Suffolk town supervisors ID 252 parcels they want county to buy as part of preservation program

Town supervisors in eight Suffolk County towns have identified 252 environmentally sensitive parcels they want the county to pursue purchasing to help preserve open spaces for future generations of Long Islanders.

The list of parcels, most privately held, will be put up for a full vote before the county legislature on March 2, after receiving recommendations from the Environmental Trust Fund Review Board and the county’s parks trustees. The board was created as part of the Suffolk County Drinking Water Protection Program, a voluntary program, that includes all 10 towns in Suffolk. Smithtown and Southold did not include a list of parcels for purchase because money allocated through the program was previously used to buy parcels.

The county, which did not respond to an inquiry about the available funding allotted for towns to purchase parcels, now takes a quarter percent of sales tax and part of that money is used for land preservation.

Legis. Al Krupski (D-Cutchogue), who is vice chairman of the county’s Environment, Parks and Agriculture Committee, supported the resolution that was approved 8-0 on Monday. Krupski said that while preserving parcels will continue, as some Long Islanders last spring and summer sought to spend time outdoors at parks and beaches amid the coronvirus pandemic, it’s not just about maintaining open spaces.

"We need to keep preserving farmland in Suffolk County because there’s a lot of people to feed," Krupski said, adding that once the funds are used the program will cease to exist. "That farmland is going to be so important that we’re going to need it for food production."

The proposed parcels on the list need to be in their natural and undisturbed state and must meet at least one of eight criteria, including abutting county parkland or having freshwater or saltwater wetlands as mapped out by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

If approved, the county would reach out to owners of the individual parcels, which range from less than an acre to 402 acres, for possible purchase based on appraisals.

While Babylon Town has identified the most parcels on the list — 72 — the size of the 21 parcels Huntington Town has identified is at an estimated 1,000 acres, the most of the eight towns.

Huntington Supervisor Chad Lupinacci said that depending on the parcel acquired, it may be left alone or the development rights purchased.

"We’re always looking at ways to help increase open space and protect our aquifers and drinking waters for future generations," Lupinacci said.

The nonprofit, philanthropic UJA-Federation of New York has three parcels, two of them in Melville and one in Wheatley Heights, which Huntington and Babylon, respectively, have identified as potential purchases. The parcels total an estimated 473 acres and are part of the Henry Kaufmann Campgrounds that are used by eight day camps.

Irvin Rosenthal, chief financial officer of the federation, said the parcels have been owned by the nonprofit for 60 years and will continue that way.

"We have not spoken to the county and we would not have interest in selling them because they’re actively used," Rosenthal said.