Rogers Avenue Residents Speak Up About Proposed Development

Westhampton Beach Village officials have been reviewing a proposed 52-unit condominium development on Rogers Avenue for nearly four months, since it was first introduced to the public in September — but neighbors have begun to speak out against the plan.

Residents of Rogers Avenue have drafted a petition and written letters to Mayor Maria Moore, as well as the Planning Board, to express concerns that the project would impact safety by increasing traffic on the residential road and negatively affect the neighborhood’s character.

Ronni Shapiro, a resident of Rogers Avenue since 2016 and one of the closest to the proposed development, said her main concern is the traffic that will come in conjunction with the development. She estimates at least two cars per household, or 104, would be traveling up and down Rogers Avenue, a street she says is barely wide enough to accommodate two cars at a time.

“This is not a case of ‘not in my backyard,’” she insisted. “We are very pro-development. We would be happy if there was something there — but it’s mostly the cars. Where are they going to park? It’s a blind curve. If someone, God forbid, gets killed, what are they going to say then? Sorry?”

Ms. Shapiro mentioned in a letter to village officials that she believes her driveway is an accident waiting to happen, and she wishes to feel safe walking down her street.

Rogers Associates LLC is the property owner and developer. The developer shares the same address in Wantagh as the project’s architect and management firm, Carriage Hill Developers.

Plans for the Rogers Avenue development include 52 housing units in 13 townhouse buildings, an on-site sewage treatment plant, as well as a private community center and swimming pool.

According to the plans, of the 52 units, eight would be one-bedroom that would be considered affordable housing, at roughly 1,200 square feet; another eight would be three-bedroom units, at 2,300 square feet; and the remaining 36 would be two-bedroom units, ranging from 2,000 to 2,250 square feet.

The proposed community center would house the swimming pool, an exercise room, a billiards room and a common area, as well as bathrooms and showers. It would be 2,850 square feet in total.

The project would sit on a 9-acre parcel — technically, six adjoining properties — that once housed an asphalt company, which closed 15 years ago after neighbors complained of traffic problems and potential health risks coming from the company’s plant.

The vacant Rogers Avenue parcel is currently zoned for multifamily housing, and the remainder of the neighborhood remains zoned for single-family homes.

The proposed project will be discussed at the next village Planning Board meeting on Thursday, February 13, at 5 p.m. The applicant is seeking site plan approval but still needs a special exception permit from the Village Board, as well as other considerations, including an approval from the Architectural Review Board and the Suffolk County Health Department.

Ms. Shapiro said her home on Rogers Avenue is her sanctuary. She knows every single one of her neighbors — something she noted that isn’t common anymore, and also something that she believes could be tarnished by the large development.

“The first time I was out here, the guy across the street plowed my driveway,” she said. “He knew I lived alone. I was shocked. He said to me, ‘Don’t worry — you just moved in.’”

Ms. Shapiro said there are a lot of young families that moved onto the block because it’s one of the last affordable streets in the area. She worries about the safety of the children, including her own grandson, and pets walking down Rogers Avenue.

Since the initial introduction of the project in September, Ms. Shapiro has taken the wheel of the conversation with village officials, but her neighborhood is actively involved. She hopes that the Village Board takes their concerns into consideration.

“I’m not sure that it’s fair to my property value and my way of life to have the entrance there across the street,” she said. “This is my investment, besides it being my sanctuary. This is what I own, and the fact that somebody can just come along and ruin it — it’s not like I got scammed, but, I just feel like I’m being steamrolled. When you have an entire neighborhood that’s concerned for their safety, it speaks for itself.”

Ms. Moore said she has been listening to the concerns of the residents. She said that it’s for that very reason — a concern for safety — that the village is requiring an in-depth traffic study and environmental impact study to be conducted before the proposal can move forward.

Brian Goldman, who bought his Rogers Avenue home nearly two years ago and also lives very close to the entrance to the proposed development, said he is also concerned about traffic safety.

“I didn’t buy my home because it was in a loud area,” he said. “I go out there to decompress. The last thing I want to do is worry about getting hit around the turn. I walk my dog, and my wife and I bike often. This is going to change the whole nature of the area.”

Mr. Goldman said he is concerned that there is only one manner of egress and ingress from the project, and he noted that he and his neighbors would feel more at ease if there were multiple entrances.

Ms. Shapiro and Mr. Goldman both said that they witness many cars speeding around the blind curve on the street, especially in the summer. They said they hope the developer conducts the mandatory traffic and environmental studies necessary to move forward with the project in the summer, when numbers would be more realistic.

“Where I live, it’s a perfect combination of beach and country — it’s quite secluded,” Mr. Goldman said. “When you walk down Rogers Avenue, people are friendly. It’s a pretty close-knit community, and you get a really good warm feeling being in the neighborhood. I would hate to see it change.”

The project architect, Jerry Rumplick, said that the property is currently an asphalt plant, so he believes replacing the asphalt plant with residential homes would only add to the character of the neighborhood. He also noted that the traffic and environmental studies are planned to be conducted sometime during the summer.

When discussing the residents’ concerns about the entrance to the development, Mr. Rumplick said there really isn’t an option for an alternative entry point. “We are working with the village to come up with a better solution,” he said.

The project’s developer, Jim Behringer, did not respond to requests for comment.

Jim Czachur, another Rogers Avenue resident who once served as deputy mayor in the village, said he is concerned about the size of the development, among other issues.

“I’m deeply distressed about how the village has handled it all,” he said. “I think the project has too many apartments on the property. It’s way overbuilt. It’s tailored for the builder to put a pool on the street, and there’s not enough space for a buffer.”

Mr. Czachur is also concerned about the potential noise. He also noted that Rogers Avenue is relatively quiet, and once the development is built, events and parties will be held, causing extra noise and parking on the street.

The village sent out notices to homeowners within 200 feet of the proposed development. Mr. Czachur said he didn’t receive his notice until the project had been announced.

“This project does not meet what the village’s mission is. This is supposed to be a quaint residential village, not mass housing developments. It does not fit the scope of the neighborhood,” Mr. Czachur said. “Big developers from out west moving out here can ruin this village.”