Residents and advisory board clash over Coindre Hall’s future as Legislature hears hours of public comment

Dozens of residents urged the Suffolk County Legislature on July 30 to keep Coindre Hall Park a low‑impact nature preserve, while proponents of a county-backed restoration plan said limited improvements and a restored boathouse would increase public waterfront access and reduce vandalism.

Neighbors, volunteers and conservation-minded speakers described Coindre Hall as a “quiet” refuge with nesting herons, wetland fragments and local families who rely on the park for daily recreation. "It should be a nature preserve — a nice, quiet place away from all the noise," said Nina Mardsen, who recalled bringing her children to the park and urged limiting development.

The public comment period also included sustained remarks from volunteers and community activists who proposed seven low‑cost, management‑focused actions: add upland public restrooms, place picnic benches near services, mark the site as an ecological restoration project, remove the boathouse parking lot, avoid building a pier, enforce existing license agreements to fund limited repairs, and enter the property into Suffolk’s preserve system. Desiree Benn‑Galgano, a leader of volunteer groups working at Coindre Hall, said those steps could save the county money and preserve wildlife habitat while enabling public use.

Advisory Board representatives offered a different emphasis. Garrett Chelius, chair of the Coindre Hall Advisory Board and a Town of Huntington maritime official, described frequent vandalism and public‑safety incidents at nearby shoreline sites and said a restored boathouse and small, managed pier would reduce illicit activity. "With such a scarcity of public waterfront accessibility, finishing this project as planned will be an outstanding resource for all the residents of Suffolk County," Chelius said.

Speakers on both sides pressed the Legislature for decisions on scope, funding and priorities. Some opponents called the current restoration plan a costly “white elephant” that risks repeated flood damage to restored structures in a flood zone. Proponents said historic structures require preservation to prevent further loss, and that improved security and a modest law‑enforcement presence at the pier could reduce overnight trespass and disorder.

Legislators did not take a final vote on the park project during the meeting. Multiple speakers asked the Legislature to prioritize security, fire detection, and low‑cost accessibility measures ahead of larger capital investments. Garrett Chelius said advisory‑board members had met frequently with preservation specialists and county staff; volunteer speakers said they would press for preserve designation and offered to help perform restoration triage.

The Legislature’s parks committee and staff will continue consultations with the Coindre Hall Advisory Board, volunteers and preservation experts to refine scope, mitigation against flooding and staging of work, officials said. The public’s comments closing the July 30 meeting leave clear divisions among nearby residents, volunteer stewards and advisory‑board proponents about whether to focus on preservation and passive use or on restoration to broaden public access.