Vision Long Island Announces 2009 Smart Growth Summit

Friday, November 20th
Melville Marriott
8am-4pm

WORKSHOPS INCLUDE

State of the Towns and Villages
New Media
Suburban Revitalization
Stimulus & Infrastructure
SEQRA & Regulatory Tools
Transfer of Development Rights
Regional Planning
Green Energy
Transportation
Developments of Regional Impact
Market-Based Solutions
Green Building
Financing Smart Growth
Community Planning
Impacts of the Recession

*We will also be introducing live blogging during the event*

Vision Long Island is pleased to announce the 2009 Smart Growth Summit, to be held on Friday, November 20th from 8:00-3:00 at the Melville Marriott.

Each year, the Summit brings together a broad range of action-oriented decision-making Long Island leaders from community, civic, and governmental sectors. The Summit includes a morning plenary session, a luncheon, and over a dozen workshops throughout the day. We invite you to participate in the Summit by attending, sponsoring, and submitting your early ideas on themes
as we plan the workshop sessions.

If you are interested in participating at any level or if you have any questions, feel free to contact our office at any time at 631-261-0242 or by visiting our website at visionlongisland.org.

A registration form and flyer are available online here.

We look forward to seeing you on November 20th!

Register Today!

[ ] Visionary - $15,000 [ ] Leader - $10,000 [ ] Gold Sponsor - $5,000

[ ] Sponsor - $2,000 [ ] Seat(s) at $125 each

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Herald Community Newspapers

Herald Community Newspapers provide a great, local connection to all things Long Island. Communities covered include Baldwin, Bellmore, East Meadow, East Rockaway, Elmont, Five Towns, Franklin Square, Island Park, Long Beach, Lynbrook, Malverne, Merrick, Oceanside, Rockville Centre, Valley Stream, and West Hempstead.

See their website 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.

Lighthouse Hearing Brings the Heat

This past Tuesday, the Town of Hempstead scheduled a 12-hour public zoning hearing for the Lighthouse project; the 500 attendees at the hearing quickly learned why the hearing was scheduled for so long.

The morning began with the now-predictable chants of "Build it now!" when developer Charles Wang gave his opening presentation to the Town Board. Supervisor Kate Murray added, "The crowd's smaller this time, but you've got your fans, Mr. Wang." The presentation continued with the developer's argument to rezone the property as PDD (Planned Development District). Mr. Wang called the Lighthouse "its own stimulus package" to spur economic and job growth in the region. The 4000-page Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (FGEIS) was delivered to the Town Board for review, noting that the Board had missed its SEQRA deadline to review the FGEIS. Wang says he is still sticking by his October 3rd deadline to begin looking at other options for the Islanders and that it is possible for the Town to read the FGEIS by then. He offered his help, saying we should "lock em up in a room and get it done!"

The hearing continued much like its August 4th predecessor, with a handful of speakers giving a quick 2-minute speech on how great the project is. The crowd became dismayed, however, when 5 consecutive Garden City stakeholders presented very negative views on the "too large, too urban" project and its effect on their nearby Village. The audience was audibly frustrated that these speakers were not cut off at the 2-minute time limit. One Village trustee spoke for 6 minutes, to which Supervisor Murray replied that they are an involved agency so they get to speak longer. "And we're not involved?" quipped one audience member.

At around 11:30am, the development team was asked to come up and present on some of the project's specifications. Developer Scott Rechler, H2M water consultant Paul Granger, VHB traffic and transportation experts Bob Eschbacher and Terri Elkowitz, and consultant Chic Voorhis of Nelson Pope all explained the project's details. It was then that the meeting picked up. Tensions rose as the Town Board asked question after question of the study team, often leaving them leafing through papers.

Though at times the grilling seemed less constructive and more political, the hours of questioning left the Town and the audience with a much more thorough understanding of the project's components. At the end of the night, of the remaining 100 or so attendees, a poll was taken that determined up to a 90% support level for the Lighthouse--not unlike the level of support earlier in the day. The community clearly came out to support the project and hope to see it move forward.

Here are some of the project details we learned:

In addition to any new transportation investments by the DOT, MTA/LI Bus, or the County, $55 million in developer money will be invested into new public transportation, including Lighthouse shuttle buses and pedestrian bridges. Contrary

to rumors, there will not be a new rail system built through Garden City connecting to the site. The Board had the most questioning on issues of traffic and roadway reconfiguration, to which Wang at one point said "Our project will not solve all the traffic problems of Long Island."

Conversations arose about a new water well that is expected to be built on property owned by Nassau Community College. Sewage will outflow to the Cedar Creek treatment plant. 24.5 out of 150 acres will be open space.

The project is expected to bring in 333 school aged children, and an agreement has been reached with the Uniondale School District.

There will be 42 buildings, 19,926 parking spaces (including shared parking), and 24 foot wide roads within the site that allow for single-lane travel with parallel parking.

