Huntington · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Huntington public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Motorsports facility on East Jericho Turnpike
The vacant former Mini dealership gets new life as a motorsports repair and parts shop for ATVs and personal watercraft. A resident behind the Habberstad dealership worried about truck deliveries blocking Jericho Turnpike and noise, but the applicant promised all repair work indoors and Sundays closed.
Revocation of Accessory Dwelling Unit at 11 Jameson Court
Three accessory apartment applications — Greenlawn, Melville, and East Northport — got preliminary approval letters, none needing zoning relief or hitting saturation limits.
The Artery Revitalization Project
The town reviewed ongoing improvements, drainage work, paving, and mural installations in Huntington Village's alleyway known as 'The Artery,' backed by federal and county grants.
Storm Recovery and Power Outages
A brutal coastal storm just knocked out power for over 23,000 PSEG customers in Huntington by bringing down trees and power lines. Crews are hustling to get the lights back on, but locals are stuck dealing with outages and safety hazards in the meantime.
Weather Emergency
Governor Hochul just declared a state of emergency for Long Island because a brutal weekend storm is bringing coastal flooding and high winds. You should expect local emergency crews to be on high alert and get ready for potential power outages.
Board Appointments
Huntington just filled a few empty seats on local advisory boards, meaning new faces will be helping shape town policies. It's a quick update, but worth keeping on your radar since these groups quietly influence decisions in your backyard.
Residential Variance Legalizations
Several homeowners on Luyster Street, Lenox Road, West 9th Street, and Second Avenue successfully legalized existing accessory structures, pools, and additions that did not meet current setback requirements.
ZBA Referrals for Commercial Outdoor Dining and Food Bank Storage
The planning board reviewed two Zoning Board of Appeals applications: one for outdoor dining and parking at a new restaurant on Jericho Turnpike, and another for truck and pallet storage for Island Harvest food bank on Spagnoli Road. The board raised no objections to either.
Accessory Structure and Retaining Wall Standards
The board addressed long-standing code violations and unpermitted habitable features across multiple properties, specifically restricting basement and accessory structure heights to seven feet and banning drywall in non-habitable areas like pool cabanas and storage basements.
Tree Quarantine and Disease
Huntington is under a strict tree quarantine because of a deadly fungus threatening local forests. If you own property here, get ready for some major new restrictions on how you can handle and move wood.
Multi-Family Use Confirmation at 52 Prospect Street
The owners of a long-standing four-unit apartment building successfully secured official town recognition of their non-conforming continuous use, resolving a paperwork gap for their rental permits.
Lot Line Modification and Future Development Concerns
Residents questioned whether a lot line change between Tulip Street and Derby Avenue could pave the way for future subdivision or illegal rental units. The board clarified that any future building would require a separate variance and that code enforcement handles tenancy issues.
Church Property Subdivisions for Fundraising
Both St. Matthew's Church and the Congregational Church of Huntington applied to carve off portions of their land to sell as residential lots, helping pay for building maintenance and church repairs.
Map of Wychwood Cluster Subdivision
The Congregational Church of Huntington is proposing a cluster subdivision on Washington Drive to turn three parcels into two, selling off a residential lot to fund major repairs for its 70-year-old sanctuary.
St. Matthew's Church Three-Lot Subdivision
St. Matthew's Church is proposing a three-lot subdivision off the North Service Road to create two conforming residential lots while keeping the church property intact. Neighbors and church representatives discussed buffer plantings and utilities during the public hearing.
Drainage and Outfall Pipe Reconstruction Contracts
The board reviewed engineering contracts for reconstruction and inspection services on outfall pipes at Essex Drive and Westview Road.
Animal Rescue Hospital Special Use Permit
The Wildlife Center of Long Island applied to convert a storage building on Washington Drive in Centerport into an animal rescue hospital. While many town residents and businesses supported the project, immediate neighbors on Shawnee Street raised vocal concerns regarding noise, operations, and waste disposal.
Commercial and Residential Conversion at 1598 New York Avenue
Nivo Properties is seeking to legalize commercial use on the first floor and two apartments upstairs at 1598 New York Avenue. The board discussed necessary parking and buffer variances due to the small lot size.
Blighted Property Enforcement in East Northport and Cold Spring Harbor
Residents brought forward long-standing concerns regarding severely neglected, vacant commercial and residential properties creating safety hazards and eyesores in their neighborhoods.
Greenlawn Center Two-Lot Subdivision
Tracy Edwards presented a request for a two-lot subdivision on Amsterdam Street to build two single-family homes. The board held a public hearing and discussed the historical background of the neighborhood.
Transit Strike
Train's out, traffic's about to be a nightmare. City officials are throwing together emergency shuttle buses, so keep an eye on your transit app if you've got a commute.
Residential Expansion and Neighborhood Compatibility on Leeds Street
Homeowners are updating properties with large garages and pools, leading to constructive talks with neighbors about privacy and trees. Green buffers are being planted to keep everyone happy.
Deployment of LDC Fund Balance
The local development corporation is moving its roughly $500,000 bank balance from Chase to Hanover Bank to earn a better interest rate.
Residential Setback and Garage Variances
Homeowners across Huntington requested variances for sunrooms, garages, decks, and pools that sit closer to property lines than zoning codes normally allow. The board evaluated whether these structures negatively impact neighborhood aesthetics or privacy.
