Business & Tech

Sayville Chamber Finds an Ally in Islip Pines Battle

Holbrook chamber issues statement of protest on mega project.

This article was written by Matthew McGevna. It was posted by Judy Mottl.

The efforts of the Greater Sayville of Chamber of Commerce to stop the Islip Pines project is getting support from a nearby business group.

The Holbrook Chamber of Commerce says it remains "unconvinced" of Serota Builders' need to apply for zoning changes in order to move the Islip Pines Project ahead.

In a statement released by the Chamber, the organization said there are still concerns and unanswered questions about the project and its impact on traffic, the environment and local businesses, even after a sit-down meeting with the developers.

The Chamber's statement is printed below in its entirety:

"On July 11th, the Board of Directors and Officers met with Mr. Steven Appas, Director of Real Estate and Mr. Bram Weber, attorney for Serota Properties. It was our original desire to videotape the meeting thereby making it available to our entire membership and community.

However Mr. Weber felt uncomfortable and it was decided to continue with just notes.

The entire meeting lasted about 90 minutes and contained heated dialogue about the size and scope of this project. Serious concerns regarding traffic mitigation, retail saturation and overall viability were discussed but remain unanswered.

During our discussion, the Serota representatives stated that the property could not feasibly be developed under its current industrial zoning. They felt that the Change of Zone would allow them more flexibility and the resulting project would be very beneficial to the surrounding communities

At this point, the Chamber remains unconvinced that the Change of Zone is warranted. Previous studies have shown that further retail development along the Sunrise corridor should be discouraged. It is also very difficult to see how this project would not have a negative impact on existing retail centers in our surrounding downtowns.

Just a week prior on July 3rd, our President, Rick Ammirati spoke before the Suffolk County Planning Commission in Riverhead. He was given a very brief three minutes to try and outline all of the serious impacts that are associated with this proposal. Despite his words and those of surrounding communities the Commission hastily gave it’s approval later that day.

Regardless, of the County’s advisory approval, the Change of Zone required for this project is a serious matter left for the decision of the Islip Town Board. We will continue to meet with all concerned parties regarding this proposal in an effort to arrive at a sensible solution for the entire community."

The Islip Pines is a 139-acre development plan that would create a mixed use of retail, commercial and housing units along the Sunrise Highway in Holbrook. Local organizations, such as the Greater Sayville Chamber of Commerce are actively opposed to the project.
     


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