At the last regular public meeting of the Village of Farmingdale Board of Trustees on Monday, Feb. 7, the public hearing for the Bartone, LLC hotel application for the Hilton brand hotel took center stage.
The owner, his attorney, and the site architect were in attendance to present their approved plans and share with residents their intentions for the site development.
The hotel is permitted use, and already has secured the right to build. The public hearing was about the Site Plan Review for the new Hilton Hotel that is being built at Secatogue Avenue and South Front Street. The Village board introduced their suggestion to the owner and developer about their request to trade property sites, swapping some of the parking spaces in the rear of what will be the hotel, for space in front to expand a pocket park, making the green space on the street front more prominently.
Many residents expressed their concerns and suggestions; more than 40 people were in attendance for the public hearing. The owner and the Board heard many concerns and suggestions including a conflict with the Farmingdale School District’s bus stop that is on the same corner as the planned hotel, the open-access parking facility that will be subterranean, shuttle service and a safe walking path from the area to Main Street, the type of guests who will use the hotel, the hotel’s accommodations and many other concerns. The Board ensured residents of its intention to keep the public notified of developments with this and other changes coming as the Village continues to be beautified and redeveloped.
In other agenda business, a motion to close the public hearing on the sign codes in the downtown area was passed and the new sign code was adopted into Village law.
A tax certiorari was approved for Elizabeth Gardens at 25 Elizabeth Street for tax years 2008/09 through and including 2010/11 in the amount of $6,700.
A change order has been made to the Residential Rehab program. A resolution was approved for the final costs of three residential rehab projects for the following amounts: Resident #1 for $14,100, Resident #2 for $10,500 and Resident #3 for $12,800, which will supercede the resolution passed for these properties at the Oct. 4 meeting.
The next public board of trustees meeting will be held on Monday, Mar. 7 at 8 p.m. at Village Hall, 361 Main Street, in the conference room. The work session will begin at 7 p.m. Copies of the past minutes and future agendas can be found on the village website. Regular meetings are typically on the first Monday of each month at 8 p.m.
