Multifamily housing plan considered for North Bellport

The Brookhaven Town Council Tuesday is to consider a land use plan to bring multifamily housing to North Bellport.

A vote on adding housing on Atlantic Avenue north of the struggling hamlet's train station could come at the meeting, Councilwoman Connie Kepert said Sunday. She represents North Bellport and helped develop the 92-page plan.

"We've had numerous public meetings and there's been a lot of public input and participation," Kepert said. "I don't think anyone is going to vote against it."

North Bellport leaders have supported the plan in an effort to attract younger residents and retirees to the area.

"We have a need in the community for multifamily housing -- housing will attract people to the community," said John Rogers, chairman of the Greater Bellport Coalition, which represents the community in developing the land use plan. "This is a positive development."

Brookhaven Town Supervisor Edward P. Romaine helped outline where multifamily housing could be added, but hasn't endorsed the plan, largely because of the lack of a sewage treatment facility. Romaine this year has focused on acquiring, refurbishing and selling more than 100 vacant homes in North Bellport as a way to add to the housing stock.

Kepert has long worked toward transforming North Bellport into a transit-oriented community with pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use development near the Long Island Rail Road station.

Earlier this year, Kepert and Rogers supported residential and business-district development for 14 acres of wooded land near Montauk Highway and Station Road, south of the Bellport train station. But they said they are now focusing their efforts on the area north of the tracks.