Politics & Government

Highview Fence Costs Contested

Town says it will come out ahead on replacing fence on the property.

Fences may make good neighbors but as with many housing issues in Huntington, a proposal to replace one has brought some complaints.

Highview at Huntington, opposite the Long Island Rail Road station, is getting a grant from the town to replace a 4-foot-high chain link fence. The town owns the land; the units all owner-occupied.

But some speakers at the Town Board meeting last week objected.  One person submitted videotape of the existing fence, showing that it wasn't damaged, and disputed the idea that the development had reported serious crime that would require greater security. They argued that, in a time of tight budgets, money shouldn't be spent to replace an intact fence on what they said was private property.

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Not so, said Joan Cergol,  special assistant to Town Supervisor Frank Petrone.

"The town is the lessor and the tenants are saying there are issues we'd like you to take care of," she said. "The 4-foot chain link needs replacing for privacy. They live at one of the busiest areas in the entire town,  at the intersection of New York Avenue. There's commuter traffic. This is a community that all day long, people are walking past."

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Cergol said the town will recycle the chain link fence and that the town will come out ahead in the process, because the value of the recycled fence is higher than the grant of about half the estimated cost of the new fence of $64,000. The homeowners' association will pay half the cost. A six-foot PVC fence of about 3,000 feet will run along the perimeter of the development.

But Jennifer LaVertu, one of the people who spoke against the fence plan, said Wednesday,  "The fence is new. It's a chain link steel rubber-coated fence that'll last forever. What are we doing?  You chose to purchase a piece of property by the train station."

Judith Thompson, who heads the homeowners' association, said Wednesday that security and privacy are both part of the equation. "Our 100 unit complex is in the heart of Huntington Station, and sits directly across the street from Huntington train station, the town's major transportation hub. This residential property is bordered on two sides by a  heavily traveled  pedestrian and traffic area (New York Avenue and Broadway). Highview residents are constantly hearing unwarranted comments, whistles, shouts and even obscenities from pedestrians walking or driving by, or waiting for the light to change to green by the Broadway and New York Ave. intersection.  

"Our current chain link fence does not provide the privacy or the security that residents need at this location. It is important to understand that many Huntington Station residents, including those residing at Highview, are worried about their safety, security and privacy since the violence recently escalated in this area.    There is also concern about known sex offenders living within close proximity to our housing complex," she added.

The matter did inspire one creative video from someone identifying himself as Jimmy McHuntington, taking his cue from failed gubernatorial candidate Jimmy McMillan and his "The Rent Is Too Damn High" party.

Editor's Note: Based on incorrect information supplied to Patch, we originally reported that some units were rentals. They are, in fact, all owner-occupied.


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