressman John Mica of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Congressman Jerrold Nadler, and Polly Trottenberg of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The panel was moderated by Petra Todorovich of America 2050 and RPA.

Read more about the day's events at regionalassembly.org.

Kimmel Foundation honors Lloyd Goldfarb with park dedication and street naming

Lloyd Goldfarb, an architect and designer, was honored on Wednesday, April 21st by the Kimmel Housing Development Foundation by having a small park dedicated to him that he designed for Apex I, a senior citizens building. Also, the existing street signs along Union Avenue on either side of the two buildings he designed: Apex I and II were changed to “Lloyd’s Way.” A bronze plaque has been mounted in the park, which Lloyd designed and bears a testimonial written by his family.

The ceremony began just after 2pm. After the family and political officials were introduced, Rabbi Robert S. Widom gave an invocation. Then there was the unveiling of bronze plaque by Mr. Goldfarb's wife, Susan; daughter, Robin; and son, Adam. The board members of the foundation were introduced and then board member Myron Holtz gave a speech on Lloyd on how he was a "man of vision." Thomas Stallone sang two songs, including one Lloyd's favorites, "If I Can Help Somebody." Town of North Hempstead Councilwomen Vivana Russell gave a few words of Lloyd claiming that the town will be in debt for all of his community service and presented the family with a plaque from the town. The group then walked to the corner of Union Ave. and Grant St. where the dedication of Lloyd's Way was given by Nassau County Legislators, Judi Bosworth and Wayne Wink.

Support Complete Streets legislation

Sens. Craig Johnson, Brian Foley, Frank Padavan, among others co-sponsor Complete Streets Bill in NYS Senate

On Monday, April 19th, several Long Island community organizations, planning and advocacy groups, and government representatives joined together in New Hyde Park and Patchogue to participate in “Complete Streets Week: Making New York Walkable for All Generations.” The events were part of a week-long effort by AARP’s “Create The Good” campaign to survey 300 dangerous intersections throughout the state. The goal is to use the findings to demonstrate to state policymakers the need for state Complete Streets legislation that would create an approach to road design that balances the needs of all people. The two Long Island events were hosted by the collaborated efforts of groups including AARP, Vision Long Island, Tri-State Transportation Campaign and the American Cancer Society.

Complete Streets is a policy that ensures all users of the transportation system, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, children, seniors and individuals with disabilities are able to travel safely and conveniently on and across all roads. Designing roadways from a Complete Streets perspective will create safer and healthier environments for all users, as well as promote cycling and walking as viable forms of transportation. One study found that residents are 65% more likely to walk in a neighborhood with sidewalks. Complete Streets are critical to building more livable, Smart Growth-friendly communities.

Unfortunately, New York State ranks 3rd in the nation for pedestrian fatalities of people age 65 and older. Additionally, 22.5% of total traffic deaths in NYS are pedestrians. The national average was 11.8% in 2007-2008. An AARP report found that 2 in 5 Americans over age 50 say their neighborhood sidewalks are inadequate. Nearly half cannot cross main roads close to their home safely, preventing many from walking, cycling, or taking the bus. On Long Island there were 75 pedestrian deaths from 2006-2008, according to Tri-State Transportation Campaign’s “Most Dangerous Roads for Walking” study. The need to reform our streets is critical.

In New Hyde Park on Monday, participants gathered at the corner of Jericho Turnpike and New Hyde Park Road and began with a few brief remarks. Speakers included AARP New York’s Will Stoner, Tri-State’s Kate Slevin, and Vision’s Eric Alexander, all who supported the Complete Streets walkability concept. State Senator Craig Johnson attended and announced that he would support the Complete Streets bill currently being considered in the State Senate, S. 5711. A representative from the American Cancer Society spoke about the links between walkability, obesity and cancer. In addition, representatives of the Village of New Hyde Park, including Trustee Don Barbieri announced that they are planning several streetscape improvements that should begin this year, including updating curb cuts, creating some bulb-outs, installing countdown devices, planted medians, additional plantings and an overall effort on slowing traffic down.

The group then walked over a few blocks to S. 12th Street, where a pedestrian was recently struck and killed by a car. Armed with red safety vests, surveys, and stopwatches, the group looked at all the details of the intersection to determine where there were gaps in safety that could have contributed to the recent pedestrian death (and others that have occurred on Jericho Turnpike over the last few years—5 deaths from 2006-2008 and third most dangerous road in the County, according to the Tri-State report). The group found that the sidewalks and streetscapes were well-designed, but once the pedestrian stepped off the sidewalk there were problems. The crosswalk did not leave enough time for slow or elderly walkers to make it across before the light changed. Many group members suggested planted medians, and were happy to hear that Village officials planned to build them soon.