The marketability of the next generation housing left a bit to be desired ($2300 a month to rent a one-bedroom apartment), but overall the project seems to adhere strongly to the community's wants and needs.

Because many who wanted to were unable to speak, the Town Board left the comment period open.

We encourage you to read the FGEIS (at least the executive summary), available on the Lighthouse website.

Comments can be emailed to LighthouseComment@tohmail.org or send letters to Town of Hempstead, Lighthouse Project Public Comment, One Washington Street, Hempstead, NY 11550.

Citizens Campaign Releases Recycling Report Card for LI Towns

On September 22, Citizens Campaign for the Environment released the 2009 Long Island Recycling Report Card. Twelve Long Island Towns were evaluated and graded, excluding Shelter Island. Many towns showed significant improvements over the last rating, with six towns scoring A’s. North Hempstead, Huntington and Islip were the “2009 Recycling Leaders,” with scores of 98%, 98% and 96% respectively. Riverhead and East Hampton slid backwards, with Riverhead receiving a notable F. Here are the grades:

“In 2008 CCE called for a Recycling Renaissance. In response, many Towns took up this torch, re-evaluated their programs, and made meaningful changes,” stated Adrienne Esposito, CCE Executive Director. The report emphasizes recycling in schools and highlights some recycling best practices of the Towns. North Hempstead, for example, launched the most comprehensive school recycling program on Long Island. The Town provides participating schools with recycling bins for classrooms, specialized scales for schools to weigh recyclables and track success, and free pick-up of recyclables for the first 2 years. The Town also implemented the first town-wide pharmaceutical drug return program which included narcotics. The Town of Islip established a curbside, residential e-waste recycling program. The Towns of Hempstead, Huntington, and Smithtown partnered with Covanta Energy to encourage mercury thermometer recycling. Residents receive a $5 gift card to Home Depot or Lowes for every mercury thermometer returned.

The 2009 Recycling Report Card contains recommendations for towns to continue to improve recycling programs, including establishing pharmaceutical drug take-back programs; halting pick-up of grass clippings; implementing recycling programs for condos, apartments, businesses, and schools; placing recycling bins in parks, beaches, parking lots, and train stations; implementing comprehensive recycling programs for businesses; and developing comprehensive recycling public education programs. The report also includes recommendations for the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. These include better guidance on battery recycling and working with towns to establish a permanent glass recycling plant on Long Island.

Visit the Citizens Campaign website to view the full report.

$3.9 Million for LED Traffic Signals and Pedestrian Safety Measures

This week, New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Commissioner Stanley Gee and Region 10 Regional Director Subi Chakraborti announced construction on a $3.9 million traffic and pedestrian signal improvement project funded through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The project will upgrade approximately 900 traffic signals with more energy efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs on state roadways throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties, thereby reducing energy use and operational costs. It also includes the installation of pedestrian countdown crossing signals at about 480 key intersections, which will display the number of seconds remaining for a pedestrian to safely cross the street. The project is expected to be completed in spring 2011.

US Congressman Tim Bishop, member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said, "This project will put New Yorkers to work, improve energy efficiency and save taxpayer dollars. This is the kind of investment that gets us the best bang for our buck."

“Improving roadway safety for all users, saving energy and reducing costs is what this project is all about,” Chakraborti said. “Using the more efficient LED technology is smart energy policy and one more way the DOT can achieve our goal of providing sustainable transportation projects. In addition, the countdown pedestrian timers will take the guesswork out of the time available to cross the road at key intersections and hopefully encourage more people to use good old-fashioned foot power whenever possible.”

Suozzi Unveils Master Plan for New Suburbia?

On Wednesday, September 23rd, Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi held a press event in the lower level of the Nassau Coliseum to present his "Master Plan" for a "New Suburbia" to over 150 supporters. The "Master Plan", which was not released, relies heavily on what Suozzi calls the 90/10 Solution, which concentrates growth in targeted areas, leaving 90% of the County unchanged.

While there was no actual "Master Plan" presented at the meeting folks were asked to sign on and join a coalition that would seek to create a "change in attitude" of local officials, civic, environmental and business leaders. According to promotional materials handed out at the meeting, "Nassau needs an active and committed Coalition that will strongly advocate the preservation and enhancement of the 90% of traditional suburbia that we love about Nassau County, and target growth in 10% of the County. Nassau's future depends upon people saying 'YES, let's re-imagine 10% of the County in a way that compliments and supports all that we love about Nassau."

Suozzi presented a video and powerpoint that emphasized many of the County's problems, such as young people leaving and extremely high taxes. A panel then came up, moderated by Deputy County Executive Patrick Duggan, LI Regional Planning Council Chair John Cameron, Vision Long Island Executive Director Eric Alexander, Nassau County Planning Department Executive Director Patricia Bourne, , North Shore-LIJ Hospital System President Michael Dowling, Sustainable Long Island Executive Director Sarah Lansdale, Hofstra University President Stu Rabinowitz, and Adelphi University President Bob Scott.

