No Second Public Hearing Necessary for Whisper Landing

Proposed plans for Whisper Landing assisted living facility will go up for a second round of public scrutiny despite extensive changes to the plans. 

Smithtown Town Board voted 3-2 on Nov. 22 against holding second public hearing on the developer St. Johnland Development Group's application to build 136-bed assisted living facility on Route 25A and River Heights Drive despite extensive changes, Times of Smithtown reports. 

Councilman Thomas McCarthy called for an informational hearing on the project after extensive changes were made to the original plans, changing the buildings height, sewage treatment plan, buffer areas and layout, since the first public hearing was held on Sept. 12, 2012. 

Supervisor Patrick Vecchio voiced his support for a second hearing at last Thursday's town board work session. 

"If I were a resident who was opposed to this, I would want to know ultimately what the building would look like and how it would affect me. If it allays my fears I had at the public hearing, that would be wonderful," Vecchio said. 

Yet, Councilmen Robert Creighton, Kevin Malloy and Ed Wehrheim voted against a second hearing on the project. 

"I think we do a disservice to all of the applicants … by continuously delaying projects over and over because it costs them money," Creighton said at the town board work session. 

St. Johnland Development has already filed a lawsuit against Smithtown's Board of Zoning Appeals and town officials for failing to render a decision on their special permit application in a timely manner. 

The new plans for the proposed Whisper Landing facility lower the building's height to 35 feet, instead of the original 49-feet, bringing it into accordance with town code. 

Other changes include the planning department's recommendation the developer hooks into the Kings Park sewage treatment plant rather than build its own. 

Smithtown Board of Zoning Appeals has a scheduled meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday where it could make a decision on Whisper Landing's application. 

Read more on the Times of Smithtown about the latest developments on St. Johnland's Whisper Landing application.