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Livingston Development Livingston Development is a New York-based development organization. They have been supporters of Smart Growth principles, as evidenced in their Glen Cove project, The Villas at Glen Cove. We thank them for their support.
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.
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Tickets and Sponsorships Still Available for the 2009 Smart Growth AWards!The 2009 Smart Growth Awards are less than 3 weeks away. Get your tickets now and join us for an exciting luncheon honoring some of Long Island's best.
The 2009 Smart Growth Awards will take place on Friday, June 19th from 11:30am-2:00pm at the Crest Hollow Country Club. Sponsorship packages are available. Be sure to register for the Awards by visiting www.visionlongisland.org and downloading a registration form. For more information, you can also contact our office at (631) 261-0242 or email info@visionlongisland.org. We look forward to seeing you there! To read about past winners or to find out more about the Awards, visit our website here SAVE THE DATE! Register Today!
SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES still AVAILABLE! • Visionary package includes: Logo in materials and advertisements, prominent full-page advertisement in journal, special recognition at event and on website, banner display, table for 10 Ads for Smart Growth Awards Journal also available - Reserve Yours Today
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Stakeholder Participation: Lori Baldassare of the Mount Sinai Heritage Center for the exceptional use of stakeholder participation in the planning of their facility and grounds.
Revitalizing Communities: Trammell Crow Residential is being honored for the Alexan at West Hempstead which will transform a blighted hotel into much-needed rental housing. 
Preserving Open Space: Lisa Ott of the North Shore Land Alliance is being honored for her efforts to pass environmental bond resolutions in multiple municipalities in Nassau and Suffolk
Mix of Uses: TRITEC is being honored for their development in the heart of downtown Patchogue, which includes office, retail, mixed-income housing, and a hotel.
Encouraging Walkability: Kingdom Family Holdings is honored for the Marquis at Mineola, a multifamily residential project in downtown Mineola that is part of the community's Master Plan. 
Providing a Range of Housing Types: The Nassau Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless will be honored for their work in helping Long Island’s homeless find sufficient housing and support services.
Creating a Sense of Place: Hon. Steve Flotteron and Hon. Phil Nolan of the Town of Islip are being honored for the reconstruction of the Bay Shore Marina, turning what was a large parking lot into a place for recreation. 
Compact Design: The Dennis Organization is being honored for Hawthorne Court, a multifamily housing project in Valley Stream which provides walkable access to the Valley Stream train station.
Providing Transportation Options: The Town of Brookhaven is receiving an award for the plan for the Ronkonkoma Hub, which will change zoning to allow for transit-oriented development and a variety of transportation options. 
Green Building & Energy Efficiency: The Village of Amityville is receiving the award for the green building renovations to Village Hall.
Providing Certainty: Glen Cove Mayor Ralph Suozzi will be receiving the award for making development decisions fair and predictable for the Glen Cove Master Plan. This plan successfully involves the community and lays the groundwork for multiple redevelopment projects from the waterfront to the downtown. 
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Get on the Bus!
These groups are partnering together to find the common ground that we see as universal and critical issues for our Long Island communities. We want to get a real focus on issues we need Albany to address, including sewers, transportation, energy, human services, and small business tax relief. In addition to meetings with Albany leadership, a press conference is planned at 1pm in the Albany press room. For more information, a press advisory is available here.