Eric Alexander made several points: we must increase stakeholder participation for these goals by, for example, supporting the Lighthouse by reading the documents and submitting comments to the relevant Towns and Villages who actually make land use decisions. Spending time to reach out to those who do not automatically support the principles of New Suburbia is also a valuable use of folks' time. He outlined a number of trust-building areas where the County must focus on its own regulations, capital investments and planning as opposed to focusing on the shortcomings of other levels of government. He mentioned the balance between needing a robust transportation network to make Suozzi's vision happen in the face of a 25% budget cut to Long Island bus from Nassau County.

Eric also mentioned that the Smart Growth movement is alive and well quite a number of action items that are underway in a plethora of communities across Nassau County and Long Island; notable examples include, Mineola, Glen Cove, Great Neck, Westbury, Valley Stream and Farmingdale.

During the question-and-answer portion, a young woman expressed concerns that this project would leave out her poverty- and crime-ridden community of Roosevelt, to which Suozzi replied "Roosevelt will never be a cool downtown, because it doesn't have a train station." He also mentioned that the 90% would be preserved, not neglected.

Vision Long Island sent a notice out to their e-mail list in the anticipation that this was a substantive meeting on the "Master Plan" for Nassau County. There was one power point slide of action items the Nassau County would do but aside from that there was no information on County actions that would relate to a Master Plan or relevant improvements that would help create a "New Suburbia". i.e. economic development, transportation, downtown revitalization, public works, sewer investments, housing, historic preservation, open space and parks.

This press event came on the heels of a lengthy and sometimes contentious zoning hearing on the Lighthouse project. Unfortunately, at a breakfast event the day of the hearing even before the Town of Hempstead asked hard questions on the project the County Executive was reported as blaming the Town for inaction on the project. At this "Master Plan" press event, there was a call by many on the panel and in the audience to depoliticize the process. Unfortunately, the next day in Newsday the County Executive was quoted as blaming the Town of Hempstead for foot dragging on the Lighthouse project. We think that everyone recognizes that it is an election year for County and Town offices and passions are running very high on the Lighthouse project and there are also substantive issues surrounding the Nassau County fiscal situation. With that all as a backdrop expecting our elected leaders to act in a bi-partisan, post-partisan or at least business oriented collaborative fashion unfortunately may be a bit 'pollyana'-ish.

Though no draft yet exists to review as soon as it is available we will send the link out to the subscribers of Smart Talk. Folks will be asked in the coming weeks to sign on to County Executive Suozzi's Master Plan or 90/10 coalition. While the goals may be laudable, hopefully they will read the fine print before they sign up.

Read more in Newsday.

Grant Awarded to Huntington Station BID

The Huntington Station Business Improvement District (HSBID) was recently awarded a state grant for $25,000 to make the area more visually appealing and to purchase video cameras to improve safety and reduce crime. Assemblyman Jim Conte of Huntington Station and Senator Carl Marcellino of Syosset presented the grant to members of HSBID at a press conference. HSBID is a group of local businesses that set aside money each year to help make improvements to the surrounding area to strengthen the local economy and promote economic development in Huntington Station.

Pictured in the photo: Mary Kelly, Huntington Public Library Station branch manager and HSBID board member; Doug Aloise, Town of Huntington CDA; Dolores R. Thompson, vice president HSBID; Assemb. Jim Conte; Sen. Carl Marcellino; Keith Barrett, president HSBID, and Andrea Golinsky, HSBID citizen advisor.

See more in Newsday.

Town of Brookhaven Update: Implementation of Coram Land Use Plan for 112 and 25

On the September 17th Brookhaven Town Board meeting, two exciting initiatives came forward thanks primarily to Councilwoman Connie Kepert and Supervisor Mark Lesko. First, the team sponsored land swaps and the rezoning of three parcels at Routes 25 and 112, enabling the New York State Department of Transportation to re-route traffic away from the overcrowded and dangerous intersection. The re-routing will allow the Town to make this stretch of Coram’s downtown a safer place to be. The Beautification project involves the planting of the triangle at the intersection of Rt. 112 and 25.

"This bypass will both reduce traffic congestion and allow motorists to avoid a confusing and dangerous intersection," stated Councilwoman Kepert. "The people of Coram said they wanted to stop the destruction of our sensitive lands and create a downtown with public spaces, shops, and houses. This new Main Street will accomplish just that." Supervisor Mark Lesko said, “Councilwoman Kepert has taken the first step in transforming an entire corridor, from one characterized by haphazard strip development to one characterized by vibrant mixed-use pedestrian oriented development.”

Approval of Universal Design

suffolk community council logo

Councilwoman Kepert has also introduced legislation that gives incentives to developers to build homes incorporating basic design features to make them more accessible to the disabled population. This concept is known as Universal Design and includes features such as zero-step entrances, at least one room on the ground floor that can easily be converted into a bedroom, and sufficient floor space in ground floor bathrooms that will allow for individuals using a wheelchair or other mobility aids. The Universal Design Permits will cost less than standard building permits, giving an incentive to builders to implement them.

