Huntington Supervisor Ed Smyth could face primary over Melville housing

Daily Point

Residents file lawsuit over 'overlay district' which could add rental apartments   

The legal and political backlash to last year’s approval of an "overlay district" in Melville that could revitalize a struggling business corridor and provide more housing is ramping up quickly. Two Melville residents have filed a lawsuit, arguing that the plan lacks a full environmental study.

But the political pushback is potentially more significant: Huntington Town Supervisor Ed Smyth, a Republican, is facing a primary battle from town council member Brooke Lupinacci — with the fight regarding the overlay district taking center stage.

Lupinacci opposes the creation of the district, which would allow for additional development, including repurposing some of the Quadrangle office buildings into housing. Lupinacci was the only council member to vote against the Melville plan last year. On her "Save Huntington" website, Lupinacci said she has "fought to protect our suburban quality of life by opposing the current Supervisor’s effort to build thousands of high-density rental apartments in Huntington, which will hike taxes by over $20 million to pay for it."

That figure seems to come from the Half Hollow Hills school district, which last year opposed the Melville plan and suggested that 3,000 additional residential units could add 640 students to the district. But the plan approved in December included a maximum of 1,500 units. Even after the master plan is in place, any applications for individual developments would still require separate approvals.

Both Smyth and Lupinacci, who is not related to former Huntington Town Supervisor Chad Lupinacci, head slates that include two other town board candidates. Lupinacci is running with former council member Eugene Cook and former town Zoning Board of Appeals chair John Posillico. Smyth is running with current council member Dave Bennardo and attorney Greg Grizopoulos.

Lupinacci also has criticized a town board vote that realigned staffing to establish a single call center, rather than employing separate aides for each council member. On social media, Lupinacci characterized the vote as a move to "fire all of my office staff members."

"This is an illegal act of using government resources for political retaliation," Lupinacci said in a statement posted to social media. In automated responses to constituents through her council email address, she says that "the Supervisor and his Board terminated my staff members."

"Accordingly, I respectfully ask for your patience in receiving a response as my office is currently deprived of the resources needed for me to fully operate and serve my constituents in an expedient manner," Lupinacci wrote.

Lupinacci, who has said she has obtained more than enough signatures to get on the June primary ballot, held a fundraiser last week that provided "sponsorships" for donations between $250 and $1,000.

— Randi F. Marshall randi.marshall@newsday.com

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Data Point

Data: Most crashes on LI roads happen in the evenings

Are Long Islanders in a hurry to get home?

The highest share of motor vehicle crashes on Long Island roads last year took place during the evening rush hour.

Around 31.3% of all reported crashes in 2024 — 23,182 in total — took place between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., analysis of state Department of Transportation data shows. This mirrors the rate of crashes in 2023, when 26,478 or 31.5% of all reported crashes took place during the evening rush.

Evening commuters are more likely to be fatigued after a long day of work than when they're driving the same route in the morning. In 2024, the morning rush hour between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. was the time slot with the least number of reported crashes at 15.1% of the total. In 2023, that share was also minimal at 14.8%.

But the most deadly time to drive on Long Island was at night.

More than half of all reported fatalities during crashes happened late at night. Around 52.8% of deaths through car collisions in 2024 were reported between 7 p.m. and 3 a.m. Considering that 2024 data is preliminary, this figure is likely higher. In 2023, it was reported that 76.4% of all road fatalities on Long Island took place after the evening rush hour.

These trends are not unique to Long Island. A National Safety Council report noted that while drivers in the U.S. only do 25% of their driving at night, around 50% of fatalities are reported during these hours.

Newsday’s yearlong series on Long Island’s dangerous roads investigates why more than 2,000 people have died and over 16,000 seriously injured in the last decade.

— Karthika Namboothiri karthika.namboothiri@newsday.com

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