Islip eyes land sales to close budget gap

In what's expected to be the first of several land sales aimed at tackling a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall, Islip Town officials plan to unload a 4.1-acre town-owned residential parcel in Islandia.

The town has ordered an appraisal for the vacant land on the east side of Old Nichols Road, south of Gooseberry Lane. Officials hope it will be purchased by a developer who could subdivide the parcel into up to six lots.

On Tuesday, the town board voted to authorize an agreement with Katherine Kennedy of Coldwell Banker realty in Ronkonkoma, who has agreed to market it at no cost to the town. Kennedy has agreed to charge the buyer 6 percent.

Deputy Supervisor Trish Bergin Weichbrodt, who is spearheading the effort, has identified two other town-owned parcels that may be sold for development as the town board tries to save money and to raise revenue to address what it says is a $26 million budget shortfall.

Councilmen Anthony Senft and John Cochrane said Tuesday they backed the effort.

Bergin said she and officials are reviewing another 100 parcels, 10 acres or less, for possible sale. The town cannot sell land it acquired by condemnation. "We're weighing all town-owned parcels to see what might be appropriate to sell right away," Bergin said. "If we can sell it, see it developed and get it back on the town tax rolls, that would be my goal."

The other two sites are a 2.5-acre parcel at Union Boulevard and Carleton Avenue in East Islip, which houses the Department of Public Works' light vehicle repair shop; and a 23-acre property on South Technology Drive in Central Islip, home to a DPW sign shop and a parks department facility.

A May 2011 appraisal found the East Islip property, zoned predominantly business, had an estimated value of $2.75 million, officials said.

Bergin said the site's location lends itself to a mixed-use, business-oriented development. "If we can bring in jobs and make this into a more attractive use at the same time, I think residents who live there would appreciate it," she said.

An appraisal conducted in November 2008 valued 11 of the 23 acres in Central Islip at $3.5 million. That property includes four acres of wetland.

A consultant has been retained to explore the cost of relocating and consolidating the town facilities at two other DPW properties.

Bergin said she would also discuss with the town board the prospect of selling the $100,000 in revenue the town makes annually off a cellphone tower behind its 401 Main St. property. Any effort to sell the revenue stream would be put out to a request for proposal, Bergin said.

Cochrane said it was important sales are carried out methodically. "We don't want a one-shot saving and a quick fix that leaves us nowhere to go to cover the budget in 2014.

"This is just one part of the financial jigsaw puzzle we have to put together to come up with $26 million, and we should put everything on the table."