Councilwoman Kepert was approached by the Suffolk Community Council and asked to consider enacting legislation to break the architectural barriers that exist in homes which impede access to an entire population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau of the 2006 American Community Survey there are 57,868 people in the Town of Brookhaven living with a disability, or 12.3% of the Town’s population. With this in mind, Councilwoman Kepert moved to put a team together which included the town’s Chief Building Inspector, a disability specialist from the town’s traffic safety division and an attorney from the town’s law department to develop the code making it attractive for builders to design homes that are accessible to the disabled population.

"This important legislation will not only allow our seniors to age in place, but provides people with special needs the ability to visit friends and family without difficulty," concluded Kepert.

Nassau County Proposes 25% Cut to Long Island Bus

Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi is trying to balance Nassau County’s budget on the backs of Long Island Bus riders. His proposed 2010 budget, released this week, reduces the County’s contribution to Long Island Bus by a quarter, from $10.5 million to $7.7 million. Given that Suozzi’s vision for a New Suburbia depends on a robust transit network, Vision is surprised by this action. 

With budgets tightening, decreasing the County’s contribution to Long Island Bus is simply not the smartest place to make cuts. For an agency that is already struggling financially, this action could result in drastic service cuts for Long Island bus riders—a group that has repeatedly been singled out by decision makers for drastic fare hikes and service cuts even in the best of economic times. For these Long Islanders, a cut in bus service means they cannot get to work. Owning a car is a luxury that all Long Islanders do not share. Notably, Long Island Bus ridership reached an all time high of 33.1 million in 2008. 

It is worth noting that while the County is cutting its contribution to Long Island Bus, it is also initiating a study for a new transit service to the Nassau Hub area. That study is worthwhile, but pursuing it while slashing funding for the County’s existing transit system is counterintuitive. If the County cannot support the transit system it has and cannot reach an agreement with the MTA that puts Long Island Bus on stable financial footing, it should not be pursuing new transit projects. 

Not only will this initiative potentially endanger many Long Island residents and their sole means of getting to work, it also hinders the future development of Long Island. A national transit coalition report, “Dollars & Sense: The Economic Case for Public Transportation in America,” found that every dollar taxpayers invest in public transportation generates $6 or more in economic returns.

Please take action on this proposed budget. Call your Nassau County Legislator today and tell them not to support this budget proposal!

Comment Period Still Open for Lighthouse - Send your thoughts to The Town of Hempstead now

The Lighthouse hearing this week was long and intensive (see the article at the top of this newsletter for details). Because many who wanted to were unable to speak, the Town Board left the comment period open.

We encourage you to read the FGEIS (at least the executive summary), available on the Lighthouse website.

Comments can be emailed to LighthouseComment@tohmail.org or send letters to Town of Hempstead, Lighthouse Project Public Comment, One Washington Street, Hempstead, NY 11550.

LIRR hosts Great Long Island Commuter Food Drive Wednesdays in September

The Long Island Rail Road has joined with LI Cares and Island Harvest to co-sponsor the "Great Long Island Commuter Food Drive." On five consecutive Wednesdays beginning September 2nd, representatives from Long Island Cares and from Island Harvest will be at 23 LIRR stations in Nassau and Suffolk to collect donations of food and other items from LIRR customers and employees for the disadvantaged of our region. Both organizations say that the nation’s economic woes have added significantly to the needs of many Long Islanders.

Volunteers from Long Island Cares and Island Harvest will be on hand to collect donations each Wednesday from 5:30 AM to 12:30 PM . Donations can be made on September 23rd and 30th at the following LIRR stations in Nassau County: Baldwin, Bellmore, Freeport, Hempstead, Hicksville, Long Beach, Lynbrook, Manhasset, Massapequa, Merrick, Mineola, Port Washington, Rockville Centre, Syosset, Valley Stream, Wantagh and Westbury. Commuters can also give donate at the following LIRR stations in Suffolk County: Amityville, Babylon, Huntington, Patchogue, Port Jefferson, and Ronkonkoma.

Make a donation when you commute this week! Read more here.

Next Gordon Heights Visioning Meeting Set for September 26

The next meeting for the Gordon Heights Visioning will take place on Saturday, September 26th from 11am-3pm at Community Baptist Church on Granny Road. Community members and local elected officials are encouraged to come out and help shape the future of this close-knit Suffolk County community. 

The Gordon Heights Visioning began in March 2006, when over 250 community members came together to begin shaping the future of Gordon Heights. The community gathered with an expert study team responsible for organizing and carrying out the Visioning, including ADL III Architecture, Cameron Engineering, Economics Research Associates, and Vision Long Island. Primary goals included planning for safer streets, better transportation, access to commercial development, and a community center. Residents wanted to positively infuse existing development with a clear sense of place, rather than break apart the close-knit community in the name of economic development. 

