"Change is inevitable but the ability for a community to determine change for itself is invaluable." -Mineola Mayor Jack Martins

HDR

HDR is an employee-owned architectural, engineering and consulting firm founded in 1917. They provide a total spectrum of services and represent hundreds of disciplines and partner on blended teams throughout North America and abroad to provide solutions beyond the scope of traditional firms. We thank them for their support. Find out more about them here.

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.

REGISTER NOW FOR THE 2010 SMART GROWTH AWARDS

Sponsors announced!

Friday, June 18th at 11:30am

Sponsorship packages now available

Reserve your journal ad space today

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

Sponsors announced!

Gold Sponsors

Sponsors

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.

Casino news: possibility of Islanders moving to Queens; Southampton blocks casino

In casino/Coliseum news this week, Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon say he has spoken with Charles Wang about the possibility of building a new Islanders arena near Citifield in Queens. NYC Mayor Bloomberg was quoted in Thursday's Newsday: "I don't know whether it's just the owner or the team negotiating, using us as a negotiating ploy out of Long Island." The article concluded, "Some sources worry that if Wang and Wilpon worked in Queens together, the best possibilities for the Coliseum and its surrounding space would go with them. 'It's like the creativity leaves Long Island and goes to Queens,' said Vision Long Island executive director Eric Alexander. 'I hope that's not the epitaph.'"

On Tuesday, the Southampton Town Board took preemptive steps to ensure that a casino is not built at the county-owned Gabreski Airport in Westhampton. The Board held a hearing to propose a zone change that would rule out any indoor entertainment on the site. Suffolk County also took the property off a list of possible casino sites that they are discussing with the Shinnecock Tribe. According to Newsday, "As they voted to close their meeting, the board apologized to the tribe for not giving it formal notice of their planned action in time for the tribal council to review and comment on the zone change... Past failures by the town to notify the tribe of zoning changes and other issues that affect what Shinnecocks consider sacred lands has frustrated the tribe." There is still time for the public (and in theory, the tribe) to comment on the zone change before the formal vote happens as soon as next month.

NYS Smart Growth Cabinet meeting update

On April 28th, the Governor's Smart Growth Cabinet met in Albany to present several reports. In attendance were Tony Giardana, Deputy Secretary of Economic Development; and Peter Iwanowicz, Deputy Secretary of Environment. The meeting was led by Smart Growth Cabinet Director Paul Beyer. Other present agencies included DOS, DHCR, OGS, DEC, EFC, DOT, ESDC, Ag and Markets, though there were no full commissions in attendance. The five reports included:

Smart Growth and Complete Streets at NYSDOT
Acting Commissioner Stanley Gee spoke about departmental efforts on Smart Growth and Complete Streets. Nadine Lemmon of Tri-State Transportation Campaign noted that this was the first time the term "Complete Streets" was used at NYSDOT. Acting Commissioner Gee also noted that the DOT planned to spend $250 million dollars on bicycle and pedestrian projects in the 2005-2009 period. (that is just one percent of the capital funds available to the DOT).

Environmental Facilities Corp SRF Sustainability Initiative
Matthew Millea and Sandy Allen, Director of Policy, spoke about efforts on asset management and green infrastructure. They noted an important partnership with the Clean Water Collaborative. They are working on a draft "Fix-it-First" policy. The final set of priorities and recommendations to the regulatory process are due to be released later this month.

Department of State
Deputy Secretary George Stafford spoke about joint efforts with EFC to help communities plan for needed water and sewer improvements. This may mean planning monies. Stafford also spoke about the department's Smart Growth Regional Place-Based Initiative. This includes the Spotlight efforts on Brownfields in South Buffalo, the South Bronx and Wyandanch. It was noted that in Wynadanch, one hundred acres of Brownfield surround the nearby LIRR station. Funds are needed there for new affordable housing, TOD work, and sewers. 

Governor's Sustainable Neighborhoods Program
Michael Skrebutenas of DHCR noted that the Buffalo Sustainable Neighborhoods effort, announced during the Governor's State of the State message, fell apart at the last moment, possibly due to political posturing and infighting at the local level. Skrebutenas indicated that further announcements, presumably, for efforts in other parts of New York, would be revealed over the summer.

