Brookhaven Town buys Manorville farmland to hold as open space
Town of Brookhaven Councilman Dan Panico on Feb. 13, 2013. Credit: James Carbone
Brookhaven Town officials have acquired 40 acres of land in Manorville for the town's open space program.
About 40 percent of the property, at the southwest corner of Wading River Road and a Long Island Expressway service road, is farmland that will be leased to a local farmer, Councilman Dan Panico said.
The remaining 60 percent of the property is a wooded area that will be preserved as open space, he said.
The land was donated to the town by Islandia-based developer Heatherwood Communities in exchange for the town board's approval last year of Heatherwood's plan to build 200 senior housing condominium units in South Setauket.
The town board voted 4-3 in December to approve the condominium plan and acquisition of the Manorville land.
Panico said the Manorville property is a "key piece of the Manorville farm belt." He estimated the market value of the land would be about $4 million.
"It's in the best interest of the Town of Brookhaven and all of Long Island to preserve farmland and keep farmers farming," Panico said.
'That's a shame' Port Jefferson and Amityville are dropping their varsity football programs for the 2026 season. Newsday's High School Sports Editor Gregg Sarra reports.
'That's a shame' Port Jefferson and Amityville are dropping their varsity football programs for the 2026 season. Newsday's High School Sports Editor Gregg Sarra reports.
