Brookhaven board to vote on review of Carmans River conservation plan

The Brookhaven Town Board is expected to vote Tuesday on a review of a plan to preserve the Carmans River watershed.

The state-mandated review, formally known as a final generic environmental impact statement, contains the town’s responses to comments submitted by residents after the Carmans River Conservation and Management Plan was released this summer.

The board meets at 5 p.m. at Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Day, Farmingville.

The Carmans River plan calls for town acquisition of several properties and new zoning to restrict development along the 10-mile river, which stretches from Middle Island to Great South Bay. The town board is scheduled to vote on the plan on Oct. 15.

East Moriches resident Jim Gleason, who had submitted detailed comments on the conservation plan, said the environmental review failed to address many of his concerns. For example, he said the report does not clarify how development credits will be awarded to builders who agree not to develop land along the river.

“They simply did not come up with any real projections as to what would happen,” Gleason, vice president of the East Moriches Property Owners Association, said. “There are a lot of ideas we raised that are simply not addressed.”

He said the board should “do a little work on it .?.?. and make it better before they approve it.”

Town attorney Annette Eaderesto said the environmental review includes responses to all comments submitted by Gleason and other residents. She said the credits system is in “full compliance” with the state Pine Barrens protection law, which also covers the Carmans River.