LIBN blogged on our trip this week. Next week's Smart Talk will include a full update of the trip! Lighthouse Update
Our federal Congress members are lobbying for transportation dollars for the Lighthouse. As Congress drafts the next transportation bill, which will fund federal surface transportation projects for the next six years, all four of Long Island's democratic Congress members requested the money be channeled into the Lighthouse project. They are asking for roadway improvements as well as mass transit improvements at the Hub. Read the story in Newsday. Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Bond Act of 2009
Significant environmental needs exist in every region of New York. Many water districts across the state that cannot meet federal water quality standards. Air pollutants impact our health every day. Many sewer and waste water management and treatment facilities across the State are in serious need of immediate improvements and upgrades. In Long Island, dozens of municipalities submitted proposals for federal stimulus dollars to repair or improve sewer capacity, though only two have been funded to date. Changes in our transportation and energy infrastructure are needed to mitigate air pollution from automobile emissions and industrial and energy smokestacks. Alternative and efficient energy systems must be used to power our State. Incentives to promote and nourish new transportation systems and energy efficiency technologies are needed. The most recent New York Clean Water, Clean Air Bond Act, passed by voters in 1996, ($1.75 Billion – Inflation adjusted, that’s equal to $2.85 Billion in 2008 dollars) helped change the State conservation landscape for the better. That funding source is exhausted and now our leaders must recommit to a healthy environmental future. The $5 billion could be allocated equally to five categories: clean water through watershed protection, clean water infrastructure, green jobs through energy efficiency, clean air and green transit, and urban health and community restoration. The Bond Act will position New York to be able to effectively build upon the investment of the Federal Stimulus Package, creating upwards of 100,000 additional jobs in New York over the course of its implementation. The environmental needs that currently exist far outweigh available funding. Without a new Bond Act, New York State cannot meet the expansive needs that far outpace environmental protection funding appropriated annually.NYS Commission on Asset Maximization Delivers Final Report
The Final Report develops a framework for identifying future asset maximization projects, assessing the value of these projects, and ensuring the protection of public policy values throughout the entire process. The recommendations span six asset classes ranging from transportation, social infrastructure, and higher education to energy, information technology, and underutilized property. The pilot projects were selected as potential demonstration projects for PPPs based upon the spending need addressed, cost savings delivered, the private sector’s ability to partner, and the project’s regulatory and political feasibility. Each of these projects could be delivered in an accelerated time frame by utilizing the alternative financing and procurement approaches presented in the report.
The Governor said, “We must identify creative funding solutions to help pay for the State’s vital infrastructure needs and this report has done just that. It will serve as an important first step to develop a broad, long-term plan that will help secure our State’s finances for years to come.” Read the press release here. Governors Respond to NYS Commission on Asset Maximization Final Report in Huffington Post
The post begins,
The powerhouse team of Governors assert that to mitigate community needs and under-resourced local governments, the way to go is Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). There is great demand for these types of partnerships at all levels. "By combining government oversight with private-sector efficiencies, we can build more projects; we can build them more quickly; we can improve services for our citizens; and we can lower costs for taxpayers. And by infusing billions of private-sector dollars into infrastructure, public-private partnerships would also put millions of Americans back to work." PPPs "will help unlock the resources we need to build a world-class infrastructure -- and restore America's competitiveness for decades to come." Read the article here. |
We're going to Albany! Vision has joined with Citizens Campaign for the Environment, AARP LI Chapter, Long Island Federation of Labor, Suffolk Community Council, Nassau-Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless, Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce, Huntington Chamber of Commerce, LI Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, LISTNET, Empire State Future and Tri-State Transportation Campaign to organize a Long Island Lobby Day, taking place this coming Monday, 6/8. We'll be taking a bus up with 60 people to demand some attention from our state lawmakers. 
Lighthouse Principal Charles Wang and President Michael Picker met with Governor Paterson in his Manhattan office this week and got some good news: the Governor supports the project. Picker told Newsday that Paterson "was quite knowledgeable about the project - he even finished our sentences a couple of times." Governor Paterson has assigned a member of his staff to help expedite the approval process. He also plans to help secure funding for state road improvements for the project, including the Meadowbrook Parkway and Hempstead Turnpike. Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray, who has come under some public criticism for the speed of the project's approval process, said of the meeting, "That's great news. In fact, tomorrow I'm going to ask Mr. Wang's permission to send the Lighthouse's environmental report to state agencies so they can start their review." Read more 
At the behest of our State partners, Empire State Future, Vision Long Island wrote to State leaders this week to urge the authorization of a $5 billion Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Bond Act before the end of the legislative session. This proposal would place the Bond Act on the General Election ballot on November 3, 2009. New Yorkers need a bold new initiative now to protect our drinking water, accelerate the pace of the State’s critical environmental protection programs, invest in new jobs to move New York toward energy security; and to make New York State the leader in the 21st Century green economy.
In October 2008, Governor Paterson created a Commission on Asset Maximization to broadly examine whether asset maximization can benefit the State, as well as whether any specific New York assets are suitable candidates for Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). The findings were released this week in a report citing 27 major recommendations to help create jobs, generate economic activity, protect labor rights, help the environment, and benefit state colleges and universities.
In response to the report's findings, NYS Governor David Paterson joined with Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to write a piece for the online newspaper The Huffington Post, entitled "The Time for Public-Private Partnerships is Now." |
Residents Call for Dissolution of Patchogue Village
On Wednesday, the New York State Senate passed a bill that will make it easier to cut or consolidate local government layers. Governor Paterson is expected to sign the bill into law.
