The Huntington Town Board held its November 4, 2021 meeting, where they held presentations on the 2022 Budget and scheduled various public hearings, including three measures related to the New York State Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act.
“Now that New York State has legalized marijuana, the Town Board is considering the options the new state law has made available to municipalities related to opting into or opting out of allowing cannabis retail dispensaries and on-site consumption sites within the Town,” said Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci. “We are also considering a measure intended to protect quality of life in our Town related to the use of marijuana in public spaces.”
The Town board scheduled three public hearings related to the New York State Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act for the November 18, 2021 Town Board meeting at 7:00 PM:
- One hearing considers opting out of allowing cannabis retail dispensaries and on-site consumption sites within the Town. While the Town may always opt-in at a later date, opting-out is a one-time opportunity and must be done on or before December 31st.
- Another hearing considers updating the zoning code to be consistent with the new State law.
- The third hearing considers regulating cannabis consumption in public, on town property, and on streets and sidewalks outside of the Incorporated Villages.
Additional public hearings were scheduled for the Thursday, November 18, 2021 Town Board meeting at 7:00 PM to consider:
- Authorizing various actions be taken upon certain properties designated as Blighted in accordance with Chapter 156, Article VII, §156-60 (Blighted Property).
- Amending the Uniform Traffic Code of the Town of Huntington, Chapter TC4 (Parking Fields); Schedule L (Town Parking Fields); to add metered parking in a portion of the Cold Spring Harbor LIRR Parking Lot to allow non-commuter parking permit holders to access parking as needed in the lot; to correct a discrepancy in the code related to metered commuter parking violations on Broadway and Railroad Street, treating violations for on-street metered parking the same as those in metered parking lots; and to clarify the "head-in" parking mandate applies only in lots where there is posted signage requiring head-in parking.
- The application of GNJ Management LLC for a Commercial Lessor’s (Bingo) License at 535 Broadhollow Road, Suite A2, Melville, New York 11747.
In other action, the Town Board:
- Adopted an addendum to the 2015 Town of Huntington Climate Action Plan to add a Community Wide Greenhouse Gas emissions reduction target of 20% below the 2005 GHG Emissions levels documented in the NYIT Long Island Carbon Footprint Project (2013) by 2025 and to meet the goals of the New York State Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act
- Added the newly established federal holiday of Juneteenth to the Traffic Code for the purposes of free on-street metered parking on the holiday.
- Approved and appropriated $7,700,000 for the increase and improvement of facilities of the South Huntington Water District, including the expenditure of $3,710,000 in grant funds to be received and $790,000 in available District funds to pay a part of said appropriation; and authorizing the issuance of $3,200,000 bonds to finance the balance of said appropriation.
- Authorized the Supervisor to apply for a Water Infrastructure Improvement Grant (WIIA Grant) and receive grant funding through an EFC Program for rehabilitation and emergency power improvements for Dix Hills Water District Plant 3 to improve drinking water quality; the grant would provide reimbursement of 60% of the project costs up to a maximum of $3,000,000. The estimated cost of this project is $6,100,000; a similar resolution was passed to apply and receive grant funding to treat 1,4 dioxane for DHWD Plant 5.
- Authorized the Supervisor to apply for a Water Infrastructure Improvement Grant (WIIA Grant) and receive grant funding through an EFC Program to construct a new water treatment facility to address 1,4 dioxane contaminant in drinking water for Dix Hills Water District Plant 8 to improve drinking water quality; the grant would provide reimbursement of 60% of the project costs up to a maximum of $3,000,000. The estimated cost of this project is $3,850,000.
###