Dear editor,

Your recent article “More SD 3 Land Potentially Removed From Tax Rolls” contained a link to a Draft Huntington Station Transportation HUB Nomination Study. You are absolutely correct that the citizens of Huntington need to be aware of this plan. In short, this plan encompasses a 640 acre area around the Huntington Train Station where every available inch of space will be filled with stores and multi-story apartment buildings. The plan specifically mentions condos, 2 to 3 story garden apartments and mid- rise 4 to 8 story apartment buildings.  Ironically, the train station will become harder to use in this “transit oriented development” because parking lots used by current Long Island Railroad commuters will be replaced with stores and apartment buildings. The increased development will make the LIRR station harder to get to and give riders less places to park. 

The increased number of school aged children that existing rental units generate have already put a tremendous stress on our school system. Planning to add hundreds (if not thousands) of more rental units and school aged children will exacerbate the situation and place even more burden on the taxpayers.

Adding urban style development to the area will also have a negative impact on Huntington Village by making it much harder to get to. New York Avenue and Park Avenue are two main arteries into the Village. The proposed high density Avalon Bay project will significantly increase traffic on Park Avenue while the new Transit area proposed development will choke New York Avenue. 

The plan also mentions similar high density mixed use developments built or planned across Long Island. People should be aware of the extent that others are planning to change our suburban neighborhoods to unban centers. 

Robert James