Brookhaven · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Town of Brookhaven public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Proposed Subdivision and Demolition at 37 Christian Avenue
A Setauket family wants to tear down the circa-1870 home where community figure Lucy Hart Keyes lived and build three houses on three small lots. Neighbors, descendants, the Bethel AME pastor, civic groups, and the town's own Historic District Advisory Committee all urged denial, saying it would gut the town's only African American and Indigenous historic district. The board held the case to November 4 for the state's historic-preservation comment.
Accessory Apartment and Small Lot Development Standards
Multiple applications seek to build houses on undersized lots in Mastic, Shirley, and Mastic Beach — areas upzoned to A-1 in 1989 for groundwater protection. The board approved several (Somers Place, Main Avenue, Aspen Road) but held the contested Floyd Road 50-foot-lot case for decision after neighbor opposition about fire safety, drainage, and neighborhood character.
Mastic Beach Downtown Revitalization and Urban Renewal
The board is nearing the conclusion of a lengthy review process for the Mastic Beach revitalization project, including urban renewal plans and form-based zoning codes.
Residential Livestock Special Permit in Yaphank
Neighbors strongly protested a special permit for harboring pigs and goats, citing overpowering foul odors and health concerns, leading the board to deny the permit.