Suffolk approves study on proposed affordable housing plan

The Suffolk Legislature approved Tuesday a resolution detailing the scope of a $450,000 environmental study on a 1,200 unit affordable housing proposal in Yaphank despite vocal opposition of lawmakers representing areas near the project.

The legislature voted 13-4 with Legis. Jon Cooper absent after he was hospitalized with an burst appendix last week.

The vote came after a morning session where county lawmakers heard more than 40 residents including tea party advocates seeking a shutdown of the county nursing home and backers who want it to remain in open. Lawmakers are expected to vote later Tuesday on County Executive Steve Levy's vetoes to legislative amendments to his proposed $2.7 billion 2011 budget, including one which would block the nursing home shutdown.

The scoping resolution on Levy's 255 acre Legacy Village project won approval after Chief Deputy County Executive Christopher Kent defended the 31 page outline of the environmental review saying the findings can "become the science on which to base decision making" for lawmakers.

But critics lead by Legis., Kate Browning (WFP-Shirley) voted against the resolution saying the project should be stopped immediately. "This is going to die a very slow death," she said. "This is a plan where the county executive is going to increase the school taxes for every one in the Longwood School; district if it moves forward." Kent said the study will evaluate what impact the project will have on school taxes.

Legis. John Kennedy (R-Nesconset), who has proposed selling the industrial tracts at the south end of the project alone, asked whether planners could make such a sale and the price it might bring in. Thomas Isles, county planning commissioner, said environmental studies do not normally do such appraisals and he would recommend against it.

Backers say that the preliminary study will be ready in January, go before the Council on Environmental Quality in February and before the legislature in March after a public hearing.

Browning, Kennedy and Legis. Edward Romaine (R-Center Moriches) and Jack Eddington (I-Medford) opposed the measure.

But James Castellane, president of the Nassau-Suffolk Building Trades Council, praised the vote, saying, "This study needs to move forward so we have all the facts."