Since that first meeting, the Visioning has grown and many of the goals are already being implemented. The Harrison Hale Community Educational and Resource Center recently opened its doors as a state-of-the-art community center. Sidewalks are planned for Granny Road, Wilson Avenue, and Rt. 25, which will bring huge safety improvements. Children’s Park was recently refurbished with new fencing, a new field, and a bathhouse. Granny Road Park received new basketball courts and has a new bathhouse planned. 

For more information on the Visioning meeting, please contact Vision Long Island's Director of Special Projects Tawaun Weber at tw@visionlongisland.org.

Long Island Progressive Coalition Presents Leadership Conference 2009 - September 26th

In order to build a progressive movement on Long Island, we need strong, trained leaders with community organizing skills. Long Island Progressive Coalition's annual Leadership Conference aims to help interested parties gain the skills and personal connections that will promote social, economic and racial justice. The event will take place on Saturday, September 26th from 9:30am-5:00pm at Molloy College's Suffolk Center, 7180 Republic Airport in East Farmingdale.

LIPC is bringing Long Islanders together to work for collective change, building community bridges across racial lines and generations, and providing hands-on training in practical, winning organizing skills. Workshops will include: media strategy, the strategy chart, grassroots lobbying, meeting facilitation, recruiting and retaining volunteers, and more. 

Register for free by calling (516) 541-1006 ext. 14, or email debbieann@lipc.org.

14th Annual Pine Barrens Research Forum Announced for October 1st & 2nd

The Fourteenth Annual Pine Barrens Research Forum: Laying a Foundation for Policy through Research, will be held on Thursday, October 1st and Friday, October 2nd at Brookhaven National Laboratory's Berkner Hall in Upton, NY. The conference is sponsored by BNL, the Central Pine Barrens Commission, the LI Groundwater Research Institute at Stony Brook, and the Foundation for Ecological Research in the Northeast.

The program features a balance of speakers from the New York metropolitan area and around the nation, covering research, technical, and applied science topics, including ecosystem-based management, the impact of climate change and sea level change on the Pine Barrens, forest health and wildlife populations, effects of elevated ozone levels on LI, and even the population of flying squirrels at the lab. Friday will include a field trip/hike to the Coastal Plain Ponds of the Peconic River Headwaters.

A full schedule and a registration form are available on their website.

RELI Presents Third Annual Solar Tour and Green Buildings Open House on Oct. 3

On Saturday October 3rd from 10am-4pm, attend Long Island's part of the National Solar Tour and Green Buildings Open House, coordinated locally by Renewable Energy Long Island (RELI) and the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). The National Solar Tour is considered to be the largest public renewable energy education event in the world. It is a self-guided tour of homes, businesses and other buildings with solar features including passive solar design, solar hot water and solar-electric generating systems. The Solar Tour is an excellent way to experience first-hand that solar energy really works on Long Island. You can learn about the benefits of solar and other forms of renewable energy, watch electric meters run backwards, see the actual savings on utility bills, and talk to the people who own these systems. 

Homes on this tour are owned and lived in by ordinary people who believe their homes have something extraordinary to share. That is why they have opened their doors voluntarily on this day. Please respect the privacy of these generous homeowners do not contact them other than to get more detailed directions on the day of the tour, if you are lost.

For your free visitors pass and detailed tour information, including home locations, visit their website.

Trees For Life - Trees for the Life of Long Island on Oct. 5th

The North Shore Land Alliance presents an important seminar, "Trees for the Life of Long Island: Wildlands, Woodlands, and Trees." On Monday, October 5th at 10am, come to the Grace Auditorium at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory to hear Dr. David Foster, Chairman of Highstead Foundation and Director of the Harvard Forest, along with a panel of his colleagues.

In a recent New York Times article, Robert Sullivan highlights Dr. Foster's research on forests and their management and their real implications for the present and the future. This seminar is being sponsored by the Three Harbors, North Country, North Suffolk, and South Side Garden Clubs in conjunction with The Garden Club of America’s 2013 Centennial Tree Project.

The lecture is free and open to the public. For additional information, please call Barbara Hoover at (516) 626-0908 or by e-mail at bhoover@northshorelandalliance.org.

Revitalizing NY Summit on October 7th

Empire State Future, a group that works to realize the principles of Smart Growth throughout New York State, is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the Revitalizing NY Summit, taking place on Wednesday, October 7, 2009 from 9am-5pm in Schenectady, NY. This summit is sponsored jointly by Empire State Future and the New York State Department of State, and emphasizes building a new economy and revitalizing New York State through sustainable economic and community development. This Summit is designed for all participants to both learn about and contribute innovations and ideas for actualizing sustainable development in New York State, and to strengthen the connections among those working on this common quest. It is designed for government officials, practitioners of economic and community development, planners, and New Yorkers interested in building a stronger and more sustainable Empire State.

