New Planning Director Fast at Work – Sewers, Smart Growth and LWRP
Without great formality, just a simply vote at a Town Board meeting, David Flynn was just appointed to head up the Planning Department. His official title: Director of Planning. The seat was left vacant by Frank DeRubeis who retired earlier this year after decades serving the town in that role.
However, Flynn is neither new to the town or to the department, he has served as Assistant Director since 1985 and is a lifelong resident of Kings Park. He first worked at the department as an intern for three summers while in college when he was trying to figure out what he should do with his young life.
Flynn studied Environmental Studies after a short stink in Annapolis which turned out to be a terrible fit for the young Flynn. Flynn then attended State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry where he chose Planning as his major. He had the opportunity to extend his collegiate career with a fifth year in Landscape Architecture and receive a second degree and that’s exactly what he did. He says he took a lot of Geography and Economic electives as well.
He says he was a mere 29 when he took the role of Assistant Director of the department. The fact that the job was in his home town was a huge impetus. “I trained everyone who came here, Dave did the planning and I was his right arm”, he added.
“My purpose as Director of the Planning Department is two-fold, to provide advice to three boards, the Town Board, The Planning board and the Board of Zoning Appeal,” he explained. Then he added in addition they are basically the administrative arm of those boards as well. “Hopefully, we give good objective analysis for the betterment of the town,” he continued.
MASTER PLAN
After a decade the Master Plan of the Town of Smithtown is finished alas. Some critics, particularly those well-versed in Smart Growth say it took too long and is a defunct document. “The draft is done and it hasn’t been adjusted, the next step is up to the Town Board,” he said. The Planning Department presented the Master Plan to the Town Board in February and has not heard back on the behemoth document to date. Flynn’s only contention with the Master Plan is that there was no public involvement – he says it’s imperative to get a public take on it.
SMART GROWTH
Flynn has attended Vision Long Island’s events in the past. He admits that his department even received a Dumb Growth Award in the past by the organization. Vision is the non-profit that is the mother ship for Smart Growth on Long Island. However, they were also recognized two years back when Lavena Sipes and Mark Mancini worked tirelessly to make changed in downtown Smithtown to make it more pedestrian friendly.
“In the 80’s we anticipated more mixed use allowing apartments over stores and we amended zoning to allow it but got very few takers,” he shared. He says sewers are a big problem or lack of them. “Lack of sewers puts us at a competitive disadvantage,” he lamented.
He talked about John Kennedy’s push for sewers in residential areas for the residents who were experience ground water flood and septic problems and says that makes sense. He spoke of the high density area of San Remo and how that area would be ideal for residential sewers. “I have a lot of strong feelings about planning but it’s not place to impose my philosophies but it’s my job to do what the public wants,” he stated.
ETHICS
Flynn says that when it comes to planning ethics plays a huge role, it was part of his training. He spoke of Environmental Justice, a common phrase when studying the subject of Planning in any college. “Planners believe in efficiency and reducing waste,” he explained.
GRANTS
Right now The Smithtown Planning Department as four grants before them that they are working on. One is for an Organic Waste Processing Facility so the town can take care of their own waste. Toby Carlsen has proposed such a plant in the Industrial area of Kings Park. It’s contentious as Carlson has been a violator of law over the years but he has also been the recipient of the town’s waste.
The Planning Department is also updated the LWRP – The Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan. The original plan was laid out in 1989 and there is no legal requirement for the town to have one. However, if they don’t produce their own they are to adopt the state’s version. Flynn said it made perfect sense for Smithtown to have its own, as it provides us more control over our waterways and the adjoining lands/wetlands. “We were the first town on Long Island to adopt our own LWRP,” he said proudly.
The other grants involve energy with a consortium of seven Long Island towns. Right now they are studying sites for electric vehicle charging stations close enough to the Long Island Expressway.
The last grant is for alternative energy involving the NYSRDA. “It would be our job to spread the work about their programs. Flynn says our area is not a candidate for wind turbines as we simply do not have enough wind here, he said that is more suited for the South Shore and barrier Islands.
“I am very optimistic about the Department, we have a great team, over the years we’ve had good people; there is a lot of work to be done and the team is hard at work every day making sure it gets done,” said Flynn