BCA Gets Updates On Several Zoning Challenges

Islip Town Planning Commissioner Dave Genaway shed some light on the problematic zoning situations near Sunrise Highway in Bayport at the meeting held Tuesday night.

“Really, from a planning point of view, there’s a lot happening in Bayport,” Genaway said. To clarify, he outlined the three main areas of planning interest in Bayport, mainly close to Sunrise Highway.

The first area is what is called the “Serota Property.” This piece of land is just west of Costco and it runs between Beacon Drive and Veterans Memorial Highway.

Though nothing has been finalized yet, the applicant wants to build a hotel, a cinema, and three big box stores. An example of a big box store would be Whole Foods. The idea of a big box store is to have it larger than just any old shop, but smaller than a Target or Walmart.

Genaway said the area is zoned appropriately for this kind of development and the rest is in the hands of the applicant. He said the next technical step for the applicant would be to produce an environmental impact statement and have a public hearing. However, with an overestimation of the areas projected population, the planning board would probably deem the development of this area unnecessary.

“From a professional standpoint, I don’t think the staff would approve it,” Genaway said.

The second area of interest is the “Lowe’s Property.” This area is the vacant wooded area along Sunrise Highway north of Church Street. Though this area is still owned by Lowe’s Home Improvement, the desire to build a store was withdrawn, Genaway said. The most recent request for this area was for senior citizen homes, but no formal response was made.

The third area of major concern is the Wenner Bread Factory. “It is a highly scrutinized property,” Genaway said.

Bill Wenner and Breslin Realty Development have been making proposals for construction on this area since 2005. Bayport Civic Association President Bob Draffin said they wanted to make the entire property a “mini city,” which would mean flipping the zoning lines to completely commercial. However, it “went over like a lead balloon,” Draffin said. “It was too much.”

Draffin said Wenner would come back to the civic association almost every year with a newly drafted plan. “Mr. Wenner has always been very mindful of what the community wants to do,” Draffin said.

The more recent proposal keeps current zoning in tact. There is about a 70-30 ratio between industrial and commercial zoning. The factory will remain in the industrial zone, while the remaining 172,000 square feet are designated retail space.

The new plan proposes three stand-alone smaller stores in the designated retail space, leaving the rest industrial zoning.

“The final solution here, though it took half a dozen years to get there, is one everyone can live with,” Draffin said. “It’s a win-win.”