The Town of Babylon Board closed four public hearings at its Jan. 5 meeting and reserved decision on each item while receiving public comment on two matters: proposed recreational‑fee increases and a rezoning tied to land near Pine Lawn Cemetery.

At the first hearing, Lisonbee LaPointe, representing West Badland Manor Inc., explained a requested change of zone for a parcel on Elmwood Road (Suffolk County tax parcel O100‑213‑1‑5). The plan would keep the single‑family home at the front of the lot and allow an over‑55 multifamily development, with associated storage and outdoor recreation, behind it. No members of the public spoke; the board closed the hearing and reserved decision.

During a hearing on proposed recreational fees (identified in the meeting as changes to chapter A217), residents raised objections. Rafael Nieves (609 Thorn St.) said he believed campers and boaters could face a roughly "20–25%" increase and opposed the change. Later during the open portion, resident Michael Legutko told the board he had learned of what he described as a "33% increase" in daily usage fees at Cedar Beach Marina and listed facility problems — uneven pavement he called a trip hazard, unreliable water service, electrical issues and lack of Wi‑Fi — arguing that the town should justify an increase before imposing it. Supervisor Schaeffer referred the issue to Parks Commissioner Eva for follow‑up.

The board opened and closed hearings on a proposed property tax exemption for volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers (chapter 195, article 10) and on an amendment to the town’s uniform traffic code (chapter 3, article 2, section 3‑4). There were no public speakers for either item; decisions were reserved.

In the open portion, Daniel Karpen, a professional engineer who identified himself as an expert in environmental impact analysis, urged the board to require a full environmental impact statement under New York State law for a rezoning that affects open space associated with Pine Lawn Cemetery. Karpen urged the town to consider acquiring roughly 100 acres as public open space and suggested combining a bond issue with quarter‑cent county open‑space sales tax revenue, asking the supervisor to schedule a meeting.

All public hearings were closed with the board reserving decision; no final determinations were made that evening.