Dear Neighbors:

On January 10 the Village Board of Trustees approved resolution (2017-07) that stated in the last paragraph, "Now Therefore, Be It Resolved that the Village of Asharoken considers the Village Agreement to be terminated by the action of the Department of Army and no further action will be taken by the Village of Asharoken with respect to the Feasibiltiy Study." Click here to read the full resolution.

The decision to take no further action on the ASDRP was based on surveying the residents and holding a public hearing, something I promised the Village I would do prior to deciding how to proceed.

On December 20 Clerk Nancy Rittenhouse, Kathy Martin, Michele Tilleli and John Lento tabulated the results of the 427 surveys. I would like to thank Kathy, Michele and John for the careful and conscientious help in this project. The preference of the respondents was an overwhelming no to going forward with the project. I would like to review a few of the statistics that came out of the survey. Overall 61% of the 427 surveys were returned and 85% of the returned surveys were against going ahead with the ASDRP. Interestingly, approximately 90% of the homes that own Long Island Sound beach property and responded were opposed. Had the remaining 23 sound side properties responded in the affirmative the overall opposition would have still been 73%. 50% of the beach lot owners responded of which 90% were opposed to the project. I would like to thank everyone who took the time to review the fact sheet and respond.

The responding property owners sent a comprehensive, resounding, unambiguous and nearly unanimous message to the Board of Trustees; We do not want to do the ASDRP. You were heard loud and clear.

On January 4, the Village held a public hearing on the ASDRP and the sentiments expressed by the 15 residents who spoke mirrored the survey with 13 opposed to going forward and 1 in favor and 1 undecided. The meeting room at the National Grid power plant was full. Several people asked why the Village needed to hold the public hearing in light of the survey results. That happens to be a very easy question to answer. Due to the historic significance and long term impact that approving or rejecting the ASDRP will have on Asharoken the residents of the Village needed to be afforded every opportunity to appraise the Board of their desires. The public hearing was a critical component of that process. I thank everyone who either shared their opinions or just came to listen.

I would like to sincerely compliment the residents of Asharoken for their participation in the process to help guide the Board of Trustees in their decision on the ASDRP. You were engaged every step of the way, provided very helpful insight into aspects of the plan that otherwise may have gone unnoticed, communicated passionately to the board about how you felt, responded to the survey in very high numbers and provided polite, concise and clear comments at the public hearing. I will say that at times the discussions became rather lively but it was only because you are passionate about Asharoken and why shouldnt you be. We live in a unique community and your participation in this process should be a guide for other Villages to follow. Everyone who took time be involved in this historic decision should be proud of their efforts.

For the last sixteen years Asharoken has been debating what to do with the ASDRP project and the final chapter in this long and often contentious saga has finally been written.

Wishing you a great weekend,
Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Residents and Property Owners:

I would like to thank everyone who took the time to respond to the Village survey on the ASDRP project. The Village has prepared a spreadsheet detailing the results of the survey: Click here to view the spreadsheet.

Overall, 85% of respondents are not in favor of completing the ASDRP Feasibility Study and constructing the project while 15% are in favor. These results show that the overwhelming majority opposes the project. The results also mirror the public and written comments that have been communicated to the Board of Trustees through public meetings and written correspondence to date.

The survey will be used in conjunction with the scheduled public hearing on Wednesday, January 4, 2017 to guide the Board of Trustees in determining the future of the project. The public hearing will be held at 6:30pm at the Northport National Grid Power Plant located at 301 Waterside Avenue, Northport, NY 11768. A Photo ID is required for entry to the facility. For those who wish to speak at the public hearing they must write their name on the sign-in sheet which will be available starting at 6:00pm. In anticipation of many people speaking there will be a time limit of 2 minutes per speaker. If speakers have additional comments beyond the 2 minute limit they can be submitted in writing.

The Village received copies of two letters dated December 14, 2016 between the ACOE and the NYSDEC. Click here to read both lettters. In summary, the ACOE has formalized its decision to stop working on the Feasibility Study and the project at this time. Should the Village residents want to resume the ASDRP project in the future the NYSDEC has indicated that this is an option for the Village.

Regards,
Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Neighbors:

For well over the last year I have assured you that when the time was right you would be asked to determine whether or not the Village should proceed with the Long Island Sound side beach restoration project. That time has arrived. As I also assured you the Village would solicit your input via both a survey and a public hearing. The official Village survey is being mailed to you today and a public hearing is scheduled for January 4, 2017 at the National Grid Power Plant in Northport at 6:30pm. These are the two metrics that the Board of Trustees will use to decide whether to proceed or terminate the project. Therefore, your participation is needed and crucial.

You may have received via email or regular mail a questionnaire from a private group of residents calling themselves the APOA. Please do not be confused by this. The APOA questionnaire is not from the Village nor will your responses to it be used by the Village to make any decisions. Your responses to their questions are only for the APOA’s private use.

The decision to go forward with the beach restoration project, or terminate it, is likely the second most important decision, after Incorporating in 1925, in the history of the Village. Included with the survey is a fact sheet explaining the benefits, costs and drawbacks to the plan proposed by the US Army Corps of Engineers. There is additional information on the website at Asharoken.com. I am sure that you will consider all of the information carefully prior to responding. The deadline for returning your survey is December 19 and the Village expects to have the results available by December 22.

