Senator Flanagan And Supervisor Vecchio Work To Continue Efforts To Avoid Over Development At Kings Park Psychiatric Center

Senator John Flanagan (2nd Senate District) recently received a letter from Town of Smithtown Supervisor Patrick R. Vecchio regarding the future of the Kings Park Psychiatric Center property.

Senator Flanagan and Supervisor Vecchio are working together to ensure that the future of the property stays in the hands of the community and that a major portion of this beautiful property is preserved as parkland.

LETTER FROM SUPERVISOR PATRICK VECCHIO

Senator John Flanagan
260 Middle Country Road
Smithtown, New York 11787

Dear Senator Flanagan:

We are very much appreciative of all your good efforts in dealing with the Kings Park Psychiatric Center and all of the ramifications inherent in its final disposition by the State of New York.

Your recent initiative to have 3/4 of the acreage that was originally offered for sale to be made part of the Nissequogue State Park is commendable beyond words. Should you be successful in that endeavor, I would respectfully request that the remaining portion of the property (approximately 92 acres) be offered to the Town of Smithtown.

Given all the attempts by various entities to overdevelop this site, it is in the best interest of the Town of Smithtown and its citizens to acquire the property. There is no doubt that we can more intelligently apply good land use techniques that would be beneficial to the hamlet of Kings Park and the Town of Smithtown.

I thank you for all of the help given thus far and am confident that you will do your utmost to effect such transfer.

With all good wishes.

Very truly yours,

Patrick R. Vecchio
Town Supervisor

LETTER FROM SENATOR JOHN FLANAGAN TO THE NEW YORK STATE EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Ms. Eileen Mildenberger, CEO
NYS Empire State Development Corporation
633 3rd Avenue
New York, NY 10017

Dear Ms. Mildenberger:

In furtherance of our multiple discussions concerning the Kings Park Psychiatric Center (KPPC), enclosed is a letter from Smithtown Supervisor Patrick R. Vecchio expressing the Town’s position on the future disposition of this property.

As you can see, the Town supports the concept of preserving the vast majority of KPPC as state parkland and placing the remaining portion (approximately 90 acres) under town control for planning and developmental purposes. These views are consistent with the overwhelming wishes of civic, business and environmental organizations throughout Kings Park, Smithtown and Suffolk County.

Toward that end, I remain focused on listening to the will of the people and aggressively pursuing the transfer of three-quarters of this surplus property into the state park system. This move protects the environmental integrity and tax revenue benefits associated with the property and maintains harmony with the State’s original intentions for its future reuse. My attention is also directed to transferring the remaining 90-acres of property to the Town of Smithtown in an effort to uphold New York’s time-honored tradition and long-standing policy of entrusting land use and planning decisions to local jurisdictions.

Your continued assistance and attention to this critically important and worthwhile endeavor is always appreciated.

Sincerely,


John J. Flanagan
New York State Senate (2nd District)