“The Bay Shore train station services many daily commuters and is a gateway during the summer months for visitors who take the train from New York City to ride the ferries to and from Fire Island communities. We can be proud of the new improvements which show LIRR patrons that we care about their comfort and safety." - NYS Sen. Owen Johnson, at ribbon cutting ceremony for Bay Shore train station improvements

Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo, Cohn & Terrana LLP

Founded in 1976, Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo, Cohn, & Terrana LLP is one of Long Island's most acclaimed and distinguished law firms. With offices in Uniondale and Melville, NY, the firm is conveniently located for clients in Nassau and Suffolk. The Firm employs nearly 50 attorneys who provide counsel to a broad range of clients, including national, regional and local businesses, major real estate developers and organizations, banks, insurance companies, municipalities, educational institutions, and individuals. Personal attention and quality representation that is both practical and cost-effective are hallmarks of the Firm's policy towards clients.

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.

Ed Sieban, Mayor of East Rockaway

Ed Sieban, Mayor of the Village of East Rockaway, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on July 3rd at the age of 49. He had a brief stay at Winthrop University Hospital, where the cause of death was determined as acute pancreatitis. Mayor Sieban was a great community advocate. Among his many accomplishments, Vision was able to work with him on East Rockaway's transit-oriented development proposal.

The LI Herald has an extensive story on Mayor Sieban, available here. In it, Deputy Mayor Richard Meagher, now Acting Mayor, says, “The Village of East Rockaway has lost its leader with the passing of Mayor Ed Sieban... I have lost a friend [and] the residents have lost a champion who, above all, looked out for their interests and well-being. Of all my regrets over the community’s loss of its leader, perhaps the deepest is that we will never know the ideas he would have come up with in the future.”

Prior to serving as mayor, Sieban was 2nd vice president of the Nassau County Village Officials Association. He also worked in the Town of Hempstead as a deputy county clerk and as chief of staff and counsel to the Town Board. He is survived by his wife of 17 years and his four children, ages 11-15.

Cards can be sent to Mayor Sieban's family at: Mayor Sieban's Family, c/o Village Hall, PO Box 189, East Rockaway, NY 11518-0189. All cards, letters and emails will be forwarded to his wife and kids.

Long Island politicians shouldn't have "Gambling Fever," says NY Times

The New York Times recently published an editorial on casinos called "Gambling Fever," arguing against a Shinnecock casino on Long Island, among other things. Here is the article in full:

Gamblers aren’t the only ones prone to jackpot delusions. Politicians all over see casinos as magic revenue chests that will help them avoid painful spending cuts, escape the trap of no-tax pledges and make budget gaps vanish. New York is no exception.

Gov. David Paterson wants to bring slot machines to Aqueduct, the crumbling racetrack in Queens. (Three previous attempts to strike a deal collapsed.) The new Nassau County executive, Edward Mangano, wants the Shinnecock Indians to build a full casino in the center of his county. A Suffolk County legislator, Wayne Horsley, wants the tribe’s casino out in his neck of Long Island — but not, of course, in the posh Hamptons, where the Shinnecocks actually live.

The federal government has finally granted the Shinnecocks recognition as an Indian tribe, more than 30 years after they applied. That is great news for the Shinnecocks, whose reservation is a pocket of poverty in a zone of immense wealth. As an official tribe they will have access to benefits like federal funds for housing, education, food programs and health care.

Unfortunately, what they prize most is the right to run a casino, and the host of suitors it has already attracted. Casinos are a magnet for tainted money and promote addiction, crime and other ills. The tribe should be finding other ways to use its valuable real estate and its long-denied recognition.

The state’s politicians should also stop chasing gamblers. At a time when casino revenue is slumping across the country, it doesn’t even make economic sense. They need to make hard decisions on taxes and spending, and focus on developing stable industries, improving education and working their way to growth. If they keep holding out for a false jackpot, everyone will lose.

New “Telehouse” on Long Island will add jobs, boost economy

This past Thursday, German based telecommunications company ancotel GmbH announced they have acquired Long Island Data and Recovery Center- a local collocation and interconnection facility located on Old County Road in Westbury. The Frankfurt-based company operates the largest telecommunications and data network hub in continental Europe. Long Island Data and Recovery Center will be renamed to ancotel USA.

