Sustainable Long Island
August 2014
Sustainable Long Island Newsletter
The one-stop-shop...
For all Sustainable Long Island news! 
In This Issue
Long Beach Listens: Boardwalk Development Phase 2
Demand for Farmers Markets' Increase
Fifth Year High School Fellowship Concludes
Green Space Eyed for Senior Apartments
Preparing for a Changing Climate
What is the True Cost of Free Parking?
Board of Directors

Charlotte Biblow, Esq: President
Farrell Fritz, P.C.
---------------

Lauren Furst: Executive Vice President

Pathways to Wealth, LLC 

---------------

Robert Bernard: Treasurer 

Capital One Bank

---------------

Lennard Axinn: Secretary 

Island Estates

---------------

Russ Albanese

Albanese Organization Inc.
---------------   
Jeff Arestivo  Citibank
----------------
Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III
SUNY College at Old Westbury

---------------   

Dr. Miriam K. Deitsch

Farmingdale State College,
State University of New York

--------------- 

Jeff Kraut

North Shore - LIJ Health System

---------------

Kevin McDonald

The Nature Conservancy
---------------
Ruth Negr
�n-Gaines
---------------
Lidija Nikolic
Bank of America

---------------

Mitchell H. Pally

Long Island Builders Institute

--------------- 

Charles Rich

CA Rich Consultants, Inc.

---------------  
Dr. Robert Scott

Adelphi University 

---------------

Ron Shiffman

Pratt Institute

---------------

 

NEWSLETTER SPONSOR
If you or your organization wishes to be a future enewsletter sponsor, please email [email protected] for rates and opportunities.
Join Our Mailing List
Reading this newsletter, but not on our mailing list?
Join Today!

Long Beach Listens: Boardwalk Development Phase 2  

Widespread community engagement again part of boardwalk development 


Approximately one full year after the initial opening of the new Long Beach Boardwalk, the City is again seeking input from residents and business owners. In conjunction with Sustainable Long Island, the City will be hosting a series of focus group sessions along with online surveys to help determine what the next steps will be in rebuilding the 2.2-mile Long Beach Boardwalk. Phase 2 of Boardwalk Development will focus on potential amenities and activities that will assist in making the Boardwalk a true, "family friendly destination" for our residents. 

 

Focus Groups will be taking place from 7:00pm-9:00pm on the following dates:

  • Monday, August 18 - Central District Residents - Long Beach Public Library's 2nd Floor Auditorium (111 W. Park Ave.)
  • Wednesday, August 20 - West End Residents - West End Community Center (91 Maryland Ave.)
  • Thursday, August 21 - East End Residents - East Elementary School (456 Neptune Blvd.)

"Though the City has undertaken a multitude of critical infrastructure repair projects since Superstorm Sandy, none drew more attention then the rebuilding of our iconic boardwalk," said City Council Vice President Fran Adelson. "Given how deep everyone's connection is with the boardwalk, community feedback was something this City Council said should be an absolutely essential part of the process."

 

"This administration prides itself on being open and transparent, and the Long Beach Listens initiative is a prime example of that," said City Councilman Len Torres. "We are extremely interested in hearing what everyone has to say about what they would like to see on the new boardwalk - these focus groups and surveys will play an integral role in determining what Long Beach will really look like in the future."

 

Last year, the City of Long Beach and Sustainable Long Island hosted Boardwalk Redevelopment focus groups open to all members of the community. Residents were encouraged to attend and provide input on what was most important to them during the rebirth of the legendary landmark.

 

Based on that community input, the new boardwalk was built using a strong, sustainable tropical hardwood in conjunction with concrete in the highest trafficked areas.

 

As 88% of survey respondents requested, this design is far stronger and more durable than the materials previously used. The new boardwalk also requires significantly less maintenance as the new wooden planks have a 30-40 year lifespan as compared to the 3-7 year lifespan of the old boardwalk planks. Other features include a retaining wall with vinyl/fiberglass sheeting that combines with stringers & supports secured beneath the boardwalk. This wall, underneath the boardwalk, was built to mitigate wave action from passing the south side of the boardwalk, thus preventing the same type of damage resulting from Superstorm Sandy. Additionally, the boardwalk has new aluminum pipe railing and nostalgic, old-time lighting poles and fixtures.

