House Green Lights New Zip Code For Community

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Rep. Lee Zeldin has continued his battle to help residents of Flanders, Riverside and Northampton secure their own zip code.

Last week, he said, the House passed his legislative proposal to create the new zip code for the communities, all located in Southampton Town.

"While the delay of deliveries caused by sharing a zip code is a nuisance and heavily impacts residents’ quality of life, above all else, it is a safety hazard,” Zeldin said. “These packages can hold important goods like medications, which are critical for a person's health and well-being. They can also cause major problems for police, first responders, and other emergency personnel, who may arrive at the wrong address due to these shared street names with the same zip code in the Town of Riverhead. These kinds of mistakes can be avoided, and these problems can be alleviated by assigning a new and unique zip code to Flanders, Riverside and Northampton.”

Vince Taldone, Flanders, Riverside and Northampton Community Association economic development chairman, agreed. “Receiving calls from lost guests or deliverymen are an inconvenience experienced by many residents of the area, but having life-saving medicine delivered to the right address in the wrong town is a far more serious matter. . . Community members have been fighting for years to get this issue resolved and I am grateful that Congressman Zeldin has taken up the battle on our behalf.”

The matter has been ongoing for years: At a press event in 2016, Zeldin was joined by New York State Senator Ken LaValle, New York State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr., and members of the community at the David W. Crohan Community Center in Flanders to announce the House vote on H.R. 6303, new legislation that was introduced by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz.

The legislation included a section within the bill that would create the new zip code, Zeldin said. "Since entering Congress in 2015, I have been working to secure a new zip code for Flanders, Riverside, and Northampton," Zeldin said.

In August 2015, Zeldin said he sent a letter to the United States Postal Service Postmaster officially requesting that the hamlets of Flanders, Riverside, and Northampton, be assigned a new zip code in order to make them distinguishable from Riverhead Town.

"The post office, which denied the initial request that I then appealed, has since been unresponsive," Zeldin said.

Throughout the process, Zeldin said he's worked closely with Chaffetz, whose committee has jurisdiction over the United States Postal Service, "to get this problem fixed as quickly as possible."

In September 2016, Zeldin brought Chaffetz to Flanders to meet with a group of community leaders from the impacted area and explain to him firsthand about the importance of securing a new zip code for the communities.

After House passage, the next step is for the Senate to pass the bill, as well, Zeldin said. "This process does not require a Senate sponsor, although if a senator chooses to introduce the same bill separately that wouldn't hurt," he said.

New York State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. also noted, in 2016: "The assignment of these three new zip codes will help create a renewed sense of identity for the Flanders community, especially during a time in which so much effort is being put forth to revitalize and redevelop the area."

Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman offered his thoughts. "The people of Flanders, Riverside and Northampton have long awaited this moment."

Patch photo by Lisa Finn.