Adirondack Communities Regional Planning Initiatives
Bill Farber, President of the Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages noted that collaboration in this vast and socio-economically diverse Region was difficult but that progress to voice a unified message were working thanks to the efforts Of the Common Ground Alliance. He noted that Smart Growth planning funds had been made available to the region's towns and communities and areas of possible success were being sought.

Three advocacy groups also spoke, including New Partners for Community Revitalization, Tri-State Transportation Campaign, and Empire State Future. They mentioned their support for the Complete Streets and Public Infrastructure Acts. Vision Long Island was also in attendance.

Update: Calverton rail spur groundbreaking

Last week, we brought you news that the Calverton Rail Access Rehabilitation project celebrated its groundbreaking on Friday, May 7th. The Riverhead Town Board led the event, accompanied by a large coalition of rail supporters including US Senator Chuck Schumer, public officials, local businesses and participating agencies. The Town received several grants for the project: $75,000 from a NYSERDA/NYSDOT Sustainable Transportation Systems Program grant; $650,000 from a NYS Empire State Development Downstate Revitalization grant; and $4.4MM from NYSDOT American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money. The project has received NYSDOT's GreenLITES Gold Certification.

The Town is calling the project "Smart Growth central." Rehabilitation of one of the longest existing rail spurs off the Long Island Rail Road will increase and improve rail service on the existing rail network to respond to area needs. It will significantly improve capacity, service levels, and access to freight rail for Eastern Long Island. The project features the adaptive reuse of a former Navy weapons industrial reserve plant. In fact, the 2900 acre EPCAL property was transferred to the Town of Riverhead in 1998 specifically for economic redevelopment to replace economic losses from the facility. The plant is currently active with close to one million square feet of private industrial space, and an expansion is planned for another two million square feet of industrial use.

The project will remove trucks from many metropolitan New York roadways. By utilizing freight rail, the project is estimated to take 160,000 truckloads (80,000 each way) off Long Island roads each year. (Each rail car can carry the equivalent of 3-5 truckloads.) Long Island falls far behind other regions in the country on the percentage of freight carried by rail, so this project is vital to maintaining economic competitiveness as well as environmental sustainability. Several companies at the Calverton site, many which currently transfer their materials to trucks at the Hicksville station, have already expressed interest in using rail, including Eastern Wholesale Fence, Mivila Foods, Metro Bio Fuels, and Riverhead Building Supply. 

Goldsmith forms Iced Tea Party

A new movement is brewing on Long Island: the Iced Tea Party- no relation to the Tea Party- was recently formed to help keep jobs on the Island, rather than outsourcing them to other states or countries. Peter Goldsmith of LISTnet has been organizing Long Islanders to fight for this important cause in these difficult economic times. Speaking in Newsday, Goldsmith said, "'I know they'll [government officials] say these contracts are put out for competitive bids,' Goldsmith said. But, he added, Long Island officials--particularly during this Great Recession--should do more for local companies."

Iced Tea comes from IT, Information Technology, which Goldsmith's company works with. There is also a connection to Long Island-made Snapple iced tea.

Mark Broxmeyer

Mark Broxmeyer, Real Estate magnate and one of the earlier champions for density growth on Long Island, passed away on Tuesday after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer.  He was 61. He was the area's largest developer of rental apartments and provided housing for thousands of Long Islanders.

Mr. Broxmeyer started in the real estate business in 1974 with the purchase of a 256-unit apartment building in Commack.  He also served on several boards including North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, the United Nations Development Corp. and the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York.  He was also national chairman of the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA), a Washington, D.C.-based think tank.

Mr. Broxmeyer is survived by his wife, mother, brother, three sons, two daughters and five grandchildren.  Services are scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday at Temple Or Elohim in Jericho. Broxmeyer will be buried at New Montefiore Cemetery in Farmingdale. 

In lieu of flowers, his family asked that donations be made to the Dr. Robert Fine Research Fund at New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

CDC asks: should communities have Surgeon General’s warning?

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has released a report that rates communities based on public health factors such as physical activity, respiratory and mental health, water quality, social equity, healthy aging and social capital. Its essence weighs in on the question; “should zoning codes that prevent walkability, connectedness and accessibility for the disabled come with a Surgeon General's warning?” The Congress for New Urbanism supports the report for providing information that should be taken into consideration when making decisions on planning growth and redevelopment of neighborhoods.

