Route 25A Land Use Plan Brings Zoning Changes, New Overlay Districts

A 10.5 mile length of Route 25A from Mt. Sinai to Wading River will see the effects of the newly implemented 25A Land Use Plan this year after the recent implementation of the project, which was started by Councilwoman Jane Bonner in the fall of 2009.

According to the Town of Brookhaven, the plan is designed to protect the Route 25A corridor in these communities after a public process help identify residents’ visions of the future of their communities.'

The Town Board held public hearings to amend a number of zoning definitions, consider changes of zone to 79 properties in the Rocky Point business district from their current zoning from J2 (Neighborhood Business) to J6 (Main Street Business) and to create three new overlay districts. All of the amendments were unanimously adopted by the Town Board.

Rezoning will help bring properties into code conformity and are designed to encourage redevelopment in the district. It will also permit building frontages to be close to the street and permit increased floor to area (FAR) ratios compared with the J-Business-2 District.

“I have been working on this plan for more than three years now and I’m very happy to see it being implemented,” Bonner said. “Informed community input helped ensure that the land use in this corridor will reflect the local vision and wishes for each hamlet...ensuring the preservation of the community character of each of the hamlets.”

New zoning defintions include:

• J Business 6 – Existing land uses defined; Clarify land uses; Land uses added based on other code changes;

• J Business 6 Signs 57A – Amendment to allow non-permanently affixed sign advertising goods for sale or services i.e., café or restaurant specials.

• J Business 2 – Within the Route 25A Hamlet Center Overlay District the maximum size of a commercial structure will be limited to 60,000 to 75,000 square feet. The intent is to reduce the effects and impacts of large scale commercial developments along the corridor including excessive traffic, noise, air and light pollution.

New overlay districts include:

• PCOD (Planned Conservation Overlay District) – Encourage responsible conservation subdivision of remaining farmland and open spaces of at least 35 aces which preserves a large proportion of open space and scenic vistas in perpetuity. Provides for parcels of land, 35 acres or more, to cluster detached or attached single family residential development, based on existing yield, on smaller lot sizes in order to preserve a minimum of 70% of the subject property.

• Hamlet Center Overlay – Offers protection of the corridor’s aesthetic and visual character within hamlet centers by limiting the size of large format retail establishments and restricting their location along the corridor. Strengthens the Hamlet Centers identity and attractiveness through improved corridor aesthetics, setbacks, signage, streetscape, public spaces, architectural design, and landscaping.

• Transitional Overlay – Protect transition areas and contiguous residential districts from future suburban sprawl and the incursion of out-of-scale, large format commercial development and redevelopment. Preserve the rural nature and character of the corridor transition areas. Improve the aesthetic and visual character of transition areas through consistent setbacks, uniform sign criteria, and improved landscaping and architectural design.

The plan and Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) are available on the Town website at www.brookhaven.org.