(pictured: Joseph Galante, Deputy Comptroller, Office of Comptroller Tom Dinapoli, Jon Kaiman, Supervisor, Town of N. Hempstead join ancotel officials in the ribbon cutting of their new facility)

ancotel will use their proven success as one of the world’s premiere global carriers of telecommunication and data networks attract new business, networks and telecommunication opportunities to Long Island- which will bring a substantial number of jobs to the Island. Global data centers operate within booming markets that show no sign of slowing, especially when considering globalization and the world’s increased dependence on technology.

The plans for the existing facility, former headquarters for LIDRC, are to transform it into a world-class collocation and interconnection facility, similar to its existing counterpart in Frankfurt. The location is attractive because of its proximity to Manhattan, as well as to the transatlantic submarine cables. The new ancotel USA is also located in the New York State Empire Zone which allows for tax credits and incentives.

Read more in Long Island Business News here.

Atlantic Ocean Could Become Even More Powerful

The New York Power Authority (NYPA) said Thursday that it is set to apply for a lease to build one of the first off shore wind power projects in the Atlantic Ocean off Long Island. The proposed plant would generate anywhere from 350 to 700 megawatts of energy and would help the city and state meet tough renewable energy goals as well as reduce carbon emissions, helping to fight global warming.

The Wind Group, consisting of NYPA, LIPA, Consolidated Edison, as well as other state and city governments, would be responsible for building the power project while NYPA would operate the lease. NYPA said it will apply with the Federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOE), formerly known as the Minerals Management Service (MMS), for a 25-year lease on 64,500 acres of land beneath the Atlantic Ocean about 13 to 15 miles off the Long Island coast.

The cost of the proposed project has not yet been estimated but industry experts have estimated around $4 million per megawatt to build wind turbines offshore. Though this is significantly more expensive than building onshore, the strong and consistent winds offshore make the turbines significantly more cost efficient than onshore turbines.

There are currently no off-shore wind farms operating in the US. However, eight other nations worldwide are already using this type of wind energy; it is proven to be a safe, efficient and clean substitute to fossil fuels- a main reason why the project has ended up on the agenda of the Long Island Lobby Day Coalition.

NYPA said The Wind Group would negotiate with BOE over annual rent for the project during development and construction, expected to be about $3 an acre, or about $200,000 a year. Once the project is operating, NYPA said BOE would receive a portion of the revenue generated from energy sales as payment for the lease.

The Wind Group hopes to have the project up and running by 2016.

ZipCars becoming prefered transit for young people

Car sharing has become an extremely popular trend in urban areas worldwide in order to combat traffic and parking issue. Stateside, car sharing has yet catch on with the mainstream; however, companies like Zipcar have become very popular catering to the “young, urban, iPhone, environmentally conscious generation.” This is easily understandable as car sharing is not only “green,” but will also add a little green to your pocket with zero maintenance and payments.

In an attempt to force the hands of New York City drivers to ditch their cars for greener forms of transportation, NYC has a proposal on the table to give away almost half its’ municipal parking lots to car-sharing companies like Zipcar.

Under the proposed zoning amendment, NYC drivers would have access to 40 percent fewer municipal parking lots-making the nearly impossible job of parking that much more difficult. The lots will instead be used by car sharing services that allow drivers to rent vehicles parked all over the city for as little as an hour. Car sharing companies are reasonable priced (Zipcar charges as little as $8 an hour with gas already included), and one car can service up to 40 drivers. Best of all, parking is a non-issue as car sharing companies have reserved parking spots.

“This is a greener and more economical type of transportation,” said Rachaele Raynoff, spokeswoman for the Department of City Planning.

Some local citizens and officials are concerned with the amount of municipal parking that will no longer be accessible to drivers. But city planning officials say that the guidelines are just maximums and that actual allocations are based on demands. The proposed changes will continued to be reviewed at a local level before City Council has a chance to vote on the issue in the upcoming months.

Vote to "Build a Better Burb"

The "Build a Better Burb" competition, organized by the Rauch Foundation, has just narrowed down the finalists to 23 for the Long Island People’s Choice Awards. The “Burb” competition entails envisioning a future plan for certain communities to become vibrant and to thrive economically- to work together and find a solution for future growth and development on Long Island. First prize is $10,000 with $10,000 in additional prizes for the other finalists.Proposals or prototypes were submitted addressing affordable housing, mobility, workforce, public space, historic resources and transit-oriented development. Over 210 proposals from over 30 countries were submitted.

We are very excited about the revealing of the finalist projects and the many ideas that Long Islanders have come up with for future development. Cast your vote beginning July 7th for the Long Island People’s Choice Award!

Check out the finalists, find more information and vote here now!

