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Sayville school board agrees to resend letter urging transparency on Island Hills/South Bay Village proposal
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Summary
The Sayville Union Free School District Board voted to resend a previously submitted letter asking the Town of Islip for more public outreach and transparency on the Island Hills (South Bay Village) redevelopment; board members urged residents to attend a July 16 planning-board public hearing.
The Sayville Union Free School District Board of Education voted to resend a previously drafted letter asking the Town of Islip for more public outreach and a public forum about proposed development plans for the Island Hills (now being called South Bay Village) property.
Board members said they remain concerned about population density, traffic, emergency response capacity and environmental impacts described to the district by residents and the Greater Islip Association. The board’s letter, previously sent after community focus groups, will be redistributed and updated and delivered to the town before the planning-board public hearing scheduled for July 16.
Board President Kathy (first-name only in transcript), who opened the discussion, said the developer Rechler Equity Partners has presented revised proposals to a limited set of residents and that the district has received sustained public correspondence opposing the project. Chris (board member) and others urged the board to encourage public turnout at the planning-board hearing, arguing that a strong in-person turnout is influential for local elected officials.
Some board members objected to how a new planning-board member was appointed without broad public notice; that appointment and the tight timeline for the planning-board vote were described in the meeting as reasons to press for greater transparency. The board’s discussion noted that, although children who move into the proposed development would attend neighboring districts (Kanekoa/Canepa—transcript spelling not specified), local infrastructure and traffic would still affect Sayville residents and school facilities near Lakeland Avenue.
Following discussion the board voted to resend the earlier letter to the Town of Islip asking for a public forum and greater transparency; members agreed staff would circulate the letter to board members for review before submission. A motion to resend the prior letter carried without recorded opposition.
The board encouraged residents to attend the planning-board public hearing on July 16 (6 p.m.) to ask questions and register concerns about land use and environmental review. The district said it will post the notice and the letter on its website and urged constituents to educate themselves using the town’s public notice and the Rechler feedback materials posted online.
