Huntington moves hearings for Greenlawn housing zoning, town code for abortion sites
At its Oct. 19 hearing, the Huntington Town Board will consider a zoning change that would allow the construction of 260 for-sale residential units, seen here in a rendering, on a 24-acre property in Greenlawn. The board also will consider removing restrictions on where abortions can be performed in Huntington. Credit: Engel Burman
The Huntington Town Board has changed the date and location of its monthly meeting in anticipation of a large turnout for hearings on a zoning change for a proposed housing development in Greenlawn and removing restrictions on where abortions can be performed in the town.
One hearing will consider changing a 24-acre property in Greenlawn from residential to garden apartment zoning to build 260 for-sale residential units in the Harborfields School District.
The second hearing is to remove restrictions on where abortions can be performed in Huntington.
The meeting has been moved from Oct. 12 to Oct. 19 and will be now be held at the Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School in Huntington Station.
Board member Sal Ferro said both hearings are expected to generate a lot of interest.
"It would be unfair to try to hold a meeting with a lot of people coming in a small location," said Ferro, who sponsored the resolution to move the meeting from Town Hall. "You have to give people proper access to the town board."
Jericho-based developer Engel Burman at Greenlawn LLC is making the zoning change request for the property on the north side of Pulaski Road, east of Greenbrush Court. The site currently is home to the Greenlawn Equestrian Center.
Engel Burman also developed the Seasons at Elwood, which was met with scorn and opposition by nearby residents when it was proposed in 2012. It was approved in 2014.
Town Supervisor Ed Smyth voted against rescheduling the public hearing.
"I have a very low bar for scheduling public hearings that this application fails to get over," he said. Smyth ran on a campaign platform of slowing what he calls "overdevelopment" in the town.
The town also will discuss the 1970 local law restricting abortions to hospital facilities as officials seek to repeal the language in the town code.
Town Board member Joan Cergol said the local law is unenforceable because the regulation of the practice of medicine is "strictly within the authority" of the state Department of Health.
Cergol said Sophie Ambro, the granddaughter of former Town Supervisor Jerome A. Ambro, who was in office when the restriction was enacted, reached out to her in 2018 to encourage her to remove it. Cergol said removing the restriction is an "overdue" goal.
"I'd given up and forgotten about it," Ambro, 24, said. "So I feel very accomplished that it's finally happening."
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at 155 Lowndes Ave.
