One Small Step for the Lighthouse, but No Giant Leap...Yet

Today was a landmark day for the future of the Lighthouse Project. In a unanimous vote, the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement was deemed ready for the Public Comments period. Mind you (and my friend Nick over at Let There Be Light(house) will be sure to correct me if I mess this up. LOL!), this is only the first small step to getting a shovel in the ground.

In this Public Comments period, any concerned citizens, politicians, surrounding towns, businesses and the like will be able to weigh in on their issues with the project and final tweaks will be made to the EIS. Here is the post that just went up on LighthouseLI.com (the official site of the Lighthouse Project):

Lighthouse DGEIS deemed complete by Town of Hempstead Board

Jul 7, 2009

Today, the Town of Hempstead Town Board voted unanimously on a resolution to deem the Draft Generic Environmental Studies for the Lighthouse at Long Island project complete.

The original application for a Planned Development District was submitted on November 17, 2007, with the final scope of studies finalized on February 24, 2009. The Lighthouse Development Group submitted the first round of studies on April 28, 2009.

This resolution now opens an official public comment period, and a public hearing has been scheduled for Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at the John Cranford Adams Playhouse at Hofstra University. The hearing will begin at 9:30 a.m. The public comment period will be open until August 17, 2009.

The public hearing will be the time for anyone and everyone to let their voice be heard on the project.

It's imperative that we as supporters of the Lighthouse Project keep up the pressure on our local politicians in not only the Town of Hempstead but also in Nassau County and New York State. This project will not just effect the Uniondale/Garden City/Hempstead area; This Project will effect all Long Islanders. Revel in this small victory for now, but it'll be time to get back to work tomorrow when the Public Comment period officially opens.

As you can see in the release, there is a meeting on August 4th at the John Cranford Adams Playhouse at Hofstra at 9:30AM. I know I'll be there and you should plan to be there too. If we show up in numbers it will personify the support that this project has throughout our respective communities.

It's One Small Step...but we're not there yet.

Note: I joked before on my Twitter feed about the zoning applications being approved EARLY and Nick almost had a heart attack. Just wanted to publicly apologize and state yet again that this process is far from over. Keep yourself up-to-date on all the Lighthouse Project news at both the Official Site and Let There Be Light(house).

Cheers, folks!

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Random Thoughts About Living on Long Island

As I sit here, I think to myself how this whole thing is going to work. It's bad enough that the country as a whole is in an economic downturn, but on top of that I live on LONG ISLAND. One of the most highly taxed and expensive places to live in same said economically challenged country. What the hell is a 25 year old, still looking for what he wants to do with the rest of his life, supposed to do when rent is still through the roof and the opportunities to even find a place haven't improved since the 80's? Live at home...that's what. Where you have to fight with your parents over getting a cable box for the TV in your room because they don't want to pay the Dolan's another cent (not that I can blame them). There's gotta be a better way to go about this.

I've been saying to my friend who works for the Lighthouse Development Group that I've been waiting patiently for my affordable housing for over three years (since I graduated from Stony Brook). If the ToH thinks they're going to take that away from me they're out of their minds. Yes, it would be fantastic to have a renovated Coliseum but frankly, there is no feasible economic way that anything could make money when the lease is still in SMG's hands. Thus, officials and employees of the Town have to quit sipping that KoolAid. For real.

What is needed on Long Island is a forward-thinking project that will not only enhance the public image of the place we live but to make it more livable. THE SUBURBS DON'T WORK IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE THERE! When Levittown was built in the 1950's, the cost to own a home was $7,990! Now, you could pay that much in 6 months worth in rent.

This is what it used to look like

Needless to say, living on Long Island for anyone who doesn't have an established and well-paying job is extremely difficult.

Enter the Mixed-Use Development.

This is what it needs to look like

Here comes the argument from the Town of Hempstead that the Lighthouse Group is trying to overdevelop, scar, maim and destroy suburban peace and prosperity. Oh, no! We're turning into Queens! NOOOOO! NOT IN MY BACKYARD!!

My question to those NIMBY's out there is: "What happens when the same Town of Hempstead, that is 'protecting' your way of life by stonewalling an idea that would bring revenue and business into the community, raises your property taxes? How are you going to afford to live where you are now, then?" Without the influx of young, eager, hard-working (and yes, possibly Liberal {gasp!}) people our Island will DIE! Do you get that?!

I've had to plan on leaving my home since I was applying for colleges 7 years ago. I was born and raised for 25 years on this Island and I can't live here much longer because it's simply too expensive. The average one-bedroom apartment goes for $1000+ a month folks. Plus, you have to drive everywhere which costs money. In gas alone you could spend upwards of $450/month (when gas was over $4.00 a gallon and I have a rather gas efficient vehicle).

A mixed-use development would offer people my age to stay on the Island and prosper because we could work, live and play in the same 5 mile radius. On top of that, there would be public transportation for wherever you would need to go. Imagine the amount of money and traffic congestion that would be saved if there were more buses and trolley's (running on either electric or natural gas) instead of taxis and cars. Not only would it be more "Green" (the buzzword for the next century) but more efficiently conducted. Traffic patterns would be more regulated, money would be saved and the environment would be preserved. I don't see a problem here.

In closing, I'd like to point out the absolute disregard the Town of Hempstead has for it's constituency. When those who live in the Town of Hempstead could be prospering from new jobs and new revenue streams, it's your representatives, the people YOU elected to office, who are standing in your way. Let your voices be heard loud and clear. Now is the time to stop this petty back and forth and just get the damn thing started.

Kate Murray has denigrated the office she now holds. This falls on her shoulders and her political career. By not showing even the tact to speak publicly (isn't that what politicians are supposed to do?) either for or against the Lighthouse, she has created doubt in many people's minds that she is fit to lead anymore.

It's perfectly okay to have your father who just retired with a $40,000+ pension every year, be re-hired by his "loving" daughter the next day, at a similar job, FOR 3x THE GOING WAGE, but then not attend a meeting set-up by the Labor Unions that work in your Town to try and come to a resolution of sorts. That is despicable.

I'm done ranting for now. Check back in the next day or so for my thoughts on the Assistant Coaching changes going on around the NY Islanders and for more about the Draft and Lighthouse.

Please don't forget to check in to my buddy Nick's LetThereBeLight(house) or The Official Blog of the Lighthouse Project: The Light Post, for updates. Nick and Katrina have some great information to educate yourself and others on the goings-on of the Lighthouse.

For Questions or Comments please leave them down in the link below. If you want to get in touch with your on-site supervisor, e-mail me at DougD84@optonline.net.

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