Update: AvalonBay Dominates Town Board Meeting

Members of the Town Board sat and listened at Tuesday's meeting as resident after resident spoke either for or against the resolution pertaining to the re-zoning of land for the proposed Avalon Huntington Station project. While AvalonBay wasn't even on the Town Board's agenda on Tuesday, it dominated the close-to-four-hour meeting as nearly 50 Huntington and Huntington Station residents spoke out in protest of the housing community.

"AvalonBay, go away. You are not welcome here," said Huntington Station resident Linda Nichol. "We do not want this in Huntington Station."

The majority of speakers shared Nichol's passionate disapproval for the Avalon Huntington Station project, voicing their strong opposition to the development for a variety of reasons. Some voiced their concern with general overpopulation in the area while others displayed serious anxiety over the potential increase in traffic and crime. Another of the community's greatest concerns was the overcrowding of schools in the Huntington School District, as the closing of Jack Abrams Intermediate has forced a surplus of students in the district's elementary and intermediate schools.

"In the time of King Arthur, Avalon meant paradise – now it means paradise for slumlords," Huntington Station resident James Cruise said.

Sheila O'Leary, another Huntington native, asserted from the podium that she moved here to get away from the Bronx and Queens. "There's already too much traffic," O'Leary said. "Rentals and overcrowding schools is not going to help. Huntington is a great place. Let's not ruin a good thing."

Many in the standing-room-only crowd held signs – both for and against the project – throughout the meeting, and didn't hesitate to share their opinions, whether it was their turn to speak or not.

Supervisor Frank Petrone was forced to interject at one point, saying, "AvalonBay is not even on the agenda today. People decided to come out and speak when it's not on the agenda. ... You asked that it not be on the agenda today."

Following a collective groan from the crowd, the supervisor repeated, "You wanted it the 21st. You wanted it the 21st."

While most voiced their disapproval, a small percentage did praise the project's potential positives for the revitalization of Huntington Station.

"This development will be an upgrading and enhancement to the Huntington Station community," said Ken Christensen, board member of the Huntington Economic Development Corporation, and past chairman of the Huntington Station Revitalization Committee. "Huntington Station is finally getting a project that will be a significant improvement to the area. It will be a first class, well managed and beautiful development providing much needed upscale rental housing to so many of our residents who desire and need it."

This optimistic opinion was shared by Richard Koubek, president of the Huntington Township Housing Coalition. "People are angry, frustrated, afraid, and turning around these negative feelings on AvalonBay," Koubek said. "This is an unprecedented opportunity to pump millions of dollars into the Huntington Station community."

The AvalonBay resolution will go to a vote at the Town Board's Sept. 21 meeting, but many residents said they will once again attend and speak during the public comment portion of the meeting to either show their support for or against the proposed housing community.

Subsequently, Councilman Mark Mayoka proposed a moratorium, which would postpone the vote and thus the project for a year, to which he received a standing ovation from the crowd. But no other members of the Town Board seconded the possible resolution, thus taking it off the table.

"I think the people deserve a decision," said Councilman Mark Cuthbertson. "This shouldn't hang over everyone's heads. ... We were elected to make a decision and we told people we would make a decision no earlier than Sept. 21. People deserve a decision and a conclusion to this process."

Whatever the outcome, the general consensus of the community members in attendance was made more than apparent.

"I don't think this will stand," said Huntington resident Charles Manos. "There's such a swell of outrage. This issue will not go away [if the Town Board votes yes]. There are not only legal challenges, but a severe electoral challenge as well. This is a bad plan, this will not work."

Huntington resident and father, Chris O'Donnell, added, "The community is speaking. Please, hear their voice – they're saying no."