Commercial Signage and Property Identification in Melville
The board approved sign variances for a hotel on Route 110 and updated parking/vehicle storage layouts for a nearby warehouse facility, balancing commercial visibility with aesthetic buffering.
School Tax Pressures on Senior Citizens
Residents raised concerns about unsustainable school property tax increases burdening retirees and fixed-income seniors.
Expansion of Commercial Food Shops and Outdoor Dining in Village Corridors
The board evaluated a request for a small Italian food shop with outdoor seating on New York Avenue, addressing parking demands and pedestrian-friendly village growth.
Mixed-Use Redevelopment at 1044 New York Avenue
An old shopping strip is being replaced by a modern three-story mixed-use building with ground-floor retail and upper-floor apartments. The planning board reviewed the proposed architecture and suggested small window additions for safety and aesthetics.
Used Car Dealership at 217 E. Jericho Turnpike
The former Rose Fence property is being repaved and combined with Ideal Automotive to create a used car dealership.
Medical Office Expansion and Parking Variance at 200 West Carver Street
A 50-year-old medical office building near the village center won approval for a minor 49-square-foot expansion, upgraded lobby, and monument signage. While it falls six spaces short of total parking requirements, traffic experts assured the board that ample street parking and municipal lots nearby will handle any overflow.
Huntington Village Parking Wayfinding and Traffic Flow
The town is applying for a Suffolk County grant to install decorative wayfinding signs and color-code municipal parking lots in Huntington Village to help visitors navigate downtown.
Steep Slope Preservation and Flag Lot Access at 27 Dunlop Road
The board clarified how steep slope laws and cluster zoning work together to preserve natural terrain in developments like the Estates at Elwood. Residents voiced concerns over how lot density is calculated on sloped parcels.
Commercial Parking and Zoning Compliance on Lake Place
Neighbors raised safety and congestion concerns over a newly opened Pilates studio using a residential-facing back entrance and operating without proper town permits.
Local Traffic and Stop Sign Regulations
The town is scheduling public hearings to install new stop signs and update traffic codes on several residential streets including Bruce Lane, Chester Hill Lane, and Garden Court.
Municipal Credit Card Policy Update
The board discussed raising the town's credit card spending limit from $40,000 to $100,000 to accommodate necessary electronic purchases by the IT department.
Industrial Site Plan and Parking Adjustments in Melville
An industrial property on Marcus Drive received permission to slightly reduce its parking stall count to accommodate modern waste management and loading zones, backed by a traffic study.
Industrial Park Parking and Signage Standards
A Melville industrial property needed a small parking variance and extra signage to update its site layout and add loading and trash areas. The board used a traffic study to confirm the minor parking reduction caused no issues.
Snow and Ice Reserve Fund Appropriation
The board added a late measure to schedule a public hearing to appropriate funds from the snow and ice reserve fund for the Department of General Services.
Sidewalk Waivers for Cuba Hill Road and Tiziana Estates Subdivisions
A lot line change allows neighboring property to be sold to homeowners in Tiziana Estates to expand their backyards.
15 Hart Place Subdivision and Clearing
The planning board approved a two-lot flag lot subdivision in Dix Hills. Officials also clarified that tree clearing could wait until standard permits are filed, as the site is outside protected bat zones.
Residential Variance Requests for Substandard Historic Lots
Several homeowners in older neighborhoods like Greenlawn and Centerport requested variances to update their homes, highlighting how historic zoning changes created widespread substandard lot sizes across the town.
Deer Population and Traffic Safety on West Shore Road
Residents voiced mounting concerns over the high deer population leading to vehicle collisions and dangerous driving conditions along West Shore Road and Creek Road. They urged the town to install warning signs and lower speed limits.
Subdivision Bond Extension Accountability
The board debated whether to grant routine filing extensions for older subdivisions that have remained undeveloped for years. Members raised concerns that some developers request extensions indefinitely without explaining delays, prompting a push for better internal tracking and justification.
Cedar Road Recreational Vehicle Compliance Dispute
Neighbors voiced strong opposition to legalizing an oversized recreational vehicle parked in a corner front yard on Cedar Road, citing a 16-month history of code violations and illegal apartment conversions by the property owner.
Zone Change Application: 50 Woodbury Road
The board reviewed a zone change application to shift an existing multi-family property from an R-5 residence district to a C-1 office residence district.
Environmental Review and Wildlife Protections in Local Development
Residents often raise concerns about common forest types and protected wildlife during public hearings. Town staff clarified how environmental rules actually apply so the boards can balance development rights with conservation.
Commercial Parking Relief in Elwood
A commercial property on New York Avenue received approval to convert its basement into office space, addressing parking constraints through shared layout improvements and traffic analysis.
Half Hollow Park Bocce Court Improvements
Funding was allocated from the neighborhood parks fund to build new bocce courts at Half Hollow Park.
Local Election Integrity Concerns
Multiple speakers raised concerns regarding alleged irregularities and 'ghost candidates' on the Working Families Party ballot line during recent town elections.
Regulation of Four-Season Accessory Structures and Pool Houses
The board set clear boundaries on large pool houses by requiring restrictive covenants so they don't get turned into unauthorized living spaces or rentals down the road.