EAST MORICHES, NY – Suffolk Executive Steve Levy, Brookhaven Supervisor Mark Lesko and Councilman Keith Romaine have announced plans to preserve almost 30 acres of farmland in East Moriches through a joint purchase.
Suffolk County and Brookhaven Town will acquire the development rights of the Cuomo Family Farm in East Moriches for $5.24 million. Suffolk County will fund 70 percent of the preservation cost of the farm – approximately $3.67 million – through its quarter-cent Drinking Water Protection Program, while Brookhaven Town will pay $1.57 million for the remaining 30 percent.
“Preserving this farm will protect our drinking water and guarantee that this land will forever remain open space. Brookhaven is strongly committed to protecting parcels like this, which is why our Town Board this week doubled funding for open space purchases to $20 million for this year’s capital budget,” said Supervisor Mark Lesko. “By accelerating this funding, we will be able to take advantage of the current favorable real estate market prices and historically low interest rates to save more parcels like this, without affecting our tax rate.”
The 28-acre Cuomo Farm was a high priority acquisition by the Town, ranked in the top five of parcels targeted by Brookhaven for open space preservation. The area has a long agricultural history for family farms, where vegetables and flowers have been grown for generations.
“Preserving the Cuomo Farm from the threat of development has been a top priority of the Town, and now that goal has been realized. By purchasing the development rights of this family owned farm, we’re fulfilling the promise of maintaining the agricultural and rural characteristics of this community for generations to come,” said Councilman Keith Romaine. “This purchase will preserve the quality of life for our residents through the use of existing funds, without impacting their taxes now or in years to come.”
Since the 1990s, when the Havens Estate was preserved on the west bank of the Terrell River to become Terrell River County Park, Brookhaven has aggressively pursued acquisition in the area to the east of the river. Together with the County, Brookhaven has preserved a 16-acre parcel on the river across the street from the Cuomo Farm. Brookhaven also recently preserved the nine-acre Osip property on the river at Montauk Highway.
“People may wonder how we can continue to move forward with these programs with the unfortunate turn the economy has taken recently,” said County Executive Steve Levy. “Well, the programs are not funded by property taxes, but rather, from the quarter cent sales tax program that is segregated strictly for environmental improvements. In 2007, I pushed for the extension of the quarter-cent sales tax through 2030. This gives us the ability to access money now in order to buy acres of farmland and open space over the next several years that would otherwise be developed. Without this funding, land available today might not be available to preserve tomorrow when the economy regains stability.”
PHOTO CAPTION: Councilman Keith Romaine, County Executive Steve Levy and Supervisor Mark Lesko at Cuomo Farm in East Moriches, at the announcement of the purchase of development rights for the parcel by Suffolk County and Brookhaven Town.
Division of Public Information * Office of the Town Council
One Independence Hill • Farmingville • NY 11738 • Phone (631) 451-6595 • Fax (631) 451-6258