Though lowering taxes and cutting through bureaucratic red tape is a favorable concept, the local response leaves room for pause. Hours after the Senate passed the bill, a website popped up called dissolvethevillage.org. The website begins, "We are your friends and neighbors living in the Incorporated Village of Patchogue. We believe that the Village government is an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy and it should be dissolved with all Village functions and services to be taken over by the Town of Brookhaven." To call a public hearing, the website must collect 2,000 signatures. After that, the Village and Town can develop a plan for dissolution to be put into a ballot initiative. Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri fought against the passage of the bill, saying that local government does a better job of offering services to residents and responding to their needs. Patchogue in particular has been an exemplar of good local politics on Long Island, with Mayor Pontieri dedicated to downtown revitalization. He has paved the way for new projects such as Tritec's New Village, which is being honored for a 2009 Smart Growth Award. According to Long Island Business News interviews with political operatives, Pontieri shouldn't be too concerned about his job: “this sort of thing is going to happen everywhere. That doesn’t mean the people will pay a whole lot of attention. Paul’s done a good job.” Read more at LIBN and the New York Times. CR-58 Plan Faces Controversy
“Complete Streets” legislation, which was initially sponsored by then-Senator Obama and failed by only 6 votes, has been reintroduced by Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and this time it is likely to pass. The federal government is finally beginning to see that our roadways are not simply “car sewers” but public rights of way that should enable all Americans, regardless of age or ability, the ability to use them safely to get from place to place. 21% of Americans 65 and older do not drive, many others are too young to drive, and there are many with disabilities that don’t allow them to drive. These people still need to get around and the current plan for County Route 58 does not provide them with any way to do so.
Suffolk County’s own Planning Commission voted unanimously to review this project. Vincent Taldone, commission representative from Riverhead, and other members have made design recommendations for County Route 58 consistent with those made by Vision. Suffolk County had not consulted with either the Riverhead Town Board or Town engineers until last week, according to members of the Town Board. The county’s own report on Smart Growth refers to consulting with the towns regarding projects such as this one and using innovative traffic calming design for commercial corridors. Suffolk County Department of Public Works is made up of professionals who know how to design safe, multi-modal roadways. They have done it for Straight Path in Wyandanch, County Route 16 in Ronkonkoma and County Route 80 in Mastic and Shirley. Why should Riverhead deserve less? A Federal Highway Administration review of the effectiveness of a wide variety of measures to improve pedestrian safety found that simply painting crosswalks on wide high-speed roads does not reduce pedestrian crashes. But measures that design the street with pedestrians in mind - sidewalks, raised medians, better bus stop placement, traffic-calming measures, and treatments for disabled travelers - all improve pedestrian safety. Features such as these can improve pedestrian safety by approximately 28%. Some features, such as medians, improve safety for all users: they enable pedestrians to cross busy roads in two stages, and reduce left-turning motorist crashes to near zero, a type of crash that also endangers bicyclists. Safety is not an amenity. Bike lanes are not just about recreational weekend riding. They are about allowing those who cannot or don’t want to drive a car a place to ride safely, they are about getting cars off the road. Safe places for busses to pull over out of traffic are not a luxury we can’t afford. They are critical for allowing the many who ride the bus a safe way to board and for those who are driving, a smoother ride that doesn’t require changing lanes every time the bus comes to a stop. Adequate sidewalks and street trees aren’t just beautification, they are allowing those in a wheelchair or those pushing a stroller a safe place to walk without fear of having to squeeze between utility poles and speeding cars. Yes, bike lanes and sidewalks cost money. Yes, acquiring space to put them takes time. But as Riverhead Town Councilman James Wooten said at the hearing, “Anything that’s worth doing is worth doing well, and this isn’t it [being done well].” The town has been dealing with this congested road for at least ten years; waiting a little longer to get a good road design rather than having to live with this road design for the next forty to fifty years is certainly worth it. Unfortunately the Suffolk County Executive is very critical of folks who are questioning the proposed design for County Road 58. For information about his response to the criticism, see LIBN's blog. At the end of the day, we would like to see the Town of Riverhead and citizens more involved in the planning process so this roadway can work for the entire Town not simply one set of interests. Read Long Island Business News' coverage of the event here.
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When conceiving Vision's 2009 April Fools Newsletter, a joke that never made it out of the idea room was a story that the County Governments had agreed to dissolve themselves in order to make the Island's complex governmental structure easier to navigate. We decided it might be a bit too harsh. Now, we are reading serious headlines calling for the dissolution of local governments in New York State--namely, Patchogue Village. 