The event will take place at Proctors Theatre, 432 State Street--a very short walk from the Schenectady Amtrak station. Train discounts are available for those who take the Amtrak to Schenectady. Also, special group rates at particular hotels and early bird registration fees are available.

Register now for $40. After September 10th, the fee will go up to $60. Visit Empire State Future's website to view the summit description and registration form. If you have any questions, contact Katie@rpa.org or (917) 546-4312.

Get Into the Swing of Fall at Governors Island, Oct. 8

Governors Island has become New York's newest hot spot, and it will be sad to see it close for the season after Columbus Day. It has been a tremendous summer, with nearly 200,000 visitors coming to the Island. The Governors Island Alliance and the Urban Assembly New York Harbor School are throwing a beach party on Thursday, October 8 from 5:30-8:00pm to celebrate the arts and educational groups that made the season such a success. Come watch a sunset over the water and enjoy live music by New York's Stumblebum Brass Band on the new Water Taxi Beach.

The $25 fee includes 1 free drink and transportation. The funds raised will support free programs on the Island and underwrite the Alliance's advocacy that has kept the Island open. The Alliance is counting on more than 500 guests for this end-of-season farewell, so invite your friends and bring your family. Governors Island is a great public space and it deserves a big closing celebration!

Ferries will run at 5:15, 5:45 and 6:15 from the Battery Maritime Building. Sponsorships are available. To RSVP, or to learn more, email Elizabeth@rpa.org or call (917) 546-4304. You can also RSVP online here or on Facebook.

350 Years of People and Nature on the Hempstead Plains on October 9th

Friends of Hempstead Plains, along with Frianklin Square Historical Society and The Wheatley School Regional Studies Program, are sponsoring a Symposium on the History and Ecology of the Hempstead Plains on Friday, October 9 from 8:30am-2:00pm at Nassau Community College, Bldg CCB, Room 252-253.

For over 350 years the region known as the Hempstead Plains has played a key role in the history of Long Island and the United States- The cradle of American aviation, the symbol of suburbanization for the postwar United States, the only true prairie east of the Allegheny Mountains- the Hempstead Plains is a unique ecological, historical and cultural treasure. The event will highlight and celebrate the importance of the Hempstead Plains in the life of Long Island and New York. Participants will include scientists, historians, scholars, public officials, teachers, students and the general public. Presenters include a panel of scientists and a panel of historians from Hofstra University, Nassau Community College, Franklin Square Historical Society, Cedar Swamp Historical Society, Cradle of Aviation Museum, Wheatley School Regional Studies Program, government agencies, and other organizations, making brief presentations on the natural history and heritage of the Plains. There will be time for questions and discussion.

Breakfast and lunch will be served. A tour of the Hempstead Plains at Nassau Community College concludes the day. More information about the The Hempstead Plains Heritage Symposium, including a registration form, can be found here. 

21st Annual Keys for the Homeless Conference On October 9th

On Friday, October 9, join the Nassau-Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless for their 21st annual Keys for the Homeless Conference. This year's event, themed "The Community Response to Ending Homelessness," will take place at Touro Law School, 225 Eastview Drive in Central Islip, and runs from 8am to 4:15pm. The day will include informative and thought-provoking workshops, including: Focus on Veterans, McKinney-Vento Reauthorization, Neighborhood Stabilization Act/HPRP, Surviving Bed Bugs, Foreclosure Prevention, Community Volunteerism, and many more. Also come hear dynamic speakers and award presentations. Don't miss this excellent opportunity to meet and network with corporate and non-profit housing developers, funding sources, service providers, government officials and representatives from government agencies. 

The keynote speaker will be Diane Nilan, HEAR US Founder and President. Her 21 years' experience with homelessness includes running emergency shelters and successfully advocating for the passage of legislation guaranteeing homeless students' educational rights. In November 2005, Ms. Nilan sold her house, car and most of her possessions. She purchased an RV and set out on an extraordinary venture: to create a documentary featuring kids talking about their homelessness. Ms. Nilan created HEAR US, a non-profit organization, to give voice and visibility to homeless children, youth and families.

Registration for the Keys Conference is due by September 30. The registration fee is $65 in advance and $70 at the door. The student rate is $15 with a student ID. Visit the NSCH website to find a registration form.

Long Island Fund for Women and Girls Presents: Women Achievers Against The Odds on October 15th

On Thursday, October 15th, from 7:30-10:30am, the Long Island Fund for Women and Girls presents their 15th annual Women Achievers Against the Odds Awards Breakfast. At the breakfast, the Fund invites and honors special Long Island women who have achieved against the odds professionally and/or personally, as well as girls who have excelled in educational areas such as the Sciences, Sports, Performing Arts or Technology. In addition, they will highlight and present this year's grant program recipients. The program also introduces this year's Commemorative Tribute to Women Journal. This year's honorees include: Maria Grasso of Flushing Savings Bank, Dr. Gerry House of Institute for Student Achievement, Lorelei McGlynn of Henry Schein, Inc., Suzy Sonenberg of Long Island Community Foundation, and high school students Lisa Rifkind and Lucely Sanchez. 