Winston in Mineola transforms to rental units

The proposed Winston condominium complex, a 2008 Smart Growth Award recipient, is facing serious opposition from the neighboring Village of Garden City. The planned project would be located on the north side of Old Country Road between Willis Avenue and Main Street in Mineola and is part of a plan to revitalize the downtown area.

Mineola’s downtown is frequented during the day because of Winthrop-University Hospital as well as the many offices that are in the area, its proximity to the Nassau County courts and the Mineola LIRR station. However, at night and on the weekends the area lacks the “happening atmosphere” that turns a collection of businesses into a destination. Village officials had hoped that the nine story residential complex would be the spark that put downtown Mineola on the map.

Garden City, however, took issue with the project’s scope and size. With the planed site of the Winston being located within 300 feet of the Garden City border, Nassau County charter requires that the neighboring village and the county also approve the plan- something that Garden City Mayor Robert Rothschild will not do. Mayor Rothschild told Newsday that the planned condominium is “too dense, too high and too close the street.”

Meanwhile, to get around Garden City’s clearance, developers from Polimeni International, decided to build rental units instead, this would not require neighboring town clearance. That being said, Mineola Mayor Jack Martins says that condos would have been ideal because homeowners tend to have more vested interests in their communities.

Vision’s Executive Director Eric Alexander said the Winston would have won a Smart Growth Award regardless of whether it was a rental building or not because “it infuses life into a downtown.” Mineola will hold a public hearing later this month with the planned Winston on the agenda.

Read the Newsday article here.

Smart Growth set to become NYS law

For over a decade, New York State has tried no fewer than three times to establish some form of Smart Growth legislation. Though efforts have usually met their end in the Senate chamber, the State is now poised to finally accomplish this long time goal. For some, it couldn't have come sooner.

"I think if we had taken some Smart Growth principles into consideration when Long Island was being formed, we might have a much better public transportation system. We'd probably have less crowded roads. We'd be utilizing resources better," Assemblyman Andrew Raia (R-East Northport) said.

The bill sailed through both chambers to reach Governor Patterson's desk, who typically does not comment before making a final decision. However, spokeswoman Jessica Basset did confirm that the Governor's Smart Growth director, Paul Beyer, was involved in creating the legislation. "Governor Paterson has said Smart Growth should be regular protocol in government, not just in theory," Bassett went on to say.

Vision Long Island Executive Director Eric Alexander was quick to note that New York State hasn't always been so accepting of Smart Growth policy. "[Former Governor George] Pataki never liked the term Smart Growth. The Senate was in Republican hands for a number of years. When Spitzer took over, he formed a Smart Growth Cabinet. We knew he wanted to do Smart Growth. There was a feeling the cabinet would move forward some initiatives," Alexander said. "The governor [Paterson] wanted to get in the act, so they passed a scaled-down version of the infrastructure act. The governor vetoed it, saying he wanted something stronger."

Assuming the bill is signed, State business would be required to incorporate Smart Growth principles in all future capital budget projects including roads, sewers and other infrastructure, but does not require extra funding. All this comes at a critical time, according to Assemblyman Raia, who pointed out that Nassau County is more or less completely built up with Suffolk soon to follow.

However, according to Eric Alexander, the future is most definitely salvageable. "A direction back towards investing in our historical downtowns, and also if new downtown centers could be created with the new principles. That bill has been phenomenal."

Read the full article in .pdf form here.

Shop at local farmers markets this summer

If you're looking for a way to stimulate your local economy while getting fresh food and enjoying your local downtown area, check out a farmers market near you! Here are a few that are centered in or are very close to downtowns: 

 

SUFFOLK

AMITYVILLE VILLAGE, 9/11 Memorial Park, Rt 110 South. Open Sat., 7 a.m. to noon, through November 6. Contact: Ethel Terry, 631-323-3653.

EAST HAMPTON, Nick & Toni's parking lot, 136 N. Main St. Open Fri., 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., through September 24. Contact: Kate Plumb, 631-725-9133.

HUNTINGTON, Elm Street parking lot, Main Street (Route 25A). Open Sun., 7 a.m. to noon; through November 21. Contact: Ethel Terry, 631-323-3653.

ISLIP, Town Hall parking lot on Montauk Highway, Route 27A. Open Sat., 7 a.m. to noon; through November 20. Contact: Ethel Terry, 631-323-3653.

