Builders to the rescue, face flak anyway

Amidst the reports this past week about the economic turmoil and financial chaos that looms on the horizon were two news stories about builders looking to develop significant housing projects on Long Island.

Given the Island's well-documented housing shortage - not to mention the utter lack of building activity of late that has idled every aspect of the industry as well as dried up several revenue streams for local municipalities - you would think that such announcements would be greeted with huzzahs, if not a parade down Main Street.

But no - this is Long Island. Both stories featured headlines highlighting the fact that local civic groups plan to fight the development.

The first, "Groups to fight planned development in Middle Island", appeared in Newsday on Wednesday. The following day saw this article, "Hicksville developer struggles to win over Islandia neighbors", appear in the Long Island Business News Flash Report.

There is hope, however. To her credit, Brookhaven Councilwoman Connie Kepert supports the project. She gets it, if you will, and is quoted in the article as saying, "the 39-acre project would be a boon for Brookhaven's tax base and fit into the town's development plan for Middle Island. She said the project includes about 18 acres of open space and would be a walkable, urban alternative to typical Long Island sprawl."

The article also mentions that the developer, Frank Weber of Sandy Hollow Estates, has the right to build 34 single-family homes on the property under the current zoning. Kepert smartly points out the sewage treatment plant planned for the development would release less nitrogen than 34 homes built without the plant.

The developer plans to leave 18 acres for open, walkable space at no cost to the local taxpayer. That fact is buried six paragraphs into the story, however, and is conveniently ignored by Dick Amper, the leader of the groups vowing to fight the effort.

The second article reports on Pinewood Development Corp.'s plans to build a condo community where a horse farm now stands. The neighbors say the "traffic will be a nightmare," even though the horse farm itself at one time accommodated hundreds of customers and tractor-trailers coming and going all week long. The owner of the horse farm, according to the article, can no longer keep his farm operating at a profit and is perfectly within his right to sell his property to Pinewood.

The Long Island Builders Institute will keep a close eye on both projects. We salute Councilwoman Kepert for her willingness to consider the big picture, although we fear in doing so we will make her a target of Amper's Army. Of course, her day job involves teaching teenagers in high school so we have no doubts about her ability to deal with the angst Amper plans to send her way.

The Truth Shall Set Us Free - or At Least Shed Some Light on the Situation

Good morning!

There was some interesting reading over the weekend pertaining to the home building and home remodeling industries.

First was this week's Long Island Business Newscover story: "sex, lies and property taxes". David Winzelberg's well-researched piece debunks the notion that housing development equals over-whelmed school districts. It's must reading for anyone planning to seek approval(s) for a housing project in the near future.

The second article "Debating How Green to Go" was written by Marcelle Fischler and appeared in the real estate section of the Sunday New York Times. It draws attention to Southampton's well-intentioned-but-flawed attempts to became the first town in the nation to tie HERS ratings to the size of the house (in other words, the bigger house the more energy efficient it has to be).

The third article was by Mark Harrington in Newsday. It reported on a study issued by the Network for New Energy Choices. The study examines how the trend toward local municipalities demanding more energy accountability is further encumbering the permit approval process.

Hopefully these articles will help shed some light on the realities of home building and remodeling on Long Island. LIBI members strive to do the right thing - especially when it comes to energy efficiencies. Sometimes the "right thing" gets muddled in the process, however, especially when other factions' idea of what the "right thing" is impossible to achieve.


I would to hear your comments on these pieces.