ÿþ<html> <head> <title>Middle Country Road Renaissance Project</title> <META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="middle, country, road, rd, renaissance, longwood, Middle Island, coram, brookhaven, ny, community, development, planning, suburban sprawl, project, unsafe roadways, environmental protection, downtowns, interactive, committee, nys, dot, home, leadership, meeting, congestion, comprehensive, inclusive, process, smart growth, historic, preservation, sustainable, vision, "> <META NAME="description" CONTENT="Through the years, the Middle Country Road has become over burdened by cars and dangerous to pedestrians and drivers. This is a project of the Longwood Alliance chaired by Connie Kepert. "> <META NAME="author" CONTENT="Middle Country Road Renaissance Project"> <LINK REL=stylesheet HREF="style.css" TYPE="text/css"> </head> <body background=bg2.jpg text=ffffff link=99CC99 vlink=ccff66 alink=ffffff> <table cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 border=0 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: 1px solid; BACKGROUND: #667799; BORDER-LEFT: 1px solid; COLOR: #002266; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px solid; spacing: 0"> <tr><td colspan=4> <table cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 border=0 style="BORDER-TOP: 1px solid #002266; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px solid #002266;"> <tr><td width=103><img src=title-left.gif></td><td><img src="title-rt.gif"></td></tr> <tr><td colspan=2 align=right width=100 height=11 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: 1px solid; BACKGROUND: #525388; BORDER-LEFT: 1px solid; COLOR: #000000; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px solid; spacing: 0"> </td></tr> </table> </tr></td> <!-- Sidebar --> <tr><td align=center> <table cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 border=0> <tr><td align=left width=150 valign=top bgcolor=525388 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 2px solid #002266; BORDER-TOP: 1px solid; BACKGROUND: #202280; COLOR: #002266; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px solid #002266; spacing: 0;"> <table width=150> <tr><td align=center> </p> <font class=sidetxt style="font-size:10pt;"><b><u>INSIDE THIS WEB SITE:</u></b><p> <a class=side href=vision.html><img src="pix/visionsbut.gif" align="center"></a> <p> <a class=side href=http://www.middlecountryrdproject.org/news><img src="pix/latestnews.gif" align="center"></a> <p> <a class=side href=Alert.html><img src="pix/action.gif" align="center"></a> <P align=center style="font-size:12pt;">Check out Brookhaven's Comprehensive Planning Process <a href=http://www.brookhaven2030.org> Brookhaven 2030</a> <br> </b></font> <br> </b></font><p> <a href=http://www.brookhaven.org/PlanningEnvironmentLandManagement/PlanningEnvironmentLandManagement/tabid/193/Default.aspx>Read Middle Country Road Land Use Plan and other important planning documents</a><p> <a class=side <a href=http://www.visionlongisland.org/smart_talk/11-21-07/11-21-07.html>Vision Long Island's 2007 Smart Growth Summit</a><p> <p align=center><font class=sidemtg><!--#include virtual="events/nextmtg.txt" --> <P style="font-size:9pt;color:white;background:#303166;BORDER-RIGHT: 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: 1px solid; BORDER-LEFT: 1px solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px solid; spacing: 0"><b>Sign Up For E-Mail Updates: </td></tr> <tr><td align=center> <!--#include virtual="newsignup.htm" --> <br><font class=sidetxt><b><p>Contact Us<br><br></b></font> </i> <a <a class=side href=mailto:info@middlecountryrdproject.org>info@middlecountryrdproject.org</a></font><img src="pix/email5.gif" align="center"></a> <br> <br> <br> <br> <br> <!--#include virtual="tellsomeone.htm" --> <br> </td></tr> </table> </td> <!-- End Sidebar /--> <!-- Start Main /--> <td width=700 valign=top style="border-top: 6px solid #667799;border-left: 6px solid #667799;border-bottom: 6px solid #667799;" bgcolor="#333399"> <img src="pix/LAlogo1.jpg" align="left"><h1> <font color="FFFF00"> The Process of Making Our Vision a Reality </font></h1> <p><font color=CCCCCC class=body> The Middle Country Road Land Use Plan was adopted by the Town Board and is now the official guide for future development for the Town of Brookhaven. <br>The Town has worked to implement that landuse plan by enacting a comprehensive change in the zoning codes along Middle Country Road. <br> Over 2000 acres along Middle Country Road were upzoned to less intensive zoning categories this Spring. <br> Those upzonings substantially reduced suburban sprawl, and prevents the continuation of strip development along Middle Country Road.<br> <p>The Town Board is currently reviewing both the Sam Glass proposal which is a well designed Multi-family residential subdivision sited on the west side of CR 21 and Middle Country Road, and a mixed use proposal called Sandy Hills on the east side of CR 21. These proposals along with the proposal on the former Kogel site will help to make the vision of the community a reality. <br> </a> <p> Click here to view a small number of images from the Design Survey. <a href=VPSsurveypics.html>Images</a><p> <p><img src="pix/LAlogo1.jpg" align="left"><a class=headline href=planning.html>Comprehensive, Inclusive Planning</a>The Longwood Alliance a community umbrella organization in central Brookhaven has been working to bring the idea of safe streets and sustainable development into Brookhaven since the mid 1990s. During the first part of 2002, we engaged in an intensive planning process called Visioning. The Visioning Process frees community and civic leaders from simply reacting to bad development, and instead invites the community to positively participate in the planning process. The initial stage of the visioning process has been completed along the Middle Country Road Corridor in Coram and Middle Island. However, the process is an on going one and we continue to invite all