Supporters of the bill say this is a significant step toward lowering tax burdens. According to the New York Times, "All told, there are more than 10,000 taxing entities in the state, ranging from special districts that provide volunteer fire departments to those responsible for disposing of duck waste or maintaining fallout shelters. Special districts are especially plentiful on Long Island, where they generate half the special district tax revenue in the state. Many districts are considered by critics to be little more than patronage mills."
Federal transportation policy is changing. Recently, the Federal Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development have teamed up with a “Sustainable Communities Initiative” which will coordinate land use and transportation planning to help create more “livable” communities. 
The current proposal for CR-58 in Riverhead is to turn the existing road, which is dangerous enough as it is, into an auto-only road with four travel lanes, a “flip-flop” left turn lane down the center (also known as a suicide lane), no shoulders and sidewalks interrupted by utility poles. At Wednesday’s meeting of the Suffolk County Planning Commission, Vision Long Island made the following recommendations: (the complete testimony is available |
Vision Featured in Stimulus Article
The article quoted: "We said, 'Here's the platinum version,' explained Vision Long Island director Eric Alexander of his group's pricey suggestion to state economic recovery officials last winter. 'If you get copper or silver, it's better than nothing.'" Read the article here. |
Vision Long Island was |
Pediatricians Support Smarter Growth
With 32% of American children overweight, the need for daily physical activity becomes key. Because of the built environment, many children cannot walk to school or walk to a neighborhood park or open space to play with friends. Smart Growth communities address the need for walkable neighborhoods, and it is exciting to see doctors prescribing Smart Growth! Read the statement here. Arizona Considers High Speed, Solar-Powered Rail
The system was proposed by Solar Bullet LLC, founded by Bill Gaither and Raymond Wright. Wright explained “It’s basically a solar-generating station that happens to be symbiotically co-located with a train.” The 110 megawatts of electricity needed to power the trains would come from solar panels, mounted in a covered bridge-like fashion above the tracks. The energy could also help power nearby communities. At 220mph, the bullet train would travel the 115 miles between Tuscon and Phoenix in 30 minutes, a drive that can take about 2 hours. There will be 4 tracks, with the inside two reserved for nonstop travel and the outer two to make a few local stops along the way. This will be the first phase of the project, which could eventually extend south to the U.S. Mexico border, north to the Grand Canyon, or even connect to the high speed rail lines proposed for California. The developers may experiment with commuter passenger rail before implementing the solar-powered trains. Because the project involves building new train tracks, this will be a very timely, expensive process. Estimates are at about $27 billion for the first phase, which will admittedly be very hard to secure. Though the project is still in the early planning stages, Arizona has been talking about passenger rail for at least a decade. The State DOT is currently undergoing a concept study for the solar train plan using a federal grant. Read more at Inhabitat and aztransit.com. |
Last week, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a policy statement citing the strong statistical and qualitative link between healthy children and healthy land use. The group "encourages pediatricians to work with parents to promote more walkable, livable communities" and "calls on cities, states, and the US government to plan for and invest in communities that best advance the health, safety, and well being of American families." Richard Jackson, Professor and Chair of Environmental Health Sciences at UCLA School of Public Health, said, “It is, to my knowledge, the first time a health organization has made such an authoritative and direct statement about the healthfulness or hazards of the design of communities that children grow up in.” 
