Code change to prevent overdevelopment

During Monday night’s Village of Patchogue meeting, the board unanimously approved a request to repeal Section 435-19(A)(3) of the Village Code to eliminate Garden Apartments, apartment houses and multiple-family dwellings, uses from the RPO residence and Professional Office District after a brief public hearing.

The change, according to village attorney Brian Egan, will solely affect homes on South Ocean Avenue on both sides starting at Bay Village and Smith Street to Main Street and Railroad Avenue and down both sides of Division and Baker streets as well, within the existing RPO residence and Professional Districts.

“This came in place in 1991-‘92 back in my other time as a trustee,” explained mayor Paul Pontieri, also noting that at that point in time, a large number of homes were being converted into apartments in the hopes they would become professional spaces as well. “But over the last 10 to 12 years, if you take a look, the area has people investing in these homes and creating a different kind of environment.”

“People want to preserve that. We need to protect that neighborhood from any overdevelopment and allow the young families to stay that way,” he added of the reason behind the code change.

According to Egan, any homes that are currently zoned as apartments or multi-family will remain so as a nonconforming use. The code change, he said, is to prevent any new development.

“Living on the south end… I have seen these houses being purchased, gutted and spruced up by young families,” trustee Lori Devlin said of the pleasant change.

“That area has really become the greater part of Patchogue,” added trustee Sal Felice, noting the close proximity of the bay, ferry, parks and downtown. “When there’s change, you need to change, and I think this is great.”

There was no opposition to the code change and no one from the audience spoke. Also during the meeting, BID executive director Dennis Smith noted that the village currently has a total of 90 security cameras installed throughout, up from the about a dozen cameras which were originally installed six to seven years ago at Village Hall.