The day continued in Patchogue, beginning on the corner of W. Main Street and Haven Street. At that intersection, the group noticed that the curb cuts seemed to direct people directly into oncoming traffic. The crosswalk needed to be repainted and repaired and the crosswalk signal was not long enough for someone to get across: it only allowed 15 seconds. The group continued on to a second intersection. The intersection at Railroad Avenue and W. Main Street had no stop sign or even a stop line, so cars do not know where to stop for pedestrians. This causes people to have to go around the cars and walk slower into Main Street where there is more traffic. There was no crosswalk signal--they seemed to only be on Main Street. The final intersection the group surveyed was S. Ocean and Main Street, a very busy intersection where someone was recently killed. The lines need to be repainted, the sidewalks on S. Ocean need to be fixed, the traffic speeds and the left turn signal is only going east.

Additional supporters of the day’s events include Congressman Tim Bishop, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, State Senator Craig Johnson, State Senator Brian Foley, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, and St. Joseph’s College.

A Complete Streets bill is currently on the table for consideration in the New York State Senate. Please support this critical bill, Senate Bill 5711, to ensure the streets in YOUR community are designed to be complete and safe for all users! Call (800) 295-5855 to reach your State Senator!

Complete Streets bills have passed in several states including Connecticut, California, Oregon, Massachusetts, Illinois, and Virginia. A federal bill was first proposed in March 2009. You can also support federal bill S. 584 / H.R. 1443.

State Parks and EPF funding update

The massive proposed cuts to the New York State Environmental Protection Fund and State Parks have fueled a furious outcry from New York State residents. Based on that pressure, it seems that state leaders have decided to reconsider the cuts. 

Group for the East End has provided the following information: "The New York State Senate has adopted a budget proposal that would fund the EPF at $222 million for the coming year (maintaining last year’s funding levels), and begin a repayment process to recover nearly $500 million in EPF funds that have been transferred to other non-environmental programs over the last seven years...The New York State Assembly has a budget plan to add $25 million to the EPF and protect parks, but has not yet proposed a payback provision for past raids on the EPF and still leaves the EPF $54 million short of last year’s funding allocation." 

The State Legislature will begin intensive negotiations and any progress made could quickly be lost if public pressure is not sustained on key issues in the next few weeks.

Let the State's key officials know that you support a fully funded Environmental Protection Fund at $222 million, and that you want to see New York State Parks remain open. Be sure to thank them for all the progress that has been made to date!

E-mail Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver or e-mail Senator John Sampson - Democratic Conference Leader.

Long Island Business News honors top real estate and development professionals on April 27th

Long Island Business News presents the 2010 Real Estate and Development Awards, taking place on April 27th from 6-8pm at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury. Many projects and companies are being honored this year that Vision has supported in the past.

For Top Smart Growth Project, Hawthorne Court in Valley Stream is being honored. Created by The Dennis Organization, the project won a 2009 Smart Growth Award for Compact Design (watch a video here). The Top Mixed-Use Project went to Four Corners in Patchogue, as developed by Tritec Real Estate Company. The project, titled New Village, also won a 2009 Smart Growth Award for a Mix of Uses (video is here). Tritec is also being honored as Commercial Developer of the Year. The company consistently plans great Smart Growth projects throughout Long Island. The award for "Rising Star in Commercial Real Estate" is going to Developer Scott Burman of The Engel Burman Group, whose company is a strong supporter of Vision's work. Top Residential Development (multi-home/units) goes to The Aqua at Long Beach, developed by The Engel Burman Group. Finally, the Residential Developer of the Year is Matt Whalen from Avalon Bay Communities. Mr. Whalen has been a friend of Vision through Avalon's affordable housing projects in communities like Coram, Glen Cove, and the current proposal in Huntington Station.

Tickets for the Awards are $75 until 4/19, and $95 thereafter and at the door. To purchase tickets visit libn.com or call 631-737-1700.

Fair Media Council's Folio Awards on April 30th

The Fair Media Council's Folio Awards began decades ago, to honor excellence in local news coverage. The award-winning entries are chosen by community leaders to provide the news media with invaluable feedback on what the news consumer truly thinks of the local news media's performance. As the news media has changed, so have the Folio Award categories. In 2009, the Fair Media Council expanded the Folio Awards, once again, to reflect the important role social media plays in shaping the way people communicate news and information. It all goes back to FMC's fundamental mission: to ensure the public gets the news they need to protect their quality of life and keep their communities vibrant.

