On Thursday, September 13th the WSCA met for the first time since June. Following is a rundown of the issues discussed...

CELL TOWER AT WEST SAYVILLE FIRE STATION

West Sayville Fire Department has filed a new application to build a cell tower in the parking lot of the main station house in West Sayville. A visual study was completed in late August using a crane. The result of the study was a reduction of the proposed tower height from 140 feet to 120 feet. We have not seen the new application but there were a  number of things the fire department still needed to do on the last application in order to fully comply with the town's ordinance's regarding cell towers. A planning board  meeting will be held at Town Hall to give the public an opportunity to be heard. We will inform everyone of the dates and times of those meetings.

NYCONN PROPERTY, C.E.E.S. and the IMPLEMENTATION OF GREEN’S CREEK WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN

Suffolk County has finally closed on the purchase of the NYCONN property. This is great news except that a 50 foot swath on the southwest corner was withheld by the owner. We believe that plans may be in the works to use the acreage to create an entrance or exit road to the currently landlocked Green’s Creek Marina. We have requested numerous times that the D.E.C. flag the freshwater wetlands so we can use the information to prevent any road from being built since the required setbacks for building next to freshwater wetlands are much stricter than for saltwater wetlands. We’ll keep you posted.

The C.E.E.S. arm of the WSCA is busy working with Suffolk County Legislator, Bill Lindsay, Maria Brown of Sayville High School and the Long Island Chapter of the Audubon Society to put together a stewardship program for the newly acquired NYCONN property on Atlantic Avenue. C.E.E.S. has received grant monies by NY State to create a native planting program in conjunction with Sayville High School’s AP Environmental Studies program. Oliver Hull is also busy working with C.E.E.S. and the Peconic Baykeeper  on a native planting symposium to be held on March 8th. The aim of the program is to educate the public on invasive versus native plantings as well as methods that can be used by residents to cut down on non-point source pollution (runoff). Mark down the date on your calendars  now! This is a very exciting program that shouldn't be missed. 

In the coming months the W.S.C.A. will also be keeping pressure on the Town of Islip to implement the plans set forth in last years Greene's Creek Watershed Management Plan. We have been told that federal funds are available for municipalities to draw on when creating storm water runoff mitigation programs. Letters from residents always helps when trying to secure grants for these projects.

ROLLSTONE ESTATES

We have been informed that the Rollstone Estates subdivision application will be presented at the September 20th town planning board meeting at Islip Town Hall at 7:30 p.m.

PLANNED PRESERVATION DISTRICT FOR WEST SAYVILLE WATERFRONT

Over the summer the WSCA has been discussing with the town the possibility of creating a planned preservation marine district at the foot of Atlantic and West Avenues. Current management plans created by New York State and the South Shore Estuary Reserve Council have stressed the importance of preserving the remaining commercial working waterfronts in the Town of Islip. The implementation of historic maritime districts brings with it tax incentives for homeowners as well as businesses. The Preservation League of New York has expressed some interest in helping create a program and the Town of Islip has agreed to submit an application for the Preservation League’s Seven to Save Program. This is a great opportunity for West Sayville should we be chosen.

SAYVILLE CIVIC ASSOCIATION

On August 16th the newly formed Sayville Civic Association held it’s first meeting at the Sayville Library. They were impelled to organize after learning that an application for a multi-story storage facility to be built behind the Sayville Synagogue was submitted to the town. The application has since been dropped.

Our next meeting is Thursday, October 4th.

We are hoping to have Ginny Fields as our guest speaker. Please check the website for updates. In order to bring more people out to the general meetings we are trying to line up guest speakers. If anyone has any ideas of possible guests, let us know and we’ll invite them.