Misinformation on AvalonBay

A letter about AvalonBay Communities' most recent proposal provided misinformation that requires clarification and explanation ["Views from the AvalonBay decision," June 17].

While it is true the Huntington School Board voted unanimously to oppose the first AvalonBay proposal, the letter failed to mention that the school board initially passed a resolution endorsing the very same plan. This resolution authorized the school district to enter into a comprehensive agreement with AvalonBay that would have paid the district a one-time fee of $1.5 million. One would imagine when the district negotiated that agreement, it had some handle on the tax impact because it agreed to accept this mitigation fee.

The writer's assertion that the school district was never contacted by Town Hall regarding the revised proposal is not true. A draft environmental impact statement for Avalon II was sent to the superintendent of the school district approximately seven weeks before the public hearing and offered projections of new students that would be generated under both the existing zoning and under the proposed Avalon project.

Unfortunately, there was no analysis, input or comment provided by the school district to the town, as requested, during the extended review period to help our planning department evaluate these cost projections.

Based on a review of relevant studies, the planning department concluded the Avalon proposal would generate fewer students compared to development of the property under existing zoning and an approved plan for a single-family subdivision.

Mark Cuthbertson, Huntington

Editor's note: The writer is a town councilman.