Civic groups divided over potential Wyandanch tech development

Two neighboring civic associations are on opposite sides of the fence over a potential commercial development in Wyandanch that abuts a Wheatley Heights neighborhood.

The proposed Suffolk Technology Center would be built on Wyandanch property owned by Pinelawn Cemetery, which would lease the undeveloped land to Bristol Group, a San Francisco-based developer.

The project would encompass nine buildings on nearly 99 acres, according to a fact sheet distributed by Bristol to the civic associations, Concerned Taxpayers of Wheatley Heights/Dix Hills and Concerned Citizens of Wyandanch. It would run from Little East Neck Road to North 28th Street and from south of Circle Drive to Long Island Avenue.

According to the sheet, the development would be a “Class-A business park catering to small and medium-sized businesses” and bring an estimated 2,000 permanent jobs.

For Pam Doughty, who said the development would be less than 300 feet from her Circle Drive backyard, that’s too much and too close.

“It’s a quiet residential area, hardworking families, and we’re just appalled that Pinelawn wants to develop this land to make an industrial park,” said Doughty, a member of Concerned Taxpayers of Wheatley Heights/Dix Hills. “You’re tearing up a community without any consideration for that community.”

Concerned Taxpayers of Wheatley Heights/Dix Hills also lists pollution and heavy truck and employee traffic among their reasons for opposing the project.

Before the development can go forward, Pinelawn must get approval from the state cemetery board to lease the land.

In response to questions from Newsday, a public relations firm emailed statements from Bristol and Pinelawn. Pinelawn noted the state review is separate from “any environmental review by the Town.” Bristol reiterated points from its fact sheet, and said if the lease is approved, “we will continue in our commitment to ongoing community input during the Town’s planning review process.”

The fact sheet states that the site will go from paying zero property tax to generating annual taxes of $3.1 million for the Wyandanch school district, $300,000 for the library, $200,000 for the ambulance corp. and $160,000 for the fire district. Bristol is also promising $1.5 million in roadway improvements.

The Concerned Citizens of Wyandanch supports the technology center, as long as streets are enhanced, green spaces preserved and noise buffers provided, said president Latesha Walker.

“We don’t have any major revenue base here, so there’s really nothing for our families to pull from for economic power,” Walker said. “Wheatley Heights/Dix Hills is not struggling … we’re trying to get to that level and I think the Bristol project can assist with that.”

Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer said he is excited about the project. He said Bristol told officials the developer is not seeking a tax abatement from the town IDA, so more tax dollars will go directly into the community. Residents’ worries will be addressed and public hearings held once the town receives an application from Bristol, Schaffer said.

“If we’ve got an opportunity to expand our tax base without disrupting everyone’s quality of life and the concerns they have raised are addressable, it’s a no-brainer to me,” Schaffer said. “We’ve got to be able to do that in these very tough economic times.”