6 Islip properties deemed blighted

Six properties in the Town of Islip were officially deemed blighted Wednesday.

The distinction, part of a law passed in January by the town board to combat decrepit buildings, means the property owners face thousands of dollars in annual fees if they do not fix the problems.

As part of the law, the town adopted a points system to define blight. Properties with 100 points or more are placed on a blight registry, with fees added to the properties' tax bills -- $2,500 for residential properties, $5,000 for commercial properties. The money will go into a beautification fund and support the town's anti-blight efforts, town records state. The system gives graffiti 10 points, broken windows 10, and unfinished construction 20.

Officials gathered Wednesday outside the former Sayville Lamplighter Inn, a property with 175 blight points.

"We've been wrestling with the issue for some time," Supervisor Phil Nolan said. The town adopted the points system to be "fair and objective" when determining which properties to deem blighted, he added, and will accept resident input.

Assistant town attorney Erin Sidaris has said property owners could appeal to the zoning board of appeals, and then to the State Supreme Court.

For Karen Parker, 47, of East Islip, the new list may mean a conclusion to a three-year battle to get action taken against a vacant home across the street. The home has been an eyesore with overgrown grass, unsecured gates, and half-finished construction projects, she said.

Calling the situation "heart-wrenching," Parker said she lobbied to have the home assessed by the town and it was added to the list, where officials said it earned 105 points.

"I have a little ray of hope," she said. "It's a step in the right direction."The owners of the Sayville and East Islip properties could not be reached for comment.