Comments from the Community, excerpted from many of the comments included in responses to the BVA’s questionnaire:
’We enjoy the rustic nature of the area and would hope that we are not inundated with small strip malls or large stores. “
“No more developing!”
“We live in a fragile community that is being threatened by the shortsightedness of our elected officials. To alleviate some costs to the Town at large, they continue to ’sell’ landfill space to Hempstead. The continued growth of this facility directly threatens the health and welfare, as well as the economic value, of our community. This is a special place in Brookhaven Town. It is quiet and relatively untouched by the rapid growth around us. This too is threatened and must be protected. “
“Daffodils on Beaver Bam: nice; litter at end of Beaver Dam: horrible, especially type. The police should patrol noise, litter and traffic from high school, car radios’ volume should be lower, village residents should drive slower, the shoulder on beaver Dam should be widened for walking purposes. ”
“We love our Brookhaven Hamlet! We’re very fortunate to be living in a quiet, secluded area. What we like the least is probably what all of the other residents are most concerned about: the landfill. “
“We must do everything we can to curb more development…. And definitely no shopping malls. We already have far too many in the general area, and already many of the older ones are being replaced by newer ones. We need to encourage more of the smaller, locally supported businesses, and keep out the big chain stores even though they may be able to offer cheaper prices for their merchandise. Let’s encourage local entrepreneurship and thereby benefit our community.”
“Brookhaven Hamlet is a lovely place to live. I cannot retire here with LILCO rates, school taxes (highest anywhere with minimal scholastic achievements for students), exorbitant garbage rates, or what I need as a household. My kids can’t live and buy in Brookhaven. We don’t need to build more stores, homes, condos, etc. We need to refurbish what’s out there now and leave the open land and woods as they are. “
“Brookhaven Hamlet with its diverse population is a good place to live, but a combination of high taxes, electrical rates and mosquitoes will be driving us away in the near future. Long Island has changed markedly in the 35 years we have been here. The proliferation of shopping malls, both large and small, is making the Island one long outlet center with no apparent zoning restrictions or planning. There is litter everywhere – N.Y. is the dirtiest state in the nation. “
Hamlets Study
- i-iii Prologue
- Table of Contents
- 1 I. Introduction
- 1 a Plate 1
- 2-4 II. Overview
- 5-8 II. Overview
- 9-11 III. History
- 12 IV. Land Use
- 12 a Plate 2
- 13-14 IV. Land Use
- 15 IV. Land Use
- 15 a Plate 4
- 15 b Carman’s River
- 16 V. Land Use Issues
- 17 V. Land Use Issues
- 18 V. Land Use Issues
- 19 V. Land Use Issues
- 20 V. Land Use Issues
- 20 a Plate 5
- 21-22 VI. Other Issues
- 23-24 VI. Other Issues
- 25 VI. Other Issues
- 25 a Plate 6
- 26-27 VI Other Issues
- 28-29 VI Other Issues
- 30-31 VII Summary
- 32 VII. Recommendations
- 33 VII. Recommendations
- 34 VII. Recommendations
- 35-39 A. Questionnaire
- 40-42 B. Community Comments
- Zoning
“We live in a fragile community that is being threatened by the shortsightedness of our elected officials. To alleviate some costs to the Town at large, they continue to ’sell’ landfill space to Hempstead. The continued growth of this facility directly threatens the health and welfare, as well as the economic value, of our community. This is a special place in Brookhaven Town. It is quiet and relatively untouched by the rapid growth around us. This too is threatened and must be protected. “
“Less development. Maintain the historic district and nature of the Hamlet. We are an environmentally sensitive area and should remain as undeveloped as possible. “
“I’d like to maintain as much open space as possible – keep development and suburban sprawl to a minimum. I think the opening of cell 5 will decrease property values and, as Hamlet residents, we should get tax rebates to offset the inconvenience of having a dump in our backyards. “
“1Vo more development south of Montauk Hwy. We don’t want street lights or sidewalks or other ’improvements’ even if they were free. “
“Best: Community is rich in history, friendly people, slow to change and beautiful. Worst: Street noise (loud music), destruction of private property (mailboxes), graffiti (on signs) and mosquitoes! Change: would like a mailbox by library. “
“More responsible zoning!”
“I like the quiet and ’small town’ atmosphere. The biggest problem we face is maintaining the quality of life and affordability of living here. If we drive around our community, we see many homes for sale. Many people are leaving, going where they get more for their money. We have to evaluate what is important to the community and work towards those goals within our means. Continued expansion of the ’dump’ has effectively killed any hope of this community ever being what it was. Our futures have been sacrificed for political expediency. School taxes are way too high for an average district. “
“The open space waterways (rivers and bays) and semi-rural character are the community’s most important assets and the main reason we have chosen to live here. Our biggest concern is the spread of the suburban and commercial sprawl and our Town’s government decision to use the landfill on our northern border as a money-making operation. “
“LILCO has got to have some competition to reduce rates. The area is great, but I cannot afford to live. here after I retire due to taxes and LILCO. “
“BH is a really beautiful area under attack by mediocrity on all sides. Going to movies, shopping etc., one must go out into the rank obscenity of Sunrise Hwy., Patchogue, etc. Too bad… Issues: People throw away trash (sofas, old beds, mattresses, junk) in a pile on the road and it sits for weeks before (how?) it disappears. Too many people are putting up bright night lights. “
“I think the Hamlet of Brookhaven is absolutely beautiful and wonderful place to live. However, in the last 13 years, within 1-1/2 mile radius of my home, the following things have occurred: landfill has expanded; nursing home, adult home and two ’group homes’ have gone in; state housing was put in; and the railroad has increased its schedule! As a single-income family paying $6,000 a year in property taxes it’s most difficult to welcome all of these non- taxing groups into our community (I know they need a place to live too but enough is enough). “
“More has to be done to combat the litter problem at the end of Beaver Dam Road. At a minimum more trash receptacles are required. There is also a growing problem with vandalism (mailbox trashing) and graffiti on Beaver Dam Road south of South Country Road. “
“My husband and I love the Hamlet. We would like it to stay as it is – without any new development – just as it is!”
“We have lived in the area 65 years and in the Hamlet for 45 years, and we raised our 5 children satisfactorily. Lately, we have spoken of relocating but don’t know where to go that we would like as well – it has been a wonderful community for us. Of course, it has changed – more people and homes and traffic, but it still has a special quality. You are all doing a great job in keeping it so!”
“I like its nature preserves, wetlands, animals, waterways. Concerns: over-development, losing its ’country look, ’ too many lights, sidewalks and destruction of native plants, pollution of waterways. “
“Our small Hamlet is very fortunate to have people who enjoy living here also willing to be concerned about the future. The BVA is doing a great job. We’re fortunate in our location – boating, fishing, etc., and our recently acquired ’green retreats. ’… My greatest concern is not solvable by the. BVA, as it concerns N.Y. state and local funding of schools by tax on real estate. Some other method of paying to educate our children must be found (income as a base?). Otherwise, the school budgets will continue to be ’downed’ and the children, as well as our communities, will suffer. “