The report is a product of a national workshop held by Architectural Record’s editor-in-chief that featured field professionals including the CNU’s John Norquist and Ellen Dunham-Jones in 2009 in Atlanta.

The report is based on research which shows that public health is directly related to community structure and organization in the United States. Many of today’s communities rely on the automobile, leading to decreased opportunities for regular exercise and increased pollution. Improved coordination across disciplines such as public health, planning, design and construction, is suggested as a necessary practice for creating sustainable, healthy communities. A case study highlighted within the report shows how Decatur, Georgia restructured its recreation department and adjusted zoning codes to promote more active living and pedestrian-oriented neighborhoods throughout the community.

The CNU is holding its 18th annual conference in Atlanta, May 19th-22nd, titled New Urbanism: Rx for Healthy Places. The conference will showcase the health benefits of walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods. The vision constructed is shared by organizations such as the Sustainable Communities Partnership of the US Department of Transportation, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Environmental Protection Agency, LEED for Neighborhood Development and the US Green Building Council.

Tell State lawmakers to support Complete Streets and Smart Growth Public Infrastructure

As you may have read in our mid-week's e-blast, Vision Long Island joined State lawmakers and advocacy groups in Albany on Monday to support Complete Streets and Smart Growth public infrastructure agendas for New York State. Now, we need your help to keep the pressure on your State Senators and Assembly members to pass these two bills! The bills are:

Complete Streets - S5711A

The Complete Streets Bill, S5711A, amends the state highway law, enabling safe access to public roads for all users by utilizing Complete Streets design principles. Complete Streets is a policy that ensures all users of the transportation system, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, motorists, children, seniors and individuals with disabilities are able to travel safely and conveniently on and across all roads. The legislation recognizes that bicycle and pedestrian travel are integral to New York’s transportation system, and requires that they are included in the planning and development of state, county and local transportation facilities, plans and programs. These accommodations would include, but not be limited to bicycle lanes, lane striping and paved shoulders suitable for use by bicyclists, shared road signage, crosswalks, pedestrian control signals, curb cuts and ramps. This bill would bring positive change to make our planners, both at the state and local level, consider all non-auto forms of travel as a routine part of project development as well as the planning for automobiles. It will bring more of a balance to our roads and make them safer and healthier for all users.

Smart Growth Public Infrastructure Policy Act - S5560/A8011

The State Smart Growth Public Infrastructure Policy Act, S5560/A8011, will sharply curtail the use of new public funds for projects that support or induce sprawl by redirecting some of that funding to efforts that lead to the economic revitalization of our communities. Sprawl exists in New York State in part because of public funding that prioritizes that type of development. However, there are 95 Smart Growth projects and 45 master plans, hamlet studies and vision plans of various size and scale currently underway throughout Long Island that reject sprawl and seek a more livable and sustainable system. Smart Growth has taken hold for Long Island’s local governments, businesses, advocacy groups and residents.

This bill clearly instructs state agencies and corporations to align their infrastructure planning and spending with Smart Growth criteria. The agencies would prioritize funding to the infrastructure and development plans of local governments, as well as create advisory committees that include community and environmental interests to review any proposed projects. The Smart Growth Public Infrastructure Policy Act conserves public expenditures for both services and infrastructure, promotes economic development throughout the State where it is most needed, protects open space vital to New York’s economy and helps New York State achieve its energy and climate change goals by reducing auto use.

Notable recent additions to the list of supporters for the public infrastructure bill include The New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials (NY COM) and Senator Carl Marcellino.

Call today to tell your Senators and Assembly members that you support a Smart Growth agenda for New York State! 

You can find more information on the bills by reading Vision's support memos, on Complete Streets and Public Infrastructure.

Read the Complete Streets bill here and the Infrastructure bill here.

Robert Moses, Jane Jacobs, and the Automobile on May 17th

On Monday, May 17th at 6:30pm, the Museum of the City of New York in Manhattan presents "Robert Moses, Jane Jacobs, and the Automobile." Robert Moses always wanted to build big—including highways. Jane Jacobs wanted to preserve neighborhoods and encourage mass transit. These and other differences led to the showdown between them in Greenwich Village and engendered a debate that is still going on today. Join Owen Gutfreund, Associate Professor of Urban Affairs and Planning at Hunter College and author of Twentieth Century Sprawl: Highways and the Reshaping of the American Landscape, and Roberta Brandes Gratz, author of The Battle For Gotham: New York in the Shadow of Robert Moses and Jane Jacobs, for a discussion moderated by Anthony Flint, journalist and author at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and author of Wrestling with Moses: How Jane Jacobs Took on New York's Master Builder and Transformed the American City. The talk is presented in conjunction with the exhibition Cars, Culture, and the City.