The breakfast will take place at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury. Networking is from 7:30-8:30, and the program runs from 8:30-10:30. Tickets are $85 each, and after September 30 are $90. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information and to register, click here.

Public Meeting for Portion Road Land Use Plan: October 14

Join the Town of Brookhaven, the Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Association, and the Lake Ronkonkoma Chamber of Commerce in unveiling their land use plan for Lake Ronkonkoma and Farmingville. The Public Informational Meeting for the Portion Road Land Use Plan will take place on Wednesday, October 14 from 7-9pm, in the auditorium of the Ronkonkoma Fire House located on Portion Road.

Vision Long Island led the visioning and Master Plan effort for Lake Ronkonkoma, which resulted in design changes for CR-16. This Land Use document completes the Vision effort and will help implement design and land use changes necessary to make the corridor more walkable and livable.

This is a community-based document, so it is important to come out and support!

Peconic Baykeeper's 2009 Lobster Bash on October 17

The Peconic Baykeeper's 2009 Lobster Bash will take place on Saturday, October 17 from 6-10pm at The Lobster Inn, located at 162 Inlet Road in Southampton. The event will benefit Peconic Baykeeper's clean water programs. The group works to protect and sustain the South Shore and Peconic Bays of Long Island by improving water quality and productivity, emphasizing the intrinsic connection between our bays and our communities.

Tickets are $100 and include local beer and wine, plentiful hors d'oeuvres, the Lobster Inn's famous "SPLAT" dinner, and music by Dennis O'Conner. Please RSVP by October 9th.

For more information, visit their website, call (631) 653-4804, or email info@peconicbaykeeper.org.

October 24: International Day of Climate Action events

There will be many events around the world on October 24th in an effort to influence world leaders to act decisively on climate change. The organizing website, 350.org, represents the number that leading scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide—measured in Parts Per Million in our atmosphere. 350 PPM is the number we need to get back to as soon as possible to avoid runaway climate change. There will be several local events worth attending in support of this goal:

Riverhead will host a Street Fair on Main Street at Riverfront Park, celebrating local foods and culture while showing support for the biggest issue on earth. At 1:30pm, they will take a picture of all the people that have gathered in support of this effort. The image will be added to thousands of others taken at 350 events around the world and will help make an impressive statement. The event is designed to include local businesses- to highlight the importance of shopping local and redeveloping and investing in downtown, walkable communities. There will be East End bike rides, wine tastings, art exhibits, film screenings on global warming, and more. More information is available here.

Garden City will feature two speakers from 4-6pm (doors at 3:30) at the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island (38 Old Country Road). The speakers are experts in their respective areas of science, and of policy and economics. Vic Divenere is a geologist, a teacher at C.W. Post, and a frequent speaker on climate issues. Frank Morris is chairperson of Long Island Sierra Club, and vice chairperson of NYS Sierra Club, and has spoken widely about current policies and their impact on the way we live. His topic is Fragmentation in Environmentalism, and Promoting Change through a New, Greener Economy. Frank is founder of Ecologic Advisors, a NYS Registered Investment Advisors specializing in environmental investing. This event will be enjoyable and informative. To RSVP or to learn more, go to this site.

Celebration of Suburban Diversity: October 22

Save the date! On October 22nd, the Celebration of Suburban Diversity 2009 Committee and the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University present the Celebration of Suburban Diversity, an inspiring evening in conjunction with Hofstra's major international conference: The Diverse Suburb: History, Politics, and Prospect."

The event will take place from 6-10pm at the Sandra and David S. Mack Student Center, North Campus at Hofstra.

Fair Media Council Presents Connection Day on October 22

The Fair Media Council’s annual Connection Day on Thursday, October 22 from 8am to 4pm at the Long Island Hilton will draw together about 100 reporters, editors, social media experts, and communication professionals to present a variety of educational workshops to the public. The only major conference in the country that brings the public together with the media for a day of open dialogue, networking and professional development, FMC’s Connection Day draws about 600 participants from the metro area. This educational event features 22 workshops, an exhibition hall, networking breaks and a luncheon with a keynote speaker. “Adding to all the excitement this year will be news outlets blogging live from the scene and radio stations conducting interviews with area politicians,” said Fair Media Council Executive Director Jaci Clement.

Sponsorships, exhibit booths and individual tickets are on sale now. Tickets include three workshops, networking breaks, admission to all media exhibits, continental breakfast, luncheon with the keynote speaker, and a 2009-2010 Fair Media Council Media Guide. To make a reservation, become an event sponsor or an exhibitor, please call (516) 224-1860, Ext. 103 or email fran@fairmediacouncil.org. For details and to sign up online, go to their website.