MOUNT SINAI, North Shore Heritage Park, 633 Mt. Sinai-Coram Rd. Open Fridays, 2 pm to 6 pm. Contact Trish Graham 631-509-0882

MONTAUK, On the Green, center of Downtown Montauk. Open Thurs., 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; through October 15. Contact: Laraine Creegan 631-668-2428

NORTHPORT, Northport Village Park, Main Street. Open Sat., 9 a.m. to 12 a.m.; June 19th through Mid Nov. Contact: Northport Chamber of Commerce 631-754-3905.

PATCHOGUE, 7-Eleven store parking lot, Montauk Highway west of Route 112. Open Fri., 7 a.m. to noon; through late November. Contact: Ethel Terry 631-323-3653.

PORT JEFFERSON, parking lot next to ferry, Route 25A. Open Thur., 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; through Oct. 22. Contact: Ethel Terry 631-323-3653.
RIVERHEAD, downtown next to Atlantis Marine World Aquarium, Downtown. Open Thur., 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; through November 18. Contact: Ethel Terry 631-323-3653.

SAG HARBOR, Breakwater Yacht Club parking lot, Bay & Burke Streets. Open Sat., 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.; through October 30. Contact Mary Woltz, 631-899-3445.

WESTHAMPTON BEACH, 85 Mill Road, Village Municipal parking. Open Sat., 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; through November 21. Contact Elise Collins 631-288-1559.

NASSAU

GARDEN CITY, 101 County Seat Dr., Supreme Ct. Bldg. lot off Old Country Rd. Open Tues., 7 a.m. to 1p.m.; through Nov. 23. Contact: Ethel Terry 631-323-3653

GLEN COVE, Village Square. Open Sun., 7 a.m. to noon; through Nov. 21. Contact: Ethel Terry 631-323-3653

HEMPSTEAD VILLAGE, Christ Presbyterian Church, Fulton & Washington St., across from police station. Open Fri., 7 a.m. to noon; through Oct.. Contact: Ethel Terry 631-323-3653.

HICKSVILLE, Kennedy Memorial Park, between Jerusalem and Broadway, near the Hicksville Train Station. Sundays, June 27th-November 21st, 9am-2pm.

LOCUST VALLEY, Forest Avenue, across from post office. Open Sat., 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.; November 6. Contact: Ethel Terry 631-323-3653.

LONG BEACH, Kennedy Plaza at Long Beach City Hall, 1 West Chester St.. through Nov.. Contact: Bernadette Martin 631-678-5227

NEW HYDE PARK, Long Island Medical Center lot. Open Wed., 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; through Mid Nov..  Contact: Ethel Terry 631-323-3653

PORT WASHINGTON, Town Dock, Main Street. Open Sat., 7 a.m. to noon; through Oct. 31. Contact: Grassroots Environmental Education, Patti Wood, 516-883-0887.

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, LIRR parking lot, corner of Sunrise Hwy & Long Beach Rd. Open Sun., 7 a.m. to noon; through Nov. 21. Contact: Ethel Terry 631-323-3653.

St. Louis signs ‘Complete Streets’ bill promising bikeable, walkable city

St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay has signed a bill promising the future construction of more pedestrian-friendly streets that encourage biking, walking and mass transit. The ‘Complete Streets’ bill follows similar bills that are rapidly passing across the country, including California, Connecticut and Virginia.

Among its many benefits, narrower streets will calm traffic and create more walkable neighborhoods and commercial areas. Adding sidewalk “bumps” will give pedestrians shorter distances to cross the street. The Mayor and the City of St. Louis are looking forward to having more people walking between neighborhoods, visiting shops and restaurants, revitalizing the downtown and making it a safer place for everyone. Some developing projects in the region, however, are already reshaping the cityscape in this direction.

The transition to Complete Streets will be a gradual one, said Mayor Slay in a local online paper: "’It's not like all-of-a-sudden St. Louis will be pedestrian-friendly,’ he explained. It's more of a philosophy shift to come."

Many communities on Long Island have already implemented or are planning projects with the same goals. Franklin Avenue in Garden City is one of the busiest streets in the Village. Despite having heavy traffic during most times of the day, Garden City was able to install wide sidewalks while keeping the traffic moving at a good 35mph speed. These sidewalks have bike posts and street lights. Once a road lined with vacant storefronts, Franklin Avenue has been transformed into a mini financial district which attracts workers and visitors and encourages them to walk along the ample pedestrian spaces.

Complete Streets legislation makes such renovations commonplace and easy to implement. New York State is in the final stages of passing such legislation.