President Obama agrees that high speed rail will improve Americans' quality of life while bringing the United States up to par with other countries. As the plans unfold throughout the country to use the billions of dollars available for high speed rail in the stimulus package, one plan stands out: Arizona has proposed to connect its major cities using solar-powered high speed bullet trains. |
Attend a Public Hearing on JUne 9th to Protect Suffolk County's Drinking Water Protection Program
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S Copenhagen Bakery's 5th Annual Food Festival Postponed to June 12th
There will be great auction prizes including a Nintendo Wii game system, a bicycle, unicycle, and 2 tickets to see a show of your choice at Theater Three in Port Jefferson. There are also gift certificates to Gotham Comedy Club, Atlantis Marine World, Baseball Hall of Fame Museum, Maroni's Restaurant, Circle Line Cruise, and Adventureland Amusement Park. Much more to come! Come down and support this great local shop! Pine Barrens Discovery Day is June 13th
If you register before June 10th, tickets are $5 per person and $20 per group (4-6 people). After June 10th prices rise to $8 per person and $25 per group. For more information call (631) 224-2604 or email mgriffiths@pb.state.ny.us. Register online here. Thursday's Child of Long Island Spring Gala set for June 17th
The gala will honor Long Islanders who have made unique contributions to Thursday's Child, including Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy and members of the Suffolk County Legislature, Cameron Alden, Jon Cooper, Lou D'Amaro, Jack Eddington, DuWayne Gregory, and Lynne Nowick. The fund raiser will take place at Flowerfield Celebrations, 199 Mills Pond Road in St. James. Sponsorships are available and individual tickets are $75-100. Call (631) 447-5044 or see the Thursday's Child website for more info. African American Media Network Presents Strong Island Live June 24th-28th
Three performance locations in the area will air on channel 18. Bands must be live: no background CDs! To register or for more information, call 516-478-4334 or 516-503-6282, or see the website here. GreenStreet LI Update and Upcoming Events
In June, GreenStreet LI is promoting several exciting events related to the green movement. Their own event takes place this Saturday, June 6th, with a Kids Eco-Show from 3-6pm at the Center Court in the Walt Whitman Mall. Meet students from Massapequa and Wyandanch High Schools and Trinity Lutheran Middle School as they show off what they are doing for Long Island's environment. Other upcoming events include the Amagansett Arts and Crafts Fair & Nautical Mile Festival in Freeport this Saturday 6/6; Harborfest in Port Washington this Sunday 6/7, Franklin Square Kiwanis Club Street Fair 6/13, Manhasset Street Festival in Munsey Park 6/13 and 6/14, Montauk Street Festival 6/14, Mattituck Strawberry Festival on 6/19, Seaford Railroad Festival on 6/20, Oceanside Country Fair on 6/27, Lynbrook Street Fair 6/28, and Rockville Centre Street Fair 6/28. These events will all support healthy communities and green living, and of course will be a lot of fun! Check out greenstreetli.com to learn more about green living! |
On Friday, June 12th, from 4-8pm, Northport's beloved 
Saturday, June 13th is Pine Barrens Discovery Day! From 9am-3pm, learn about Long Island's most important natural area by experiencing it first hand. Participate in nature walks, kids camp games and activities, presentations, and educational workshops for the whole family. Exhibitors include:Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Suffolk County Water Authority, Riverhead Foundation, Long Island Greenbelt Trail, Eastern Long Island Audubon Society, Quality Parks, and Friends of the Big Duck. The event will take place at Suffolk County Community College -- Eastern Campus, 121 Speonk-Riverhead Road in Riverhead. Rain date is June 14th.
On Wednesday, June 17th from 6:30-9:30pm, Thursday's Child of Long Island presents their Spring Champagne Gala to benefit their new children's summer program, "A Day of Fun in the Sun at the Long Island Game Farm," part of an initiative called Safety Net Project which provides an array of family services designed to maintain medical care and personal dignity for HIV/AIDS patients. Thursday's Child is an HIV/AIDS community service charity that reaches out and provides assistance to hundreds of Long Island families each year who are living with this disease. This event celebrates 20 years of service to the community. 
The Long Island based African American Media Network will be hosting "Strong Island Live" music festival from June 24-28. Several days of live music performances will include gospel, rock, rap, R&B, jazz, blues, reggae, and salsa. These genres will compete for prizes including studio time, a music video, and cash. 
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Eyesore of the Month Maybe it's a sign of the downturn in the economy, but we think this vast and empty parking lot by the Westbury Target is a clear mandate that so much asphalt is excessive and unnecessary any day.
Sight for Sore Eyes - Car Bus Art Have a few cars laying around that you don't need anymore? Artists in Sweden have a creative solution involving mass transit. Read more about it in Inhabitat, but we think the pictures speak for themselves.
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10th Annual Hounds on the Sound 3K Dog Walk and Adoption Event
Village Square Farmers Market and Craft Fair in Glen Cove For more information, or if you'd like to be a vendor, email info@glencovedowntown.org. |
Support Save-A-Pet Animal Rescue by participating in a 3K dog walk in downtown Port Jefferson, this Sunday June 7th from 10am-3pm. There will be live music, food, vendors, contests, raffles, and prizes. Spend the day with other animal-lovers and meet the animals for adoption from Save-A-Pet. Registration is $30 each and includes a free t-shirt and gift bag. For more information call Save-A-Pet Animal Rescue at 631-473-6333 or |
"Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still." - fortune cookie |
SMART GROWTH NEWS Newsletter Editor: Michelle Dutchen, Director of Communications 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: |
