Blue Devils To March In DC July 4 Parade

Huntington High School’s Blue Devil Marching Band has been invited to march in the 2020 National Independence Day Parade

Huntington High School’s Blue Devil marching band has been invited to participate in the 2020 National Independence Day Parade in Washington, DC. Planning and preparations have been underway for several months.

About 80 musicians and color guard members are expected to participate in the excursion. The Blue Devils will be an official representative of the State of New York in the parade. Band Director Brian Stellato, District Director of Fine and Performing Arts Eric Reynolds and parent Tracy Tucker have been working on planning the trip.

“We are so honored to have been nominated by Supervisor Chad Lupinacci to represent Huntington and New York State in the National Independence Day Parade in Washington DC,” Reynolds said. “This opportunity is a perfect balance between education and enrichment. Music students will participate in musical performance-based activities of rehearsing and marching down Constitution Avenue while taking in the sights of the nation’s capital, including ‘A Capitol Fourth’ fireworks display with the National Symphony Orchestra.”

The Blue Devils are expected to arrive in Washington, DC on Friday, July 3. Sightseeing could include a panoramic motorcoach tour of the federal city, including a visit to Lafayette Square for a White House photo opportunity. An opportunity for an evening walking tour including stops at the Jefferson, Lincoln, Korean War, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Martin Luther King,Jr. and Vietnam War Memorials.

On Saturday, July 4 the Blue Devils will have an early breakfast and then head to the parade staging area on the National Mall. Huntington will march in the National Independence Day Parade down historic Constitution Avenue in the heart of Washington, DC.

Following the parade, an opportunity to visit the various Smithsonian Institution museum will be available. Evening hours will be especially exciting asthe Blue Devils attend “A Capitol Fourth” celebration on the US Capitol lawn. It will feature a concert by the National Symphony and invited guest musicians and climax with the grand finale fireworks show.

On Sunday, July 5 the Huntington band and color guard members will have an opportunity to sightsee at Ford’s Theater and the Peterson house, visit the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, tourArlington National Cemetery and participate in a special US Military wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Bike Sharing Program OKd for Huntington Village

By Peter Sloggatt

psloggatt@longislandergroup.com

A countywide bicycle sharing program is getting set to launch low-cost bike sharing in the Town of Huntington. Acting under a contract with Suffolk County, Boston-based Zagster will launch a pilot program here under an agreement ratified by the town board this week.

Zagster hopes to get started with bicycle sharing stations at locations in and around Huntington village. The company will provide 25 advertiser-sponsored bicycles for use from five locations, Zagster spokesman Phil LeClare told Long Islander News this week.

The bicycle sharing program is part of a countywide effort launched this summer by Suffolk County. In June, County Executive Steve Bellone launched the program in Patchogue and Babylon villages, and announced Bethpage Federal Credit union would sponsor the first 100 cycles to hit the streets in the county.

Huntington’s agreement with Zagster was approved at the town board’s Oct. 16 meeting and will allow Zagster to install bicycle racks and signage at Heckscher Park, Mill Dam Park, Cinema Arts Centre, Huntington Town Hall and at locations on New and Gerard Streets in Huntington village.

The county in May awarded Zagster, “the industry’s leading operations platform for the micro-mobility sharing economy, a contract to implement its Pace bicycle-share service for communities across Suffolk,” according to a statement from County Executive Steve Bellone. “Under the program, Zagster is responsible for designing, building, financing and operating this first-of-its-kind regional bike-share program in Suffolk County – at no cost to County taxpayers, towns, or villages.”

Zagster’s program can be accessed by smartphone devices through which users will either be able to pay per ride or buy a membership. At the launch of Bethpage Ride in August, county officials said that as a result of the credit union’s sponsorship, riders will be able to pay $1 per 15 minutes, but can also opt for a monthly plan for $10 or a yearly plan for $60 per year. Both plans allow for unlimited trips of up to 30 minutes.  

Huntington’s roll-out also required some “housekeeping” by the town board. Council members had to change town code regulating outdoor advertising in order to permit the sponsored bicycles to roam town.

Councilman Mark Cuthbertson reluctantly voted for it. “I don’t like the idea of advertising on town properties,” he said.

Zagster currently operates more than 250 vehicle share programs in 35 states.

Opinions Split At Code Change Hearing

A move to claw back a rewrite of zoning regulations enacted a dozen years ago drew a sharply divided crowd to Huntington Town Hall Wednesday night.

If approved, the changes to C-6 zoning codes proposed by the Republican majority would lower height restrictions, restrict density allowances and require developers to meet stricter parking regulations.

A public hearing on a package of three resolutions before the town board drew a sharply divided crowd with preservationist-minded residents calling for even stricter regulations and abolishing that section of code altogether, and pro-development forces who cited the need for affordable housing to offset the exodus of young workers from Long island.

Opinions among speakers ran to extremes on one side or the other, with virtually nothing in between.

The proposed changes came as a response to growing sentiment among many that Huntington village is getting overbuilt, resulting in overcrowded and parking problems. “It’s become very difficult to drive through town,” Adam Akula, a 25 year resident of Huntington said. There are great restaurants in town and we can’t go to them because of the parking.” Michelle Conlon Feeney echoed that sentiment, calling Huntington “a great town to shop, to dine and to live in. But when my husband and I come down for a meal, we can’t park,” she said.

Suzanne Gruber, a long time resident and business owner, noted the virtual explosion of apartment buildings has occurred only in recent years. “It’s like I woke up from a bad dream. Suddenly there are apartments all over,” she said. “I am proud to be a villager but I don’t feel like it’s my village anymore.”

Arguments from the other side were equally passionate with pro-development supporters pointing to the need for affordable rental units in Huntington. “If we do not address the affordable housing crisis then the people who work in our thriving restaurants and shops will have a very difficult choice of either very long commutes, or to live in illegal apartments,” Roger Weaving, president of Huntington Housing Coalition said.

Weaving noted parking has been a problem in the village since before the zoning changes were enacted over a decade ago. “If parking is the problem, then a parking structure is the answer. A parking structure would allow the town to consider variances on parking for new apartment buildings, leading to the creation of more affordable units.”

Opinions for the most part fell on to one side or the other, which Elyssa Kyle, program director for Vision Long Island said is a result of the process under which the changes were developed. “Successful code is formed from a public and open process where concerns of residents are addressed in an open conversation and developed into a long term plan,” she said.The plan should be based on public input, data and best practices... not written behind closed doors while rumors swirl on social media.”

Board members have been hearing in put since the code changes were released in a press conference last month and will likely make substantial changes before voting on any final measure, said Councilman Ed Smyth, a proponent of stricter codes.