Reservations are strongly encouraged: $12 for non-members, $8 for students and seniors and $6 for museum members. A $2 surcharge applies for unreserved, walk-in participants. For more information, call (917) 492-3395.

CNU 18 in Atlanta: May 19th-22nd

Is New Urbanism the prescription for healthier communities? Increasing scientific evidence suggests that community design — land use, design character, transportation systems, sustainability, and density — can promote physical activity and lifelong communities; lower the risk of traffic injuries, obesity, heart disease, and hypertension; improve air quality, affordability, social equity, connectivity, mental health and long-term value; increase social connection, sense of community and healthy food access; and reduce crime, violence and contributions to climate change.

Organized with assistance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Congress for the New Urbanism 18, "New Urbanism: Rx for Healthy Places," will present new research and innovative techniques for assessing the health impact of land use, transportation planning and community design decisions -- from fine grained to mega-regional scales. Share the opportunities and challenges of designing and retrofitting communities that make it easier for people to live healthy lives -- CNU's 18th annual Congress in Atlanta, May 19-22, 2010. Preceding the Congress will be certification training, the NextGen Congress and other partner events May 19-20.

Featured speakers include Dr. Richard Jackson, co-author of "Urban Sprawl and Public Health" and UCLA faculty; Shaun Donovan, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; Dr. Howard Frumkin, cu-author of "Urban Sprawl and Public Health" and CDC official; Shelley Poticha, Senior Adviser for Sustainable Housing and Communities at the Department of Housing and Urban Development; Catherine Ross, Editor of "MegaRegions" and Georgia Tech faculty; and Douglas Farr, Green architect and author of "Sustainable Urbanism."

For more information, pricing, and to register, visit CNU.org.

National Grid and LIPA Educational and Energy Efficiency Trade Expo on May 19th

On May 19th, National Grid and LIPA, in collaboration with the Long Island Builders Institute, LIBI Educational Division, Plumbing Heating Cooling and Contractor Association and Air Conditioning Contractors of America Association present an Educational and Energy Efficiency Trade Expo from 1-9pm at the Hilton Long Island in Melville. The Expo trade show will feature the latest energy efficiency and ENERGY STAR® products in the heating, lighting and building industries. The event will also serve a buffet dinner with networking opportunities to meet builders, developers, heating and cooling contractors, architects and engineers that provide services in the Long Island area.

The Expo will feature nine educational workshops by nationally recognized speakers: *Building for Energy Efficiencies in New Construction, John Barrows; Myths and Facts About High-Efficiency Heating, Robert Gardella, Steven Winter Associates, Inc.; How to Up Sell High-Efficiency Technologies in Today’s Market, Wallace Eannace Associates; Improving Your Bottom Line: Basics of Business Accounting, PHCC; Home Performance for Existing Homes, LIPA; *An Overview of ECM Technology, Ed Janowiak, Eastern Heating and Cooling Council; Cooling and Heating Energy Saving Solution With Geothermal, Wallwork Group; *Commercial and Not-for-Profit Solar Photovoltaic Systems, Jerry Flaherty, LIPA; and Codes and Standards of High-Efficiency Heating Equipment Installation, Carl Krause, National Grid. (*BPI and Inspector CEU credits.)

Advance registration by May 5 is required. Space fills quickly. Admission is $25 per person. To request a registration form, email Louis.Rizzo@us.ngrid.com or call 718-403-3336. The Long Island Hilton is located at 598 Broadhollow Road in Melville.

NYIT's Fifth Annual Energy Conference on June 4th

The New York Institute of Technology presents their Fifth Annual Energy Conference: Building a Sustainable Future, on Friday, June 4th from 8:30am-4:00pm at the Auditorium on Broadway. The conference is an educational event focused on sustainability, and speakers will cover engineering, architecture, and business. Other topics will include climate models, media issues, and public perception. The following speakers are confirmed: Drury Crawley, Ph.D., Office of Energy Efficiency, U.S. Department of Energy; Gavin Schmidt, Ph.D., NASA Godard Institute for Space Studies and creator of RealClimate.org; Joshua Wolfe, GHG Photos; Andrew Winston, author of Green to Gold and Green Recovery; Wendy Williams, author of Cape Wind; Leslie Jabs, AIA from Gensler discussing High Performance Replacement Facades (Re-Skinning); and NYSERDA presenting information on the new "Green NY" program. There will be a special multimedia performance at the end of the conference. Violinist Kenji Wiliams will present "Bella Gaia: A Poetic Vision of Earth from Space."

Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information or to register, email sustainable@nyit.edu or visit their website. The Auditorium on Broadway, 1871 Broadway at 61st Street, Manhattan.

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.

Helen Martin Scholarship for students who have experienced homelessness

The Long Island Coalition for the Homeless (formerly Nassau Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless) is pleased to announce that two Helen Martin Scholarships for $1,000 each are available for students who have had personal experience with homelessness. The scholarships will be presented during the 22nd Annual Keys for the Homeless Conference on October 29, 2010.

The application includes a letter(s) of recommendation, essay, and school transcript. Completed applications must be received by Friday, June 25th, and winners will be notified by August 6th. Applicants must enroll in a full-time undergraduate course of study or other licensed vocational program no later than the fall session of 2011.

For more information and to request an application form, email info@nsch.org or call (516) 742-7770.

Weill Student Social Action Grant for Ages 12-18

The Weill Student Social Action Grant helps students (ages 12 to 18) perform social action projects by providing two annual grants for up to $500 each for projects by Nassau and Suffolk County students. The recipient could create his or her own program or connect with an existing program such as Pennies for Peace, the American Red Cross, etc. This grant helps the recipient with materials or other costs so that fundraising could be achieved or social actions completed. More than one student can work on a project. To apply, students must submit an application including objectives, expected expenses, action steps and time frame for completion. The project should be completed within 9 months, or if an on-going project, some measurable progress made. The grant is presented by the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island (members of EHSLI cannot apply). The deadline to apply this year has been extended to May 28th.

Projects could include, but are not limited to: fundraising- students could perform fundraising activities for money to be donated to people who are homeless or financially needy, humanitarian/world outreach, disadvantaged populations such as veterans, elderly, sick children, etc., disaster relief, or environmental groups; Action projects- students could perform action projects that create change directly, rather than funding another group, including area clean-ups or improvements, recycling programs, book drives, school supplies drives, food, clothing, furniture drives for hurricane victims, homeless, etc., voter registration drives in poor neighborhoods, community organization projects like organizing for better public transportation, creating bicycle lanes, adding public recycling bins to town streets, etc.

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.

Teen Arts Festival and Pasta Dinner on Saturday

This Saturday, May 15th, starting at 1:00pm, come to the Third Annual Teen Arts Festival and 16th Annual Y.E.S. Pasta Dinner at the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island. Be sure to come check out special guest host Eric Alexander! The festival includes hours of live music and art displays from some of Long Island's most talented and driven teenagers, including entries from a contest for the Nassau County chapter of the NYCLU. There will be craft activities going on all day, including DIY t-shirt design, make-your-own bracelets, designing flower pots, an interactive mural and more. There will also be short film screenings, outdoor activities, raffle items and refreshments. 

Immediately following the Festival is the Youth of Ethical Societies (Y.E.S.) Group’s 16th Annual Pasta Dinner, beginning at 6:00pm. The Pasta Dinner includes a tasty meal, a keynote presentation by Tara Bono of Citizens Campaign for the Environment and even more live entertainment. The cost for the dinner is $10 for adults and $8 for students. The fee will be split between CCE 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 festival is free to attend, but donations will be accepted to support the teen group, and food donations will also be gladly accepted. The Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island is located at 38 Old Country Road, Garden City. For more information call (516) 741-7304 or visit ehsli.org.

Cash for Guns in Long Beach

Nassau law enforcement officials will be on hand this Saturday, May 15, at the Christian Light Missionary Baptist Church, located at 620 Rev. J.J. Evans Blvd in Long Beach.  From 10am to 2pm, they’ll be accepting any non-licensed gun in exchange for $200.  All exchanges are anonymous.  No licensed guns, rifles, air pistols or BB guns will be accepted. 

People bringing guns in a vehicle must place them in the trunk wrapped in a plastic bag or within a shoebox.

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