On Monday, March 2, the Planning Board of Patchogue Village certified their recommendation for approval of the Kelly Builders & Development Group with a contingency of 17 items.
During the public comment period at the various hearings, community members brought up their concerns about the development’s effect on urbanization (e.g., traffic, parking, renters) in Patchogue.
Overwhelmingly, community members were concerned with introducing another apartment rental complex to the village. Several residents stated that additional apartment rentals would have a negative impact on the village.
“This board may not deny an application on the basis that it introduces rental three occupancies. It also may not condition approval of a project on the filing of a restrictive covenant requiring condominium ownership… Further, the board disagrees with the premise that rentals would inherently have a negative impact on the village,” said the board inthe formal decision.
The board cited that increased economic activity in the village and decrease in blight over the past two decades has been at least partly the result of the introduction of rental developments.
The rentals, according to the board, provided much-needed housing in the area, including for younger community members seeking apartment-style amenities and older members downsizing their living space.
“We see no evidence that these new residents have had a negative impact on the village. Indeed, the opposite has been true. Concerns regarding school district capacity also do not stand scrutiny,” said the board.
The board cited a slight decline in enrollment at Patchogue Medford School District since 2013 to last year and determined that “the nature of this complex is extremely unlikely to cause any material increase in enrollment. Young families are unlikely to pay a premium for a two-bedroom apartment that includes marina dock space.”
A previous apartment complex built in the Patchogue Village area by Tritec was said to have no “material change to the school district enrollment.”
The board determined that the intended market for the apartments is older and smaller households of higher income that will pay the premium for easily accessible boating amenities.
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