 

The cost to build the $42M boardwalk was completely covered by both Federal and State recovery funds, thanks to the assistance of U.S. Senator Charles Schumer and New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo.

 

"Our historic boardwalk is really a symbol of some of the things that make our City of Long Beach great. It serves as a source of recreation and enjoyment, special events, and lifelong memories for hundreds of thousands of people each year," said City Council President Scott J. Mandel. "Because of that, the City Council believes it is so important that we continue the rebuilding process in the same manner by which we started by seeking input from our community so our boardwalk truly reflects the needs, spirit and vision of our residents as a collaborative project."

 

Earlier this summer, the Long Beach Boardwalk was named the number one destination on the entire island in Newsday's "Top 50 things to do on Long Island."

 

For more information regarding the focus groups or to take the survey online, please visit LongBeachListens.com.

 

Demand for Farmers' Markets Increase

Many projects thriving throughout Nassau/Suffolk County  


The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced last week that USDA's National Farmers Market Directory now lists 8,268 markets, an increase of 76 percent since 2008. The data reflects continued demand and growth of farmers markets in every region of the country.

As we head into the dog days of summer, local farmers' markets across Long Island are in full swing. Sustainable Long Island's partner markets have been open the past few weeks offering everything from
beets to broccoli; cabbage to cucumbers; and spinach to squash. Below is a friendly reminder of their hours of operation; we encourage you to come stop by!

  • Greater Bellport Community Youth Market
    • Community Partner: Boys & Girls Club of the Bellport Area, Greater Bellport Coalition
    • Open Saturdays, 11AM- 4PM, 7/12- 10/18
    • Boys & Girls Club of the Bellport Area, 471 Atlantic Avenue, Bellport, NY 11713
  • Flanders Farm Fresh Food Market
    • Community Partner: Town of Southampton
    • Open Saturdays, 10AM-2PM, 6/21- 10/18
    • David W. Crohan Community Center, 655 Flanders Road, Flanders, NY 11901
  • Freeport Community Farmers' Market
    • Community Partner: Cedarmore Corporation
    • Open Saturdays, 11AM- 4PM, 7/12- 10/25
    • Freeport Recreation Center (parking lot), 130 E. Merrick Road, Freeport, NY 11520

 

  • New Cassel Farmers' Market
    • Community Partner: Unified New Cassel Community Revitalization Corporation
    • Open Saturdays, 11AM- 3PM, 7/26- 11/22
    • First Baptist Cathedral of Westbury, 212 Garden Street, Westbury, NY 11590
  • Roosevelt Community Farmers' Market
    • Community Partner: Roosevelt Community Revitalization Group
    • Open Sundays, 11AM- 4PM, 7/13- 10/26
    • Roosevelt/Freeport Family Center, 380 Nassau Road, Roosevelt, NY 11575
  • Shiloh Community Farmers' Market
    • Community Partner:  Wyandanch Community Development Corporation, New Shiloh Baptist Church
    • Open Saturdays, 1PM-4PM, 7/12- 10/18
    • New Shiloh Baptist Church, 221 Merritt Avenue, Wyandanch, NY 11575
  • Spinney Hill Farmers' Market
    • Community Partner: North Shore LIJ, Office of Sustainability and Social Responsibility
    • Open Sundays, 9AM- 2PM, 7/12- 10/18
    • North Shore LIJ Parking Lot (across from Spinney Hill apartment complex), 125 Community Drive, Great Neck, NY 11021
Fifth Year High School Fellowship Concludes

Highlighted by field trips and a guest speaker series 


Sustainable Long Island's High School Fellowship Program recently wrapped up its fifth year of engaging young adults in planning for the future.

The focus of this year's High School Fellowship was recycling, solar energy, green infrastructure and community agriculture, as well as additional sustainable development issues. Over the summer of 2014 - the last few months of this year's Fellowship - Malachi, Melchizedek, Kimberly, and Shanayia enjoyed a variety of field trips and guest speaker presentations that detailed a variety of sustainability topics.  