community residents, to participate in developing a vision for the future development of their communities. <p><img src="pix/town.jpg" align="left"><a class=headline href=baddev.html>An Alternative to Bad Development</a> <br><font class=idxtxt>On suburban L.I.. the word development has become a dirty word. It has meant the destruction of beloved historic structures, and open spaces, and their replacement by strip stores, and empty parking lots. Development has meant frustrating traffic jams, solved by ever wider roadways. Yet development need not be a dirty word. Development can help to create communities rather than destroy them. <p><img src="pix/hands.jpg" align="left"><a class=headline href=connect.html>Building Connections</a> <br><font class=idxtxt>It is the goal of the Middle Country Road Renaissance Project to humanize the built environment, to create opportunities to build connections and a sense of responsibility to the communities in which we live. Public gathering places such as parks, plazas, and other public places, serve to promote a sense of “community” and are, therefore, an important component of our vision. <p><img src="pix/town.jpg" align="left"><a class=headline href=ecdev.html>Economic Development</a> <br><font class=idxtxt>We wish to encourage economic development by promoting density, proximity & diversity, within centers, and creating a gradient of development between centers. <p><img src="pix/town.jpg" align="left"><a class=headline href=congestion.html>Congestion</a> <br><font class=idxtxt>The understanding about traffic flow and roadway congestion has greatly increased over the past three decades. The "common sense" solution of widening roads to accommodate traffic is now known to be a solution of last resort. The growing list of alternative solutions saves lives while reducing congestion. Our vision stresses design standards which reduce congestion, by using alternative designs for intersections, promoting choice, and changing development patterns. <p><img src="pix/bike.jpg" align="left"><a class=headline href=multilane.html>Unsafe Multilane Highways</a> <br><font class=idxtxt>Our sprawling land use patterns and resultant auto dependence has resulted in an enormous number of auto related accidents. Wide straight roads result in faster speeds, and as speed increases so do the number and severity of auto accidents. Witness “Long Island’s Deadliest Roadway”, Middle Country Road in Selden and Centereach. Our vision includes the latest in traffic calming methods and a street scape which is safe for all users. <p><img src="pix/tree.jpg" align="left"><a class=headline href=environment.html>Environmental Protection</a> <br><font class=idxtxt>Brookhaven is currently on the front lines of a battle ground to preserve significant areas of open space. Unfortunately, in community after community we are losing that battle. Dispersed patterns of suburban development have necessitated the loss of important areas of open space. In order to begin to win the battle to protect important landscapes we need to steer development away from sensitive sites and into centers. Our vision includes the development of three community centers. <p><img src="pix/town.jpg" align="left"><a class=headline href=historicpres.html>Historic Preservation</a> <br><font class=idxtxt>Sprawl has destroyed not only our cherished landscapes but those landmarks which provide us with a window into our community’s past. The preservation of a community’s past is a necessary ingredient in establishing a sense of community identity. Our vision includes the restoration of important historic landmarks along the Middle Country Road Corridor. <p><img src="pix/hands.jpg" align="left"><a class=headline href=equitable.html>Equitable Places</a> <br><font class=idxtxt>The creation of a streetscape includes the traditional component of housing units above stores. This component serves to make the street safer by providing for eyes on the street, while creating an affordable, convenient housing option for seniors, and young people. <p><img src="pix/hands.jpg" align="left"><a class=headline href=partners.html>Project Sponsors and Partners</a> <br><font class=idxtxt>The Middle Country Road Renaissance Project is sponsored by the Longwood Alliance in cooperation with: <a href=http://www.longwood.k12.ny.us/>Longwood Central Schools</a> and the Middle Island Rotary, the <a href=http://www.brookhaven.org/>Town of Brookhaven</a>, <a href=http://longwood.suffolk.lib.ny.us/>Longwood Public Library</a>, the <a href=http://www.neighborhood-network.org/>Neighborhood Network</a>, and <a href=http://www.visionhuntington.org/vli_index.htm>Vision Long Island</a>. <p><a class=headline href=join.html>Learn More... Join In...</a> <br><font class=idxtxt>We invite you to learn more about how local residents and government are joining together to create a better future in your community. Attend our next meeting: </td></tr> <!-- End Main /--> <tr><td colspan=4 valign=bottom align=center><img src="blue.jpg" height=3 width=100% vspace=0 hspace=0 border=0></td></tr> <tr><td colspan=4 align=center>&nbsp;<br> <table style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px solid; BORDER-TOP: 1px solid; BACKGROUND: #525388; BORDER-LEFT: 1px solid; COLOR: #ffffff; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px solid; spacing: 0"> <tr><td align=center><b>The Middle Country Road Renaissance Project, 8 Cedar Grove Terrace, Middle Island, NY 11953 Tel: (631) 924-1427 </td></tr> </table> </td></tr> <tr><td colspan=4> <table width=100%> <tr><td colspan=3 valign=top align=center><!--#include virtual="botmenu.htm" --></td></tr> <tr><td width=100 valign=bottom><font size=1 face=arial># Visitors: <!--#exec cgi="/cgi-sys/counter" --></td><td valign=bottom><font size=1 face=arial>www.middlecountryrdproject.org</td><td valign=top align=right><font size=1 face=arial>Copyright © 2003 Middle Country Road Renaissance Project. 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