STOP Story Book Meadows density increase to 228 Apartments
Story Book Meadows (Al
Hornberger) is seeking a zoning density increase of 20%. (228 Apartments in the
Smithtown Blvd & Mary’ La (South Section)
He is also seeking zone changes
from R-15 that effect the Story Book Meadows Located at Gibbs Pond Road (North
Section ), The additional changes convince me Story Book Meadows is planning to
build more apartments in the North Section. We could be looking at 500 to 0
apartments if Story Book Meadows gets their reques
Our Bullet Points
Removal
Of Covenants 1, 6, 7 &
9; To achieve RC zoning in 1997,
Story Book Meadows agreed to 10 restrictive covenants. Without the restrictive
covenants the Town Board would never have agreed to the zone change. Self
inflicted hardship is no reason to remove these covenants. Changes to covenants should always be in accordance
with the original purpose and intent of the covenant.. Removing covenants 1, 6,
7 & 9 should only be considered if the property is being down zoned to its
original zoning.
Request
tO Increasing DENSITY by 20%. Any
increase of density on this property requires a new Environmental Impact
Statement (ELS) State
Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) and new site plan.
The existing EIS, SEQRA and site plan are 22 years old. Since 1995,
Environmental science, Smart
Growth Planning, Aging in
Place
guidelines, knowledge of the area’s geology
and local flooding have changed so much over the past twenty years that permitting the
existing 192 senior complex to move forward requires a new or at least a
segmental ELS and modern site plan. The 1195 ELS & 1991 site plan do not meet 2016 standards.
Since
the original EIS and site plan:
- Storm-water flooding
in the area is a re-occurring problem effecting three thousand residents, Gibbs
Pond Road and Nichols
Road. It
has been geology established, that below surface clay will impact the
ability of the site’s runoff absorption and retention mitigation, Two Catch
basins, leaching pools and ground absorption may not be enough to keep
runoff and ground water on the property
- Federal,
State, County and Town Governments have spent millions to reduce flooding
in this area
- The
property is in the northern party of the Lake Ronkonkoma watershed. Runoff is
a serious threat to the lake. The County has spent millions collecting and
recharging runoff from Gibbs Pond Road to Hawkins Avenue. The recharge system
has experienced several overflows into the Great Bog
- The
property is in the Lake Ronkonkoma Watershed. Approximately 50 yards from
Spectacle Pond and 200 yards from 90 acres of land (Lilly Pond Park) taken
by eminent domain to protect the lake
- The
Complex’s site plan resembles a 1970’s garden apartment complex and does
not meet current Smart Growth Planning or Aging in Place guidelines. Without a new site plan you can not
determine if the property can even support 192 retirement community units
- The
subject property has a WalkScore of 58 out of 100 possible points. That is
dangerous
- There
are no bus routes east or west along Smithtown Blvd
- There is
no full service supermarket, department store, mall or downtown center that
is walkable
- The
ability for Senior Citizens to safely walk
to small shops and offices is questionable
- The
walkways and parking fields do not comply with aging in place guidelines
- There
are not enough parking to accommodate current retirement community smart growth
living standards
- There
are too many one bedroom apartments and not enough two bedroom apartments
- The 1991
site plan has one in & out lane egress on to an “E” classified road
Story Brook Meadows
Documentation
Click to view Video of Smithtown Planing Board March 2, 2016 meeting
Click to view Video of Smithtown Planing Board Feb. 17, 2016 meeting
Click to view Suffolk County Planning Commission
declarers SMB application incomplete
Click to view Suffolk County Planning Commission Staff Report
Click to view SBM-Town of Smithtpwn Postponements
Click to view SBM Planning Dept Review
Click to view SBM SS Environmental
Assessment
Click to view SBMSS Descriptions
of Property
Click to view SBM SS NS TOS Petition
Click to view SMB-NS Zone
Changes to RC Retirement Communiyt
Click to view SBM SS Apartment
Map
Click to view SBM SS 1992 Zone
Change
Click to view SBM SS NS 1992
Zone Change 2
Click to view SBM SS 1992 Disposition
Click to view SBM covenants
Click to view SBM covenants
Click to view SBM FLYER 1
