During the past two weeks Vision Long Island and the Village of Farmingdale offered residents two open forums to voice their visions for the future of Farmingdale. The events culminated at Howitt Middle School with an overview of resident's hopes and fears as well as ways to implement their ideas.

Vision Long Island, a non-profit group that helps create smart growth communities, led an opening presentation on Feb. 9 and an interactive walking tour, question and answer session and visual preference surveys on Feb. 11. Supplied with a variety of aerial photos and plenty of magic markers, community members were then given the opportunity to put their ideas on paper. Working together, they drew in trees, ways to make safer streets, farmers' markets and day-laborer sites. After a long period of design, the groups presented their ideas to each other.

Alex Latham of ADLIII Architecture with Vision Long Island said everyone got into a lot of detail.

"We also do get some great insight from our children - our next generation," Latham added at the Feb. 15 presentation.

Vision Long Island Executive Director Eric Alexander and his staff then spent three full days creating the basis of a master plan for Farmingdale's future.

"You need an updated village master plan," Alexander said at a January village board meeting. "A master plan is only as good as the citizens involved. The purpose of a master plan is to think forward 20 or 30 years."

Additionally, this vision is a two-track proposal, offering suggestions that can be implemented beginning in the next six months.

"Take it in steps," Alexander suggested. Emulate success stories of other communities. Do one project at a time. That starts the momentum."

According to village officials, the last master plan was created in 1989 and none of the ideas were implemented.

The walls of Howitt's auditorium were lined with hopes and fears that residents relayed to the Vision Long Island team during this visioning process. These included housing for displaced families, creating day-laborer sites and workforce housing, restoring village concepts such as picket fences and single family homes, expanding community spaces and parks and the housing complexes on Secatogue Avenue.

While the hopes and fears of residents were numerous, Alexander said there was "one thing that trumped them all."

"You all love Farmingdale," he added. "That is the thread going through everything we heard."

At the Saturday designing session Deputy Mayor Joseph Rachiele and Mayor George Graf presented concepts for an updated village park. These two drawings, also revealed at the closing presentation, include the possibility of moving three monuments to the front of Village Hall so that there is more visual impact with the park and gazebo.

"It is my understanding that these monuments have been moved three times already, so we have to talk with the VFW about that," Rachiele said.

In a Jan. 31 letter to village residents, Mayor Graf said, "The visioning process is expected to result in conceptual plans and renderings of different areas of the village."

"I think that Farmingdale is on its way to a very bright future," Mayor Graf added at the closing presentation.

Vision Long Island's proposal initially focused on three areas around the village - the northern part of Main Street, the train station area and areas along Route 109. While showing a PowerPoint presentation to a group of about 50 participants, Latham and Alexander listed some of the residents' top priorities. A revitalization of Main Street was mentioned first.

"You don't have enough green space in the village," Alexander noted. "The concept of creating green space is something you can do. There are details that can be dealt with as far as beautification and walkability go."

Vision Long Island suggested in-pavement warning lights and using the median as a pedestrian refuge to deal with the issue of pedestrian safety.

"You have a crosswalk, but it still is fairly dangerous on Route 109," Alexander said.

More suggestions for Route 109 included a potential bicycle path and the construction of new buildings closer to the street for more architectural enclosure.

A rendering of potential Main Street portrayed all buildings with similar architectural style. It also showed Main Street buildings with an additional story for mixed use as apartments and commercial space on the second floor.

"When you have the sense of enclosure people love to walk along it," Latham said.

Preserving history was another hope mentioned by residents to the Vision Long Island group. Latham and Alexander continuously stressed the importance of "Making sure every element of your community behaves properly."

"Whatever changes are made they have to be built on what you already have," Alexander said. "Push anyone who wants to build here to meet the community standards."

Another drawing showed holes by the train tracks near South Front Street being filled in with greenery and commercial space.

"Reinforce the connection between the railroad station and Main Street," Latham suggested.

Vision Long Island then presented a rendering of widened Secatogue Avenue as a tree-lined road. Other drawings showed major roads with two 9' travel lanes with 5 feet of planting and 5 feet of sidewalk on each side.

"Of course not everything will come to fruition," Alexander said. "But you have a lot of good things here that we can tweak. We will be getting into more details and be able to make the downtown area the way you want it."

While the Vision Long Island presentation discussed more affordable housing options throughout the village, most of the evening's controversy surrounded its meaning.

According to Vision Long Island, low-income housing is based on 60 percent of the median income, while affordable housing is based on 80 percent. Alexander quoted the median income of Farmingdale households as $79,000.

One resident asked where 130 and 150 Secatogue Avenue are in the plan. Alexander suggested, "The buildings would stay and function they way they are."

Farmingdale resident Steve Wilson pushed for more answers on the implementation of short term visions. Wilson, vice president of the Farmingdale board of education, broached questions such the need for an architectural committee or a Main Street business organization.

Resident John Miller asked the village board not to grant any building permits for new construction.

"We should have a moratorium so that we don't throw more public funds into something that is not going to fit in," he said.

Chuck Gosline echoed this statement adding, "I am going to ask the board tonight and at the next meeting for a moratorium on any new projects until this vision is put into place."

Mayor Graf responded, "It doesn't make sense to grind everything to a halt if it has little to do with the visioning process."

Mayor Graf invited also residents to continue discussion of the visioning process at future trustee meetings.

"A lot of these discussions still can go on," he added.

While the cost of implementing some or all of these visions has not yet been calculated, Vision Long Island strongly suggested utilizing village, county, town, state and federal grants and monies available.

"The mandate is there that it can be done," Alexander said.

Retention of the Vision Long Island group is at a $50,000 cost to the village. That includes two presentations to the board three visioning sessions, a follow-up in April and the creation of a formal master plan.

However, Mayor Graf said the village is looking to get a $20,000 grant from the state to cover some of it.

Rachiele added that the village has monies set aside for some projects. "Legislator Dave Mejias appropriated $25,000 for the village," he said.

Alexander added, "Communities that engage in a project like this usually go to the front of the line when it comes to funding and grants."

Alexander said that the purpose of the Feb. 15 session was to "record comments, draft a report, answer questions from the vision and create something a bit more specific by late April."

The Village Board is looking to adopt these ideas in May or June.

"I am very enthusiastic about this," Mayor Graf said. "The whole goal is to have everyone meet in the middle."

"This process tries to get folks beyond conflicts and look toward a bigger goal," Alexander added.

Alexander said the Vision Long Island team would continue to accept suggestions and answer questions from residents.

According to their website, Vision Long Island's mission is to join with others to promote livability and economically sustainable and environmentally responsible growth on Long Island. They encourage comprehensive land-use planning that is consistent with the needs of the local community, adjacent communities, and the region as a whole. Armed with over 10 years of research and relationships in the smart growth community their process is an extensive hands-on experience for all involved. In addition to working with municipalities and developers, their organization is geared to working collaboratively with local environmental, civic, and other not-for-profit groups. Vision Long Island's master plans have been successfully implemented in Lake Ronkonkoma, Mastic, Shirley and Middle Island.

For inquiries or how to become involved call the village at 249-0093 or visit www.farmingdalevillage.org. For more information on Vision Long Island visit www.visionlongisland.org.