The 2010 Folio Awards will take place on Friday April 30th from 11am-2pm at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury. There will be two special receptions, the awards ceremony and a luncheon with keynote speech, plus your favorite media personalities as Folio Award presenters! The event will be taped for broadcast by Hamptons Television.

Individual tickets are $275 for members and $375 for non-members, and many sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information and registration, visit the FMC's website here 

Fair Housing’s Future in a Crisis Economy: A New Decade of Challenges on April 30th

On Friday, April 30th, Long Island Housing Services presents a forum and exhibit in honor of April as Fair Housing Month: Fair Housing’s Future in a Crisis Economy: A New Decade of Challenges. The event will take place at Touro Law Center, Central Islip from 11:30am to 2:30pm, and also celebrates 40 years of fair housing services to Long Islanders. Come to the event to learn how your awareness and support will help to "Build a Long Island of Neighbors" in this new decade!

There are two distinguished speakers. Bernard (Bernie) Kleina is a civil rights and fair housing advocate. As Executive Director of HOPE Fair Housing Center in Illinois, he promotes equal housing, lending and insurance opportunities through education, research, outreach, enforcement, training and advocacy. Prof. Okianer Christian Dark is Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Howard University Law School. Her personal story as a victim of housing discrimination is used for training and education nationally by fair housing agencies, law schools and the U.S. Dept. of Justice.

The Chicago Freedom Movement Exhibit, on display at the event, is a collection of more than 50 color photographs taken by Bernard J. Kleina in Chicago in 1965-1966. The photographs are a priceless historical treasure and are the only candid color photographs of Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights activists taken in Chicago at that time. The exhibit reminds us that we still have a long way to go before we achieve what Dr. King fought for and what we are fighting for now – open and fair housing and an end to racial and ethnic segregation. The event will also honor Beth M. Wickey, Esq. - Nassau-Suffolk Law Services, Inc. LIHS’ Retiring President Harriet Spiegelman - LIHS’ Projects Facilitator. 

The cost for the program, which includes lunch, is $50. Early bird registration by April 19th is $40. Exhibit viewing is free. You can also purchase a table of 10 for $400, $350 for early birds. You can learn more and register online here. For more information, call (631) 657-5111 or email info@lifairhousing.org.

Retrofitting Sprawl Conference on May 5th

The Congress For New Urbanism, CNU New York Chapter, Westchester Land Trust and Regional Plan Association are presenting a one day conference for municipal officials, planners, community advocates and others on Wednesday, May 5th in Westchester County. "Retrofitting Sprawl: A Guide to Remaking the Suburbs" will feature three guest speakers: June Williamson, co-author of Retrofitting Suburbia: Urban Design Solutions for Redesigning Suburbs; Galina Tahchieva, creator of Urban Sprawl Repair Kit: Repairing the Urban Fabric; and John Nolon, James D. Hopkins Professor of Law at Pace University School of Law.

The event will be held at the South Church located at 343 Broadway Dobbs Ferry, NY from 9:00am to 3:30pm. Entry costs only $35 and includes lunch and refreshments. To RSVP or for more information, email Grace Buck at grace@westchesterlandtrust.org.

Teen Arts Festival on May 15th: teen talent sought

The Third Annual Teen Arts Festival will be held on Saturday, May 15th at The Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island in Garden City, beginning at 1:00 pm and running throughout the afternoon. The free festival is for local middle school and high school students to share their talents with each other and the community. The organizers are currently recruiting talent: musicians, artists, dancers, poets and more. Teens and their parents are invited to go online to download a registration form. Registration is due before May 7th. The Youth of Ethical Societies (Y.E.S.) Group is hosting the festival, with the theme: “YES We Do…Have A Voice,” to celebrate the often-overlooked power of young minds. The festival will feature hours of live music from classical to metal, art on display, dancing, poetry readings, interactive activities, refreshments and more throughout the Ethical Humanist Society building and grounds.

The festival is free, but donations are requested: nonperishable food items for the Interfaith Nutrition Network (INN), baby items for Ethical Friends of Children, or a monetary donation to the Ethical Humanist Society. Sponsorship opportunities are available, ranging from $25 to $500.

Immediately following the Festival will be the Y.E.S. Group’s 16th Annual Pasta Dinner, beginning at 6:00pm. The Pasta Dinner includes a tasty meal, a keynote speaker and even more live entertainment. The cost for the dinner is $10 for adults and $8 for students. The fee will be split between the speaker’s organization (TBA) and programming for the Y.E.S. Group throughout the year, including travel to the National Y.E.S. Conference in Chicago in November 2010.

The Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island is located at 38 Old Country Road, Garden City. For more information about the Teen Arts Festival, Pasta Dinner, sponsorship opportunities and more, contact Phyllis Herschlag, Office Manager at 516-741-7304, office@ehsli.org, or visit ehsli.org.

Walk/Bike conference to be held on Long Island June 7th

June 7th is the first ever Walk/Bike New York conference for Long Island: Encouraging Sustainable Movement. Creating walkable and bikeable environments requires an active collaboration of people with interests in safety, land use, economic development, transportation, education, law enforcement and health promotion. This one-day symposium is expected to draw approximately 200 attendees from various disciplines and provide participants with the tools to work together to create walkable and bikeable communities in New York State. A keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Arthur Wendel, Medical Officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health, Public Health and Built Environment Initiative. Topics will include Complete Streets, Safe Routes for Seniors and Youth, Education & Encouragement, Law Enforcement, Local Highlights, Funding Sources and Legislative Updates. Help make Long Island's roads safer!

The conference is a Quality Communities Symposium sponsored by the NYS Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, the NYS Department of Health, and the Institute for Traffic Safety Management & Research in conjunction with the NYS Department of Transportation, NYS Department of State, New York Bicycling Coalition, Parks & Trails New York, Federal Highway Administration, NYS Association of Chiefs of Police, Inc., NYS Metropolitan Planning Organization Association and AARP.

The event will take place at the Hyatt Regency in Hauppauge. Early Registration fee $40 (postmarked by May 14); Late/On Site is $50. Due to limited capacity, early registration is recommended. You can register online here. For more information, contact Janine Schultz at 518-453-0291 x104 or email jschultz@itsmr.org.

East End to hold APA/AIA Conference on June 9th

On Wednesday, June 9th from 2:30-8:30pm, join fellow planners, architects, zoning and planning board members, and elected officials at the East End APA/AIA Conference at Suffolk Community College's Culinary Arts and Hospitality Center (20 East Main Street in Riverhead). The conference is a joint presentation of the Long Island Section of the NY Metro Chapter of the American Planning Association and the Peconic Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. This year's East End Planning Conference focuses on comprehensive planning, downtown revitalization and architectural guidelines as they apply to Long Island's East End communities. It includes several workshops on planning and design throughout the day.

The workshop on comprehensive plans is moderated by Michael White of the LI Regional Planning Council and panelists include Jeff Murphree, Land Management Administrator for Southampton; Thomas Wickham, former Councilmember for Southold; Bill Chaleff, Architect; Bob DeLuca, Group for the East End; and Laurie Wiltshire, Land Planning Services. The workshop discusses the components of a comprehensive plan for accommadating growth, including social equity, and their successes and failures. The panel on downtown revitalization is moderated by Vision's Eric Alexander and will look at the villages of Greenport and Southampton and the Town of Riverhead and how they envision the future of their downtowns, including what has already been done and the challenges and successes. Panelists include David Nyce, Mayor of Greenport; Stan Eckstut, Ehrenkrantz, Eckstut & Kuhn Architects; Siamak Sami, Chair, Planning Commission for Southampton Village; Chris Kempner, Director of Community Development for Riverhead; and Victor Prusinowski, former Councilman for Riverhead. The final workshop is on architectural guidelines, moderated by Anne Surchin, Architect. Panelists include Gary Jacquemin, Architect; Kyle Collins, KPC Planning Services; and Diane Mazarakis, Principal Planner for the Town of Brookhaven. The panel asks if design guidelines will lead to homogeneous design, and how they can help reinvent corridors and preserve traditional downtowns. There will also be presentations on Suffolk County's 2035 Vision Plan.

Credits for AIA and AICP certification maintenance have been requested. A light dinner is provided. APA and AIA members $20; nonmembers and at the door $25; students $15. Registration includes dinner. Save a seat by emailing: LongIslandSection@nyplanning.org and register by mailing a check payable to APA-LI Section to: APA - LI Section, c/o Kathryn Eiseman, Treasurer, Nelson, Pope & Voorhis, LLC, 572 Walt Whitman Road, Melville, NY 11747.

S.T.R.O.N.G. Community Unity Gala on June 10th

You are cordially invited to the “Decade of S.T.R.O.N.G., Community Unity Gala,” which will be held on Thursday June 10th 2010. This momentous event is being held in part to celebrate the tenth anniversary of S.T.R.O.N.G. Youth, Inc. In addition, they will be humbly honoring a handful of outstanding individuals and organizations that have played a pivotal role in their successful journey. The gala is an excellent venue to network with like-minded individuals focused on consciously making a difference in our communities.

