Residents pack hearing for AvalonBay plan

An overflow crowd packed Huntington Town Hall last night to tell the town board how they feel about the latest AvalonBay proposal for a multifamily housing development in Huntington Station.

Before the hearing, members of the service and maintenance workers union stood outside with signs protesting AvalonBay's hiring practices. Standing next to them, a group of people handed out fliers backing the proposal.

Matt Whalen, vice president of development for AvalonBay, who was the first speaker, said his company was glad to be back.

"The new application will comply 100 percent with the town's existing zoning," Whalen said. "We are hopeful by revising the proposal to conform to existing zoning it will allow both sides to find some common ground."

In March, AvalonBay submitted a proposal for 379 units -- 303 rentals, 76 to be sold -- on a 26.6-acre site a half-mile from the Huntington Long Island Rail Road station. The mix would consist of 94 one-bedroom units, 181 two-bedroom units and 104 three-bedroom homes. The project includes an affordable-housing component.

The previous proposal of 490 units was rejected by the town board in September after hearing community concerns about the project's density and its impact on the area's roads and utilities. The Huntington school board also opposed it.

Several residents brought signs to help express their opinions. One said, "Revitalize Huntington Station Now," and another said, "Stop Avalon Bay and Down Zoning Huntington."

In contrast to the September meeting, which was highly charged, people were excited but polite last night.

Elizabeth Marber, 26, a Huntington native and one of 84 people who signed up to address the board on AvalonBay, said, "This would provide an affordable solution for people like myself, young professionals, to have an affordable place to live who want to remain on Long Island."

Roger Clayman, executive director of the Long Island Federation of Labor, told the board AvalonBay officials have been working with some of the unions to come to some type of hiring agreement. But Kevin Stavris, of Local 32BJ, the Service Employees International Union, urged the board to vote no.

An impassioned Mary Beth Dieterle, of Huntington Station, implored the board to reject the new proposal.

"Please, please reconsider what you are going to do to the people who live in this area," she said. "Please save my community."