Village of Farmingdale Hearing on Revitalization Draws Crowd

Business owners and residents were vocal about rezoning Main Street at the Village of Farmingdale meeting on Monday.

Around 50 community members came out to address the mayor and village board to ask questions, show their support and express their opinions on the new zoning code the requires.

"Everyone here tonight loves Farmingdale Village," said . "Including me. This proposed plan is just that. A proposal. We listen to everything you say and try to incorporate it into the plan."

Attendees were given the draft of Local Law 5 of 2011, which if approved will amend the zoning code of the village to add Article XIV, a downtown mixed-use zoning district. Mixed-use zoning would allow residential units to be built over stores on Main Street.

Many of the attendees were already versed in the proposed draft. Others, like Mary Salzano, attended the meeting to learn more.

“I grew up in Farmingdale and have lived here my entire life,” she said. “I haven’t heard every detail in the plan but I know the village would like to add apartments and new office space. Apartments and offices would bring people to the downtown area and that’s what we need. I’ve heard that people are concerned with the parking problem. What town doesn’t have a parking problem?"

Much of the discussion concerned parking issues, apartment overcrowding, the heights of buildings along Main Street and the conformity of the look in the area. The mayor passed around a detailed diagram and depiction of proposed architecture along the northern east end of Main Street.

“The downtown area in Farmingdale is ripe for jobs and businesses," said Chuck Gosline, a Farmingdale resident and president of the . "This is an opportunity for us to improve the area and make it better than it is now.”

Valerie LiCausi, at the end of Main Street, initially spoke against the plan for not considering the current parking problem in the village and the number of occupants in existing apartments along Main Street. At the end of the meeting, she revised her opinion.

“After reading the plan tonight, I see that you have addressed the parking problem in the plan,” she said. “I also see that you have addressed the apartment issues in the plan. I would like to thank you for addressing these problems.”

Other attendees expressed support for the plan and want implementation to move faster.

Phil Cirrone, , has owned a business on Main Street for 26 years.

“The parking issues in Farmingdale are no different today than they were when I opened my business," he said. "We’re wasting our time on baby items. Let’s be aggressive and do it. From a business standpoint, we need more foot traffic in Farmingdale. I think the board is doing a good job, it’s just taking too long.”

After a two hour discussion, the board recommended that the proposal be reheard at another public hearing on Nov. 7.