The Fair Media Council is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that advocates for quality local news coverage and educates the public to become media savvy. About 200 New York businesses are members of the 30-year-old organization. To join the businesses and non-profit organizations that comprise the Fair Media Council and advocate for quality local news, log on to www.fairmediacouncil.org.

Tri-State Transportation Campaign's 2009 Annual Benefit on October 29

Tickets are now on sale for the Tri-State Transportation Campaign’s 2009 Annual Benefit, "Changes Taking Root," which will take place on October 29, from 6pm to 8:30pm at The Gates on 290 Eighth Avenue in Manhattan. TSTC will be honoring Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey for his work in winning federal approval for the Access to the Region’s Core project and his leadership in connecting land use and transportation. Aaron Naparstek of Streetsblog and Clarence Eckerson of Streetfilms will be in attendance as TSTC honors their organizations for consistently being at the forefront of transit, pedestrian, bicycling, and livable community issues and filling a critical gap in a changing media landscape.

Over the last year, the Campaign has catalyzed major reform in Connecticut, helped preserve transit service for millions of New Yorkers, kept wasteful road widenings in check, and watchdogged the federal stimulus. Campaign reports have helped spark and inform debate on topics like cross-Hudson transit and expansion of the New Jersey Turnpike. Readership of their blog, Mobilizing the Region, has also grown by 50% over the last year.

You can learn more about the Annual Benefit and purchase tickets, sponsorship packages, and journal ads at the TSTC website.

Vision Long Island Seeking Fall Interns

Vision Long Island is seeking unpaid interns for Fall 2009. We had such success with our Summer interns that we've decided to continue our internship program into the school year. If you are interested in suburban/urban planning, community development, local government, or sustainability, consider working for us part time during your next semester.

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 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.

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. 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 and universities interested in learning more are encouraged to contact us at info@visionlongisland.org. You are welcome to include a resume and/or letter. Please put "Fall 2009 Internships" in the subject heading.

Long Island Garlic Festival in Riverhead

This weekend, from 10am-6pm, come to Riverhead for the 6th Annual Long Island Garlic Festival. Hosted by Garden of Eve Organic Farmstand (located at 4558 Sound Avenue at Northville Turnpike), the Garlic Festival is an all-day celebration featuring a wide variety of garlic inspired foods, crafts, music, theater, and just plain garlic. Participate in the Great Garlic Cook-off! Admission is free is you bring a dish to enter. Enjoy live music both days with the Terry Winchell Band and guest artists on Saturday, and Brady Rhymer on Sunday. Kids will love the children's games and play equipment, pumpkin picking, pony rides, hay rides, and animals to see and feed. If you have questions, email farmer@gardenofevefarm.com or visit the website for more information.

Huntington Restaurant Week Returns

Huntington Restaurant Week returns to the area once more on October 12th, drawing scores of hungry diners out to sample the local fare. The annual event entails more than fifty restaurants in the Huntington Village area offering some of their more popular dishes in discounted, prix fixe menus. Originally created to bring extra business to the Village during the time of year that restaurants traditionally see a dip in business, the event has proven quite popular among patrons as well as business owners, allowing people to sample food that they would normally deem too expensive.

The event will run for 12 days, ending on October 23rd. Be sure and make reservations today!

Long Island Naturally: Annual Environmental Fair this Saturday

Starflower Experiences and the Town of Huntington will present Long Island Naturally... An Environmental Fair (& Community Yard Sale) at Manor Farm, 210 Manor Rd, Huntington, this Saturday, September 26 from 10am-4pm. (Raindate is Sunday September 27.) At Long Island Naturally you can: enjoy live music (including "Solar Punch"), learn ways you can go green at home, meet experts on green cleaning, energy, and more, try games & activities, have a special VIP treat for grandparents with grandkids, meet Walt Whitman, paint a pumpkin, and decorate your own cloth napkin. There will also be a Community Yard Sale. If you want a space to sell your unwanted stuff, a space reservation form can be downloaded here. Plus, to help you reduce your household trash, at this event, bring old inkjet cartridges (any brand EXCEPT Epson), old cell phones or PDAs, and used household batteries. The focus is on understanding our relationship with the natural world—and to have fun learning about it!

Starflower Experiences is a not-for-profit educational organization that has been conducting environmental experiences in schools and other venues across Long Island for the past 19 years. The organization is known for exciting and motivating presentations and programs that end with the learner/participant examining how they can make changes in their own lives. Directions and more information can be found on their website.

A local artist has been making beautiful subway maps of some parts of New England. Check out this one from Northampton, Massachusetts.

What's the problem?

There is no subway in Northampton!

SMART GROWTH NEWS

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

We strive to provide continued quality publications such as this each week. If you are interested in becoming a newsletter or news blast sponsor, please call the office at 631-261-0242 for rates and opportunities. If you have any news or events that you would like to add to our newsletter, submit them to info@visionlongisland.org for consideration.

For more information about Vision Long Island, visit http://www.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