A solution for mobile home park crisis

The controversy over the closing of a North Amityville trailer park is nearing a reasonable solution, one that cushions the blow for residents and clears the way for a mixed-use development. It took flexibility by the developers, a nudge from the Town of Babylon, and some honest assessment of reality by residents and their lawyers. That's about the best that can be expected from a painful situation.

Frontier Park on Route 110 has been a problem for years. Its trailers are connected to cesspools, not sewers, and its owner has been cited for code violations. There was a strong possibility that, unless the owner agreed to the expense of replacing cesspools with sewers, government might have closed down the park. That would have forced all of its 500 residents to remove their hard-to-move trailer homes, without real compensation.

But commercial developers Mitchell and Gregg Rechler bought a share of the park. Ultimately, they want to control the whole property, replace the trailers and build 500 apartments, including 100 with rents low enough to be defined as workforce housing -- plus retail. They decided to build it in five phases, which is more expensive, but should ease the jolt to residents. With a push by Babylon Supervisor Steve Bellone, they ultimately offered benefits worth $20,000 to each homeowner. A survey of the civic association by its attorneys shows that many are willing to accept it. The town could vote on the zoning change as soon as this week.

So the Rechlers can get a go-ahead and protect their family's good name, and the residents will get help in a difficult transition. This agreement seems eminently fair. And it's a useful precedent if similar situations arise at any of the Island's 40 or so other trailer parks.