Smithtown Officials Hold Hearing on Plans for Nesconset Assisted Living Facility

Smithtown officials will host a public hearing on proposed plans to build a 90,000-square-foot assisted living community in Nesconset which has already stirred up controversy among local residents. 

Smithtown Planning Board will hold a public hearing on the plans for Amber Court Assisted Living Community 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Eugene Cannataro Senior Citizen Center on Middle Country Road in Smithtown. 

Amber Court Assisted Living Community will present its plans to build a three-story building on Lake Avenue in Nesconset for senior citizens and the elderly. The proposal sharply divided the community when first raised before Smithtown Town Board in March 2011. 

"Please note that I am not against any construction that assists the elderly, brings additional taxes, helps our economy with the creation of jobs and brings income into our town, but in my opinion the location of the site is really not appropriate," said Nesconset resident Peter VanDerlaske in March 2011. 

Homeowners raised concerns about the assisted living facility would increase the volume of traffic along Route 347 and creating more accidents on an already deadly intersection.

However, Robin Marks, director of Community and Resident Relations at Amber Court Assisted Living Communities, said that any building would have minimal impact on local traffic as its residents do not drive. 

Residents have the chance to speak their opinion on either side of this issues on Wednesday night.