Ten years ago, S.T.R.O.N.G. Youth, Inc. had never envisioned to be one of the leading gang prevention/intervention agencies in our region. They only wanted to play a positive and impact role in reuniting our new generation. During that time, they had the opportunity to educate many young people on alternatives to violence and gang life, while creating opportunities for many youth who were seeking redirection and redemption.

All proceeds generated by this event will support the ongoing effort in continuing S.T.R.O.N.G.’s mission. If you have any further questions regarding this event and to get your tickets, call 516-408-3798 or email strong.gala@gmail.com.

NYS DOT announces Section 5310 Grant Assistance Program

The New York State Department of Transportation is currently accepting applications for the Federal Transit Administration’s Section 5310 Grant Program. The Section 5310 grants provide assistance to non-profit organizations in purchasing vehicles to provide transportation services for elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities. The grant will pay 80 percent of the costs of the vehicle(s) awarded and the applicant must provide the remaining 20 percent from its own funds. Private non-profit organizations incorporated within New York State may apply for this grant program (note: a state tax exempt number & charities registration number is required). First time applicants are encouraged to contact the state for clarification and understanding the application requirements. Projects selected must be derived from the locally developed coordinated public transit human services transportation plan.

The coordinated plan for the New York metropolitan area is available here. The New York State Section 5310 grant contact for Long Island is: Lanny Wexler, who can be reached at: (631) 952-6122. Applications are being accepted through May 4, 2010. Additional information can be found here. Also, a webcast of the Section 5310 grant workshop held on March 23rd is available here.

National Endowment for the Arts seeks applications for Challenge America Fast-Track program

The National Endowment for the Arts is accepting applications through the Challenge America Fast-Track project. Challenge America Fast-Track offers support primarily to small and mid-sized organizations for projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved communities—those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics or disability. Eligibility includes non-profit organizations; state or local governments; private, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; or federally recognized Native American tribal governments. Individual awards are not to exceed $10,000.

The deadline for submission is Thursday, May 27th. For more information, contact the National Endowment for the Arts, 1100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20506; 202-682-5700; fasttrack@arts.gov.

Vision Long Island Seeking Interns

Vision Long Island is seeking unpaid interns for Spring and Summer 2010. If you are interested in suburban/urban planning, community development, local government, or sustainability, consider working for us part time.

Our staff likes to say we "wear many hats," and interns will have to do the same. Interns will assist with planning, design, outreach, event planning, writing, research, attending meetings, reporting, photography, and more. Bring your unique skill set to the table! We are looking for energetic and conscientious individuals with an interest in suburban/urban planning from a bottom-up perspective. This is a valuable opportunity to work with great people in a small office environment and learn about the issues impacting Long Island. Strong writing skills a plus.

Note that hours, start date, and end date are all flexible. Although this is an unpaid position, we will gladly work with you to provide college credit and transportation reimbursement. We will also work with you to make sure you have a great experience that is tailored to your specific interests and skill set.

Individuals interested in learning more are encouraged to contact us at info@visionlongisland.org. Please put "Internships for 2010" in the subject heading. You are welcome to include a resume and/or letter, and please indicate if you are available in the Spring, Summer, or both.

24th Annual Arbor Day Family Festival

This Saturday and Sunday, the Planting Fields Foundation will be holding its 24th annual Arbor Day Family Festival at the Planting Fields Arboretum State Historical Park in Oyster Bay.

The event will take place rain or shine from 10 am to 5 pm and will feature children's crafts, activities, tree climbing, puppet shows, and much more.

Pedal for the Planet

This Sunday, April 25th, Earth Day Network will be hosting a guided mountain bike ride with something for everyone. Prizes will be given out and loaner bikes will be provided for those who need them.

The event will take place from 12 to 2 pm at the Stillwell Woods Preserve in Syosset. Registration begins at 11:30 and all riders should bring protective gear.

SMART GROWTH NEWS

Newsletter Editor: Michelle Dutchen, Director of Communications
Contributors: Eric Alexander, Executive Director; Tara Klein, Planning Coordinator;
Tawaun Weber, Assistant Director; Elissa Ward, Director of Sustainability; Juliana Roberts Dubovsky, Planning Consultant; Chris Kyle, Program Coordinator

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:
24 Woodbine Ave. Suite One Northport, NY 11768.
Phone: (631) 261-0242. Fax: (631) 754-4452.
Email: info@visionlongisland.org