Land preservation efforts on up swing across North Fork

Long Island Rail Road commuters now have an opportunity to weigh in on what they’d like to see in a reimagined Jamaica Station.New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced this morning the launch of a "customer engagement" effort as part of her proposed $50 million redesign of the Queens transit hub, which serves as the main transfer point for LIRR riders, and includes connections to buses, subways and the JFK AirTrain.Alfonso A. Castillo reports in NEWSDAY that starting today, customers can take an online survey with several questions about their experiences using Jamaica, and what improvements they’d like to see at the station, which serves 200,000 daily riders.QR codes linking to the survey will be posted throughout Jamaica Station, along with staffed tables with information about the project. A poster tells customers that the survey "will help us identify areas for improvement and inform future planning and upgrades."Hochul’s office said the survey, which will be available through May 8, focuses on "ticketing, wayfinding, transfer experience between agencies, and concessions."Survey questions ask customers how satisfied they are with a number of issues relating to their experiences at Jamaica, including waits for LIRR transfers, availability of food and drink options, cleanliness, ease of travel from one mode of transportation to another, and "safety from crime or harassment."Not included in the survey are any questions relating to customer comforts, including availability of seating and more spaces to take shelter from the elements. Several LIRR riders and advocates interviewed by Newsday in January said they hoped a redesign of the 113-year-old outdoor station would include the addition of more enclosed spaces.It’s been nearly a quarter-century since Jamaica Station underwent meaningful upgrades as part of the opening of the adjacent AirTrain building in 2023.***A handful of spots at Montauk Harbor had to be touched up and deepened to the stated dredging depth of 17 feet, so the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers redeployed a mechanical dredge to put the final touches on what has been a monthslong operation.Now, though, neither the massive suction dredge, Oyster Bay, nor its smaller companion, Scrod II, are in the neighborhood. A mechanical barge, equipped with an excavator, was left over from the first phase of the operation and is spearheading this latest phase.Jack Motz reports on 27east.com that East Hampton Town officials, who worked in tandem with the Army Corps of Engineers on what was planned as a jointly funded $11.6 million operation, had said earlier in March that the operation was complete – and the Army Corps confirmed this week that it was, in fact, deemed complete at the time.The project appeared to be complete last month,” said Army Corps spokesman James D’Ambrosio. “However, surveys afterward indicated there were still high spots that needed to be removed by the contractor to reach the authorized depth.”The purpose of the operation has been to restore safe navigation in and out of the harbor, which sees natural shoaling and had previously been reduced to three feet in some areas, which severely limits the ability of mariners to pass through.The project had been years in the making and saw several pieces of heavy machinery descend on Montauk Harbor, including both suction dredges, a 30-foot-by-90-foot mechanical barge and two tugboats, Uncle Bill and Manhasset Bay.***Southampton Arts Center has received a $50,000 grant from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation to support its upcoming exhibition, “The Story of America: 1776-2026, A Celebration of Freedom and Independence.”The funding will help underwrite the presentation of the Museum of Democracy exhibition, which explores more than 250 years of American presidential campaign history. The exhibition is scheduled to be on view from May 23 through July 18.“The Museum of Democracy’s collection of American campaign artifacts is unparalleled,” said Kathryn M. Curran, executive director of the Robert Lion Gardiner Foundation. “This exhibition is not only a celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, but also a lesson in the power of the individual’s vote.”