East End GreenFest on July 24-25th

The East End GreenFest returns to Strawberry Fields Fairgrounds in Mattituck on Saturday and Sunday, July 24th and 25th, from 10am-8pm on Saturday and 10am-5pm on Sunday. The two-day “open air” celebration of all things local and green on Long Island was voted the “Event of the Year” for the East End from the Readers of Dan’s Papers last summer.

The number of new “green” businesses on Long Island has grown enormously over the past year, ensuring this year’s GreenFest will be bigger than ever. In addition to these new entries, GreenFest 2010 will showcase 10 live local bands and entertainers on a solar powered stage, local wineries, renewable energy exhibits and hands on demonstrations, healthy and organic food, a farmers’ market, local artists and natural and hand-crafted products for sale.

A long list of exhibitors will be attending the event from many different Green walks of life including: renewable energy, green building, waste reduction, organic and natural products, natural health and beauty, green kids, green living, healthy foods and beverages, green transportation, earth-friendly fashion and local and national environmental non-profit associations.

Live local music is a central part of the weekend’s festivities with many original New York acts taking to the solar powered concert stage, including Caroline Doctorow, RBC, the Mondays, Big River Ransom, If, But, When and Black Suit Youth. An even longer list of performers will be entertaining festival goers this year including fire dancers, dance troupes, hula hoop performers, POI arts instruction and a fire eater. There will also be book signings and special guests.

As always, GreenFest asks that all attendees bring a non-perishable food item, household item or personal care product, to support the local food bank, CAST. The first 200 paid adult ticket holders each day that bring a non-perishable food item for CAST will receive a FREE GreenFest t-shirt.

Tickets are available at the gate for $3 for adults and children 12 and under are FREE. Strawberry Fields Fairgrounds is located on Route 48 in Mattituck. For more information on the East End GreenFest please visit their website.

RFP For affordable homes in Southampton

The Southampton Community Housing and Development Corporation is working with the Long Island Housing Partnership Technical Assistance Provider to bring affordable single family housing to the Town of Southampton.

The Southampton Community Housing and Development Corporation and LIHP are currently courting potential homebuilders for nine low- to moderate-income family houses to be located in scattered locations throughout Southampton. Interested builders are invited to submit a Request For Proposal (RFP) to Vince Taldone of Southampton Community Housing and Development Corporation. Submission should be sent to 116 Hampton Road, Southampton, NY 11968. The deadline for submission is August 16th.

USDOT offering TIGER II grants

The US Department of Transportation is offereing $600 million in TIGER II planning grants. Pre-applications are due on July 16th and final applications must be received by August 23rd. They are offering a free webinar on June 15th from 1-2:30pm. Join Beth Osborne, USDOT Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy along with representatives of the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, Federal Railroad Administration and Maritime Administration as they discuss the program, selection criteria, evaluations, and application process for TIGER II Planning Grants. If USDOT and HUD move forward with a joint solicitation, a representative from the U.S. Department of Housing and Community Development will join this presentation.

For more information, visit the DOT's website here.

Vision Long Island seeking interns for Fall 2010

Vision Long Island is now seeking unpaid interns for Fall 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 Fall 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.

Comedy at Caffe Portofino in Northport tonight

This Friday night, July 9th at 8:30pm, Caffe Portofino in downtown Northport will be hosting one of Long Island's funniest comedians. Harry Freedman has been an opening act for Ray Romano as well as many other well known comedians. He has appeared on “Everybody Loves Raymond” and was a staff writer for “Caroline’s Comedy Hour.” He has also written and directed a short film, “30 Minutes,” which received acclaim at the NY International Independent Film Festival. Harry will be joined by special guests for an evening of laughs and fun!

Visit Caffe Portofino's website for more info and to see a clip of Harry Freedman's recent performances. The cafe is located at 249 Main Street in Northport Village.

Great South Bay Music Festival all weekend!

The 4th Annual Great South Bay Music Festival takes place this weekend, July 9th-11th, at Shorefront Park in Patchogue. This is the largest celebration of American music, art and heritage on Long Island, featuring 3 stages and 47 performers. "Rock, Jam, Folk, Blues & Brews." Plus: artisans, craftspeople, GearZone, Kidzone, fireworks, Pet Pavilion, Looney Tunes Tek Tent, Pyrates, Helicopter Rides, food court, rides, and a Guitar Hero competition.

Tickets are $18-24 and rides are separate. Learn more, purchase tickets, and see the full schedule here.

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
Interns: Herb Glass, Chloe Johnson, Cody Miller

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