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Avalon’s Proposal Still Not Right for This Community
Avalon is back.
As you might recall, last July Avalon withdrew its application for a 300-unit rental complex at the former Hallock Chevrolet site (across from the BMW dealership on Route 106) following widespread expressions of community opposition. Just a few weeks later, Avalon purchased the 5-acre property for $8.68 million. Last month, at a meeting of the Oyster Bay Civic Association, Avalon publicly confirmed its plans to submit a new proposal to the Town of Oyster Bay for construction of a 150-unit super-high-density 4-story rental complex at the site. Contrary to statements on its website that a new zoning classification would NOT be required, Avalon also confirmed that it would seek to have the Town zoning code rewritten to permit it and other developers to build other similar super-high-density complexes throughout the entire Township of Oyster Bay at nearly double the currently permitted density by way of "inclusionary zoning". This zoning concept would permit all developers to build at higher densities than is currently permitted throughout the Town of Oyster Bay, in return for which a percentage of housing units in new developments would have to be available to low and moderate income households. In this particular case, Avalon would seek a "density bonus" of nearly 100% (almost double the existing Town maximum- from 16 units/acre to 30 units/acre). In seeking once again to rewrite the Town zoning code, Avalon's proposal will have enormous consequences throughout the entire Town of Oyster Bay, resulting in a cumulative burden to our community's local environment (including the Oyster Bay-Cold Spring Harbor estuary), infrastructure, and daily life that will be irreversible.
In recent weeks, Avalon has been sending a targeted mailing to Town residents seeking support for the proposed complex at the Hallock site. Avalon's letter is misleading in several respects. For example, the letter characterizes the new proposal as "affordable housing", with apartments set aside for seniors and young people. To most of us, the term "senior citizen housing" carries with it the implication that there is some discount or financial incentive for people on fixed incomes. Not in "Avalon-speak". Avalon's website sets the monthly rental prices at $1,650 (studio), $2,400 (1-bedroom), and $3,000 (2-bedroom), with no discount at all for the 15 units set aside for senior citizens- another fact confirmed publicly at the OB Civic meeting. Apparently, our seniors are just supposed to feel lucky to have a spot reserved for them. No details have been provided for the other 15 units supposedly reserved for "next generation" renters.
Under current zoning restrictions, which were reviewed by the Town as recently as 2001, residential use of the property is prohibited. The site is zoned "light industrial/general business", permitting uses such as light manufacturing (like Mill-Max, right next door), office space, and warehouses, with special approvals needed for uses such as supermarkets and other retail sales. Even if multi-family housing were permitted at the site, Avalon's proposed 30 units/acre is nearly double the Town's maximum density of 16 units/acre, the proposed 4-story building is double the Town's applicable maximum building height, and the site would have nearly double the number of apartments the Sewer District has repeatedly set as a maximum.
Just to give you an idea of what 30 units/acre will look like, Norwich-Gate (across from Stop & Shop) has only 12 units/acre; Lexington Estates (behind Hess) has less than 15 units/acre; Top of the Harbor (on Lexington Avenue across from the Roosevelt School) has roughly 16 units/acre. Even Mariner's Walk (the new town-homes on South Street) is being constructed at about 15 units/acre. As far as the number of cars that will be added on a permanent basis to the traffic on Route 106, current zoning requirements would call for parking for 300 vehicles, more than the number of parking spaces currently in place at the Teddy Roosevelt beach parking lot.
We believe that Supervisor Venditto's strong message to Avalon nearly a year ago remains applicable today- that the sort of development sought by Avalon cannot be considered in a vacuum, but instead must be viewed for the terrible precedent it will set for the future of Oyster Bay-East Norwich and the Town as a whole. Please remain vigilant. This is not over yet.
Matthew T. Meng, President East Norwich Civic Association