“We are thrilled to receive a donation for this important historical show,” said Christina Mossaides Strassfield, executive director of Southampton Arts Center. “This generous support allows us to bring meaningful stories to the community and foster a deeper appreciation of history.”The exhibition is part of a broader effort to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary and highlight the evolution of democratic participation in the United States.Southampton Arts Center is at 25 Jobs Lane, Southampton, NY 11968***A potential partnership involving the Town of Riverhead, Suffolk County and Peconic Land Trust could preserve about 145 acres in Baiting Hollow that Nassau County has owned and operated as a 4-H camp for more than a century. Denise Civiletti reports on Riverheadlocal.com that the proposal, outlined during yesterday’s Riverhead Town Board work session, would divide the longtime camp property into several preservation components, with Suffolk County purchasing development rights on portions of the farmland, Peconic Land Trust coordinating the overall acquisition and Riverhead potentially acquiring a section as town open space.Riverhead Town officials signaled support for taking a first step quickly, with town counsel saying a resolution could be prepared to authorize an appraisal of the portion that Riverhead might acquire.“This is really, almost a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the town of Riverhead to acquire a Sound-front parcel with access to the beach,” Suffolk County Legislator Greg Doroski told the board.The property, known as the Dorothy P. Flint 4-H Camp, has been owned by Nassau County for 101 years. Nassau County now wants to sell it, and preservation advocates told the board that time is short to assemble a deal that would protect as much of the site as possible from future development, Doroski said.Julie Wesnofske of Peconic Land Trust said the property sits in the middle of a large block of protected land and farmland stretching from Sound Avenue to Long Island Sound, making it especially significant from both an ecological and public-access standpoint.A land-status map prepared by Peconic Land Trust identifies the parcel at 145.53 acres. Another concept plan shows a proposed Riverhead acquisition area of 36.13 acres, alongside county purchases of development rights on other parts of the property and two small development areas totaling less than four acres.The town-owned portion under discussion would be acquired as open space, though Riverhead Town officials and the project partners said that does not necessarily mean the land would be left entirely untouched.***Southold’s land preservation efforts are on a roll. Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that on the heels of a vote in March to preserve 54 acres of land on the outskirts of Greenport, the Town of Southold is en route this week to preserving a vineyard in Cutchogue and a swath of bayfront property in the Bayview section of Southold. And next on the burner is another proposal to preserve nearly 35 acres on the south side Route 48 in Southold, across from the North Fork Flower Farm, which backs up to a tributary of Hashamomuck Pond.The Southold Town Board will hold a public hearing on this acquisition at its April 21 meeting at 6 p.m. in the Peconic Community Center auditorium.This property, which is in an R-80, two-acre residential zoning district, extends to Long Creek, a tributary of Hashamomuck Pond, an area where Southold and the county have already preserved a significant amount of land, including a 54-acre parcel earlier this spring.The purchase price is estimated at $3.829 million, which works out to approximately $110,000 per acre, paid in a 50/50 split between the town and the county.The property is three parcels currently owned by Moffat Farm South LLC, Moffat Farm Rabbit LLC and Moffat Farm Tiny LLC.Southold Town says the property is being acquired “for open space, passive recreational purposes, wetland protection, shoreline protection, habitat protection and protection of forested land,” and that proposed uses may include “a nature preserve and/or passive recreational area with trails and limited parking,” subject to a management plan to be prepared for the property.***Ever wonder what’s being built in our North Fork community or the best way to get a message to Town Hall? Beth Young reports in EAST END BEACON that Mary Eisenstein and Library Director Shauna Scholl invite residents of Mattituck and Laurel to an informational program tomorrow to help you navigate our local government with ease. “Your Town, Your Voice: A Guide for Mattituck-Laurel Residents,” is tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 12 Noon at the Mattituck-Laurel Library, on Main Road in Mattituck, New York…11952During tomorrow morning’s free event you’ll get the facts on new projects like the construction on the Sacred Heart Parish property….you’ll be shown how to find what you need on the Southold Town website…Learn the most effective ways to communicate with town officials….and how to Stay in the Loop as they’ll provide you with a complete list of meetings and resources, from the Zoning Board to Channel 22.That’s tomorrow at 10 a.m. in the Mattituck-Laurel Library.***Large lithium-ion battery storage plants proposed for Suffolk County comprise the bulk of dozens of proposed projects under review by New York State for development before the...