Smithtown weighs zone change for $220M Kings Park complex, with 10% for affordable housing
Town residents are divided over a plan to develop Country Pointe Estates at Kings Park on 71.1 acres of land, as seen here. Credit: Joseph Sperber
The developer behind a $220 million luxury housing project in Kings Park is vying for a zone change that would pave the way for its ultimate approval, but the plan has sparked contentious debate over the project's impact on the community.
The Beechwood Organization is requesting a zone change for Country Pointe Estates, a 288-unit development that would span 71.1 acres on the corner of Old Northport and Lawrence Roads. The Town of Smithtown currently zones the area for single-family residential housing, but the developer needs it to be rezoned to allow for a mix of residential units, according to the town code.
Smithtown planning officials last week closed a public hearing on the proposal to rezone the area for planned residential development. The planning board's chairwoman, Barbara DeSorbe, said the board won't make a recommendation on the change before a final environmental assessment is submitted.
A May 7 public hearing on the proposal at the Smithtown Senior Center highlighted divisions among town residents. While some speakers said they were concerned about overdevelopment and the potential for traffic jams, others said it was crucial to diversify the hamlet's housing stock. Kings Park mostly is home to single-family homes with three or four bedrooms. In March, the town approved a master plan for downtown Kings Park that promotes mixed-use development and higher-density housing.
Country Pointe would have 53 single-family homes, 153 townhomes and 82 villas, according to Beechwood. A total of 29 units will be reserved for affordable housing. The site is the former home of a concrete manufacturing and sand mining operation, according to the draft environmental impact statement.
Vincent Pizzulli, an attorney representing Beechwood, spoke about the project's benefits during the hearing.
Pizzulli said the town needs more options than “traditional single family housing.”
“The proposed projects will meet the needs of these segments of the population by providing additional opportunities,” for additional groups Pizzulli told board members.
Beechwood is preparing its responses for the final environmental impact statement and plans to submit them by the end of May.
Beechwood has scaled back the proposal since introducing it. Initially, the developer called for 391 units of housing at the property, Newsday reported in March.
Some residents said they supported the project.
Bruce Waldner, of Kings Park, encouraged the board to approve the zone change.
“This project offers some exciting enhancements for the Kings Park community,” Waldner said at the meeting.
Diane Motherway, a resident and executive director of the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce, said from a business perspective, the proposal “is a home run for the Kings Park community.”
Steven Dubb, president and principal of the Beechwood Organization, said in a statement Tuesday that the company hopes to complete the final environmental review "in the next month or so."
"We’ve worked closely with both the Town and community stakeholders throughout this process and will continue to do so,” Dubb said.
Opponents said they worried about the potential for traffic and questioned the development's economic benefit.
Joshua Catone, of Kings Park, said he did not understand how the project could help to revitalize downtown Kings Park “when it’s not even walkable to downtown.”
“How is putting this site so far away from downtown Kings Park, with its on-site amenities, actually going to help any of the businesses or residents of Kings Park?” Catone said at the hearing.
Carol Steger, who lives near the proposed development, also expressed concern about traffic woes.
“How are they going to guarantee that as I’m pulling out of my driveway, that these people are not going to go … up my block?” Steger said.
The developer behind a $220 million luxury housing project in Kings Park is vying for a zone change that would pave the way for its ultimate approval, but the plan has sparked contentious debate over the project's impact on the community.
The Beechwood Organization is requesting a zone change for Country Pointe Estates, a 288-unit development that would span 71.1 acres on the corner of Old Northport and Lawrence Roads. The Town of Smithtown currently zones the area for single-family residential housing, but the developer needs it to be rezoned to allow for a mix of residential units, according to the town code.
Smithtown planning officials last week closed a public hearing on the proposal to rezone the area for planned residential development. The planning board's chairwoman, Barbara DeSorbe, said the board won't make a recommendation on the change before a final environmental assessment is submitted.
A May 7 public hearing on the proposal at the Smithtown Senior Center highlighted divisions among town residents. While some speakers said they were concerned about overdevelopment and the potential for traffic jams, others said it was crucial to diversify the hamlet's housing stock. Kings Park mostly is home to single-family homes with three or four bedrooms. In March, the town approved a master plan for downtown Kings Park that promotes mixed-use development and higher-density housing.
Country Pointe would have 53 single-family homes, 153 townhomes and 82 villas, according to Beechwood. A total of 29 units will be reserved for affordable housing. The site is the former home of a concrete manufacturing and sand mining operation, according to the draft environmental impact statement.
Vincent Pizzulli, an attorney representing Beechwood, spoke about the project's benefits during the hearing.
Pizzulli said the town needs more options than “traditional single family housing.”
“The proposed projects will meet the needs of these segments of the population by providing additional opportunities,” for additional groups Pizzulli told board members.
Beechwood is preparing its responses for the final environmental impact statement and plans to submit them by the end of May.
Beechwood has scaled back the proposal since introducing it. Initially, the developer called for 391 units of housing at the property, Newsday reported in March.
Some residents said they supported the project.
Bruce Waldner, of Kings Park, encouraged the board to approve the zone change.
“This project offers some exciting enhancements for the Kings Park community,” Waldner said at the meeting.
Diane Motherway, a resident and executive director of the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce, said from a business perspective, the proposal “is a home run for the Kings Park community.”
Steven Dubb, president and principal of the Beechwood Organization, said in a statement Tuesday that the company hopes to complete the final environmental review "in the next month or so."
"We’ve worked closely with both the Town and community stakeholders throughout this process and will continue to do so,” Dubb said.
Opponents said they worried about the potential for traffic and questioned the development's economic benefit.
Joshua Catone, of Kings Park, said he did not understand how the project could help to revitalize downtown Kings Park “when it’s not even walkable to downtown.”
“How is putting this site so far away from downtown Kings Park, with its on-site amenities, actually going to help any of the businesses or residents of Kings Park?” Catone said at the hearing.
Carol Steger, who lives near the proposed development, also expressed concern about traffic woes.
“How are they going to guarantee that as I’m pulling out of my driveway, that these people are not going to go … up my block?” Steger said.
'Just disappointing and ... sad' The proportion of drivers who refused to take a test after being pulled over by trained officers doubled over five years. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.
'Just disappointing and ... sad' The proportion of drivers who refused to take a test after being pulled over by trained officers doubled over five years. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.
