Brookhaven plans to buy 20-acre wooded plot in Moriches, preserve it as open space

Brookhaven Town officials are in negotiations to buy an undeveloped 20-acre parcel in Moriches that they plan to preserve as open space with the help of a $650,000 state grant.

The wooded plot near Ely Creek at the headwaters of the Forge River will help stem persistent flooding in the area by absorbing stormwater and dispersing it away from roads and homes, town officials said.

The Moriches site would be one of numerous pieces of real estate purchased in recent years by Brookhaven as part of a strategy to limit flooding by preserving undeveloped marshland and open spaces.

The site is south of the intersection of Montauk Highway and Frowein Road and north of Long Island Rail Road tracks, town officials said. 

Brookhaven Town Attorney Annette Eaderesto said the state grant would cover "less than half" the expected purchase price for the property.

“We’re still negotiating the final purchase price,” Eaderesto said. “We’ve had our eye on this for quite awhile.”

Eaderesto and Brookhaven Councilwoman Karen Dunne Kesnig said the property is owned by More Riches Realty LLC of Garden City.

More Riches Realty is managed by Garden City real estate developer Breslin Realty, president Kenneth Breslin said Tuesday in an email. "The property owned by More Riches Realty LLC has not been listed for sale and no other comment will be made at this time," he wrote.

The state grant was the only one awarded to a Long Island community from among $16 million worth of Climate Smart Communities Grant awards announced last month by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. The climate smart grants are funded by the 2022 Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act.

The program's aim is to help localities adapt to climate change and establish projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the DEC said in a news release.

“Municipalities that participate in the Climate Smart Communities Grant program are taking local climate action to reduce pollution and protect New Yorkers from severe weather and other climate impacts,” interim DEC Commissioner Sean Mahar said in a statement. “Reducing harmful emissions while advancing climate equity in communities statewide is critical to improving health and quality of life for residents."

The DEC news release said the grant for Brookhaven would help the town "protect a well field, mitigate impacts from sea level rise and provide flood mitigation during severe storm events."

Eaderesto said those goals would be achieved by ensuring the Moriches site remained undeveloped to serve as a natural repository of floodwater.

The property is zoned for 2-acre residential development, meaning a developer could have built up to 10 homes there, Eaderesto said, adding she was unaware of any plans to develop the site.

By Carl MacGowan

carl.macgowan@newsday.comCarlMacGowan

Carl MacGowan is a Long Island native who covers Brookhaven Town after having previously covered Smithtown, Suffolk County courts and numerous spot news and feature stories over his 20-plus year career at Newsday.