County Legislator Salvatore B. Pontillo last week approved a capital expenditure to purchase nearly 17 acres of open space known as the Underhill Property. In 2001, the Nassau County Legislature adopted an ordinance to authorize the financing of the purchase of the property. Since that time, negotiations ensued between the Town of Oyster Bay and the State of New York to purchase the property. Nassau County's share of the overall purchase price of $22 million is approximately $5 million.

"This move by the Legislature has been a long time in the making, ever since we were first informed that the Underhill Property was available for public purchase, it has been a priority of mine to designate this land for open space," Pontillo said. The three-way agreement between the county, town and state will preserve 50 acres of undeveloped woodlands in the hamlet of Jericho. "Nassau County does not have much room to designate for open space, that is why the protection of the Underhill Property is so vital. This is a major step in what has been a very long process so far," Pontillo added.