 

The Fellows began their trip series with a visit to Level Solar, which provided a firsthand look into the solar power industry. The students traveled to the facility, located in Ronkonkoma, where they met with market analyst Zack Grey, who gave a PowerPoint presentation on solar power and facilitated a discussion about the benefits of solar power versus the use of fossil fuels, coal, and natural gas and the resulting carbon emissions that contribute to climate change. He then led them on an hour-long tour of the facility and shared some career advice and spoke about his role and involvement at the company.  

 

On another trip, the fellows visited Covanta, Long Island's largest Energy-from-Waste facility, which provides environmentally safe municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal. The students were led on a tour of the facility by Chief Engineer Edward Sandkuhl, who described how the facility processes 2,505 tons of municipal solid waste per day, how the power generated is then sold to the Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSEG), providing electricity to homes across Long Island, and how Covanta's belief in responsible stewardship of the environment is essential for business efficiency and success. Later that same day, the group traveled to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum Certified 'Yes We Can' Community Center, where they met with director April Brown Lake for a tour of the state-of-the-art, 60,000 square foot facility, which is among the most energy efficient buildings in New York State. The Center is built to the highest standards in sustainable construction, with a LEED certified Platinum rating and features roof-top solar panels, grade-level solar trees, gray water reuse systems, electric vehicle recharging stations and geothermal heating and cooling. 

The Fellows' field trip series then culminated in two guided site tours late last month. The first was to D'Addario & Company, Inc, one of the largest manufacturers of musical instrument strings in the world, headquartered in Farmingdale. The students were led on a two hour tour of the site with Tom Stack, a LEED certified architect who discussed the company's emphasis on the three pillars of sustainability: economic development, social equity, and environmental health. The students were able to see how the spaces were designed with sustainability in mind: using recycled and recyclable products, incorporating glass walls which provide increased access to natural light, and ergonomically designed furniture.  

 

The Fellows' then traveled to Huntington Station and met with Frances Whittelsey, executive director of Long Island Community Agriculture Network (LICAN) for a tour of their Gateway Community Garden, where community members gather to grow their own organic food. Here, Frances explained how LI-CAN is dedicated to increasing public awareness and knowledge of the art and science of sustainable food and agriculture, and promotes community & global health, well-being and food security. As the Fellows' began their work at our youth-staffed farmers' markets just a few weeks prior, this trip helped build upon their knowledge of food equity, and improving access to healthy, fresh food options, including community gardens and farmers' markets.

 

Read more here...
  
Green Space Eyed for Senior Apartments 

Sustainable LI is quoted on potential development 


(via Newsday) - A proposal to expand a large senior apartment complex in Bayport has drawn the ire of neighbors who oppose the construction on 21.5 acres of open space.

 

The plan calls for adding 260 apartments at the 516-unit Fairway Manor Apartments, a 75-acre development on Sunrise Highway near Nicolls Road, on the border of Islip and Brookhaven. The complex has a waiting list of seniors ready to move in, said lawyer Don Rettaliata, co-owner of Fairway Manor Inc.

 

In addition to building more residences, "We're also seeking to upgrade the apartment mix" with 11 two bedroom units, Rettaliata said at an Islip planning board meeting earlier this month. The plan calls for 20 percent of the new units to be open to residents 45 years or older, with the rest remaining restricted to those 55 or older. Those restrictions prevent a strain on local school districts, Rettaliata said.

 

But neighbors said after supporting the development when it was proposed in 1988, years of unmet promises have left them skeptical. "Honestly, it's embarrassing to stand here and look at my community and explain why I backed this thing," said Edward Silsbe, president of the Blue Point Community Civic Association.

 

Bob Draffen, president of the Bayport Civic Association, said problems started with "promises of owner-occupied condos."  

 

"Now we have hundreds of rental units," he said.

 

Islip required green space when Fairway Manor built 394 apartments in the first phase, and the plans called for either 19 acres of open space or a golf course with a putting green, practice tees and club house. No golf course has been built. The open space remains heavily wooded and undeveloped.

