Yaphank land to be preserved

A small portion of the Yaphank land that Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy pushed for a massive housing and sports development will instead be preserved, Legis. Kate Browning announced.

The 23-acre wooded parcel of county land at the southeastern corner of the Long Island Expressway and Yaphank Avenue is in the environmentally sensitive Carmans River watershed and will be turned over to the county Department of Parks and Recreation, Browning (WF-Shirley) said. The parcel also contains the historic Almshouse cemetery.

"It's going to be an extension of South Haven Park" to the south, Browning said. "The intent is to make sure it stays preserved. It is the most sensitive piece of land in all of Yaphank."

The county legislature voted unanimously for the transfer last week.

Johan McConnell, president of the South Yaphank Civic Association, hailed the transfer as a blow against overdevelopment. "We're really, really excited about it," McConnell said. "It's a great parcel; really wooded. It sets the tone when you come off the expressway. It protects the river. It protects the area."

Last year, Levy proposed the development of 253 acres of county land in Yaphank for a mixed-use complex, including casinos, housing and sports arenas, called Legacy Village.

The Legislature torpedoed the idea in April, and lawmakers voted to auction most of the land to help close a $179.5-million budget gap for 2011-12. Another 124 acres is up for auction next month.

The Town of Brookhaven is also working on the 9,100-acre Carmans River Protection Plan, which overlaps the Legacy Village site. The town aims to protect areas surrounding the river by transferring development away from environmentally delicate areas near the Carmans.

Levy has to sign the transfer bill. It's under review, his representative said Thursday.

Browning was optimistic Levy would support the measure. "Since he is a strong supporter of protecting our environment, I would assume that he would recognize it is a very sensitive piece of land and do the right thing," she said.