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Health & Fitness

Planning Hauppauge

Given the amount of interest in Hauppauge's ambulatory resources in response to my last post I will quickly follow this one up with an analysis of some of the pedestrian issues facing Hauppauge's "Hub" and its adjacent neighborhoods.

Crucial to the beginning of any planning process is a statement of what a community values in itself presently, what it feels could be improved, and where it expects to go in the future. The prior two posts offered brief summaries of what presently defines the "Hub" in Hauppauge. This post will identify issue areas in the Hub and how they could stand to be resolved.

Those seven issue areas are the following:

  1. Hauppauge's Identity- The hamlet has existed in name firmly since the mid-1800s but does it hold much meaning for a hamlet that so many simply drive through? Can we better appreciate our hamlet's past, even if it may not be our own? Do we want the core of our hamlet to represent our pride in our community? Can Hauppauge host farmer's markets, street fairs, or additional parades in the Hub to increase opportunities for us to come together and appreciate the community we live in?
  2. Congestion- We deal with it on a daily basis, so it is certainly an important issue, but an integral question stands: Do we expect Route 111 to be an artery to zip through the center of our hamlet, or to one day become more indicative of a Main Street or Boulevard to provide a pleasant and welcoming experience in our Hub? Also, need we sacrifice one of these for the other, or can we achieve elements of both?
  3. Pedestrian and Cyclist Safety- The sidewalks may have gaps and the shoulder may be non-existent but Hauppaugians have braved our paved ways since the roads have been paved. Do we want to do anything to encourage Hauppaugians to enjoy a stroll or cycle through town and earn an appreciation for their Hub (Not to mention shop, bank, dine, or visit the dentist)?
  4. Parking- Like many suburban locales our Hub's businesses are surrounded by seas of asphalt, but anyone who has seen Branchinelli's on a Friday or Saturday, or the High School during a play knows that the capacity is essential at those times. Would shared or municipal parking allow for the parking burden to be distributed amongst businesses so we can get a little green back, or maybe (gasp) a plaza or outdoor cafe?
  5. Lack of Quality Public Space- Does Hauppauge's Hub reward anyone who walks or bikes in it or to it? Where is our hamlet square? Does anyone use it? Are there benches in the Hub? How are we doing on street trees? Decorative lighting much? Any plazas in those shopping centers? Bike racks? Pedestrian walkways through parking lots or wide (>400') building frontages? Do our businesses have connections from the sidewalk in front to their front door?
  6. Inadequate Zoning- Do the present zoning regulations of the Towns of Smithtown and Islip foster vibrancy in the Hub or maintain the status quo? Can zoning or land use regulations be fine tuned to knit together better site design and land uses to foster greater community and attract us to our business district? Maybe a Hub zone to allow for uses developed in a future plan for the Hub?
  7. Intermunicipal Cooperation- The 800 pound gorilla in the context of any planning for Hauppauge: Smithtown and Islip neatly cleave the hamlet's Hub in twain. So we don't get recognized as a significant center in either town yet because half is in one and half is in the other. The potential benefit of harmonizing how both towns approach our hamlet and its Hub could have significant benefits, with regard to shared parking, planning, and capital improvements. Perhaps a common overlay which guides development agreed to by both towns?

So, as always, let me know your thoughts and I'll be back soon to tackle the issue of pedestrian and cyclist safety in my next post! Thank you all for your interest!
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