 

Town codes do not require open space but mandate landscaping and/or green space for all development proposals.

 

Mitchell Pally, chief executive of the Long Island Builders Institute, said more communities prefer expanding existing developments rather than building new projects. "It's less obtrusive to build where a development has already occurred," he said.

 

But Amy Engel, executive director of Sustainable Long Island, said Fairway Manor won neighborhood support with the vision of open space. "The community bought into that idea because they were comfortable with the open space," she said.

 

Read more here...

 

Preparing for a Changing Climate 

Resiliency and Brownfield Reuses  

 

(via the EPA blog) - Shuttered strip malls, boarded main streets, abandoned gas stations and a host of other potentially contaminated sites - many of these are the focus of communities assessing and cleaning brownfields with the help of EPA's Brownfields Grant funds. This year, communities selected to receive revolving loan fund, cleanup grants and area-wide planning grants are being asked to consider climate as part of their analysis, cleanup, and revitalization planning.

 

The National Climate Assessment released by President Obama this May confirmed what scientists have been telling us for years - the climate has already changed.  

 

Brownfields grantees are asked to look at proposed site vulnerabilities. Is the historic school, railroad spur, mill, foundry, mine, or other type of brownfield close to areas where wildfire or flooding risks are likely to increase? What contaminants have been found? What reuses are proposed? Armed with the answers to these questions and information that is available on www.climate.gov, brownfields communities are embarking on important steps to make their communities more resilient. EPA has developed a checklist to help communities consider climate change and factor it into brownfields cleanup activities and revitalization planning. 

 

Brownfields grantees, in the course of their area-wide planning, assessment, and cleanup may want to consider vulnerable communities nearby and additional planning steps that can make these communities better prepared or more resilient, more energy and water efficient, and therefore less dependent on other operations. This is particularly important where evacuation or other systems may be vulnerable.  


Read more here...

What is the True Cost of Free Parking? 

Finding an open spot on the street, isn't always free 


(via Urbanful.org) - Free parking is the ultimate Trojan horse. Sure, free sounds great, but it comes with costs that impact everything from the congestion on your street, to the cost of rent, to prices at the grocery store. And everyone is paying whether you own a car or not.

 

Donald Shoup, professor of Urban Planning at UCLA and author of The High Cost of Free Parking, recently spoke at length about his years' long effort to get cities to rethink their relationship with parking, namely by charging for it.

 

Shoup says the long-held idea of free parking as a public good makes it difficult for the government to charge for it, but he believes governments should.

 

Governments bear the costs for the land, for paving parking spaces and for cleaning them, as well as an opportunity cost for what that land could be worth if not used for parking. Those costs appear in city budgets funded by-you guessed it-taxes and fees on residents and businesses.

 

"Parking doesn't just come out of thin air," Shoup says. "So this means people who don't own cars pay for other peoples' parking. Every time you walk somewhere, or ride a bike, or take a bus, you're getting shafted."

 

If nothing else, charging for parking will place the brunt of the cost of parking on people who own cars and use parking, rather than spreading it out evenly even on non-car owners.

 

Shoup also opposes parking minimums. Rather than requiring a developer to build one space for every two residential units or one space per specified square foot of retail, let the market determine how much parking should be provided, he argues.

 

Read more here... 


Together we can build a more
sustainable Long Island

 

These challenging economic times have magnified the problems we Long Islanders face each and every day. With our leaders warning us of tougher times to come, thinking regionally and acting locally is urgent. It is in all of our best interests to stay engaged and do what we can together to build a more sustainable Long Island.

 

Please consider making a tax-deductible gift to Sustainable Long Island that will help support our ongoing and future work within your Long Island communities; while helping advance economic development, environmental health, and social equity!

Want community updates on various planning projects? Exciting tidbits on events, meetings, and engagements in your neighborhood? Exclusive information and the latest feedback about everything Long Island?


Real-time updates on all the news you've read today! What are you waiting for? Join us, like us, follow us, and stay informed!

 

Find us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Visit our blog

Sincerely,

The Board and Staff of Sustainable Long Island