A bid spearheaded by Suffolk Legislator Jon Cooper (D-Huntington) to preserve the Hilaire Woods property in Huntington took a huge leap forward last Tuesday when the Legislature's Environment, Land Acquisition and Planning Committee voted unanimously to put the bill on the agenda for tomorrow's meeting of the Legislature in Hauppauge.
The bill, the first ever under Suffolk County's new Multifaceted Land Preservation Program, would authorize the county to issue $762,500 in bonds to purchase the 8-acre property on County Road 35, which has been targeted for residential development. The property, which contains wetlands, woods and hiking trails, is one of the last remaining woodland parcels in Huntington Village, according to Cooper.
"I'm delighted that my colleagues approved this bill unanimously in committee," Cooper said. "I hope it will likewise be approved unanimously by the full Legislature. Hilaire Woods is truly unique and this property will be lost to development if we don't act now to preserve it."
The Multifaceted Land Preservation Program, approved by the Legislature last year, is a comprehensive program designed to preserve what's left of Suffolk's open spaces. Land purchased under the program will include wetlands, other environmentally sensitive properties and parks. The Legislature has authorized $13 million in funding for the program this year.
The meeting of the Legislature will be held tomorrow, March 19 at the William H. Rogers Legislature Building in Hauppauge.