Asharoken has always distinguished itself as a community that is willing to work together and make the Village an even better place to live. This is the time for you to participate and convey your feelings to the Board of Trustees. Asharoken can then move forward with a decision that was made by all of us.

In advance, I would like to thank you so much for your assistance in making this very important decision that will affect the Village for years to come.

Sincerely,

Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Neighbors:

Regarding the ASDRP Survey:

It has come to our attention that the Asharoken Property Owners’ Association has sent out emails informing residents to fill out the Asharoken Property Owners’ Association (APOA) survey on line. Unfortunately this has caused confusion amongst residents in our Village. This is not the official ASDRP Survey.

The Board of Trustees will be mailing out the official ASDRP Survey tomorrow, Tuesday, December 6. A fact sheet along with a letter to residents and property owners will explain the survey process. All official Survey Forms with the Village Seal must be returned by December 19 to Village Hall, either by mail or can be dropped off.

The responses will be tallied and shared with all of you on or about December 22. In addition a public hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, January 4, 2017 at 6:30pm at the National Grid Power Plant (Photo ID Required) for comments.

The survey results that will be used in making the final decision will be based on the official ASDRP survey from the Board of Trustees, so it is important that you respond to our official survey by December 19. Every Asharoken property will be mailed an official survey. Each property will have one survey response.

Regards,

Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Neighbors:

...
The ASDRP survey on the beach restoration will be mailed out Tuesday, December 6. The mailing will include a FACT SHEET on the ASDRP project and a survey form. Each property will receive one survey form. Your input is critical to assist the Board on whether or not to continue with the ASDRP project. Please read all the information carefully and return your survey in a timely fashion. A time line of dates will be included.

Wishing everyone a great weekend,
Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Neighbors:

...
Last week the Village received a copy of a letter from the NYSDEC explaining exactly what is required from the Village in order for the ASDRP to go forward. Click here to read the NYSDEC letter. The Village responded to the NYSDEC this week: Click here to read our response. I anticipate that the Village will send out a survey to everyone on whether to go forward with the beach restoration project in the next couple of weeks.

Wishing you a great day,
Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Residents and Property Owners:

On Tuesday afternoon, September 27, the village was advised by the NYSDEC that it is drafting a response to the ACOE letter of September 22. The NYSDEC asked the village to delay proceeding with the poll until the NYSDEC has an opportunity to respond to the ACOE.

I apologize for this change of plans but this entire process is extremely fluid and has changed from Tuesday morning to Tuesday afternoon. I firmly believe that it is in the best interest of the Village to accommodate this request. Considering that this process began in 2001 it is reasonable to provide the NYSDEC the additional time it needs.

Regards,
Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Neighbors:

An update on the ASDRP project and the ACOE response:

On August 9 the Village received a letter from the ACOE indicating their specific requirements for the project. Click here to read the full letter.

On September 13 the Village had a teleconference on the ASDRP project with the ACOE and the NYSDEC. Colonel David Caldwell represented the ACOE and the NYSDEC was represented by Sue McCormick. During that teleconference was an explanation of the requirements by the ACOE for the Village to commit to, in order to finish the feasibility study and construct the project. Because the ACOE added additional requirements, we insisted that the ACOE write a detailed letter pointing out exactly what it needs from the Village to complete the study for the project.

Yesterday, September 26, we received the response from the ACOE which addressed those additional requirements. Click here to read the full response.

The Village Board will be mailing out a fact sheet along with a poll to solicit your opinion on the ASDRP project later this week. Please take the time to read through the fact sheet, and review all the letters and notes from the teleconference, which are all posted to the ASDRP Archive on the asharoken.com website. The Archive may be found any time by clicking the "Government" button on the home page, then "ASDRP Archive". A public hearing will be scheduled as well.

Regards,
Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Neighbors,

On Tuesday, September 13 I along with Deputy Mayor Pam Pierce, Clerk Nancy Rittenhouse and Village Attorney Bruce Migatz had a teleconference about the ASDRP with the USACOE and the NYSDEC. Colonel David Caldwell represented the USACOE, Sue McCormick represented the NYSDEC and Supervisor Frank Petrone represented the Town of Huntington. What the Village and Town thought would be a negotiation or discussion of the project, instead was an explanation of the requirements by the ACOE for the Village to commit to, in order to finish the feasibility study and construct the project.

The following is a summary of the teleconference:

1. To finish the feasibility study and construct the project the ACOE will require 5 access points approximately 1/2-mile apart with parking at each point. The entire sound side beach from the power plant to Sandpiper Farm would be designated for public use.
2. To finish the feasibility study and construct the project the Village must commit to condemning property. This was never discussed with the Village, Town or NYSDEC prior to this teleconference.
3. To finish the feasibility study the Village must commit to constructing the project. This was never discussed with the Village, Town, or NYSDEC prior to this teleconference. In fact Sue McCormick with the NYSDEC pointed that there has never been a “do or die” situation raised by the ACOE before.
4. The ACOE was not able to economically justify doing the project for the purposes of protecting the road. When asked about the economic value of protecting human life by assuring the road is open, the ACOE said that loss of life is not factored into the Cost/Benefit analysis.

Because the ACOE added additional requirements, we insisted that the ACOE write a detailed letter to the Village pointing out exactly what it needs from the Village to complete the study for the project.

Combining Asharoken property owner’s previous comments and petitions, along with new requirements from the ACOE, as Mayor I do not see us moving forward with this project unless public sentiment changes radically. I, for one, will not agree to condemn property as a condition to complete the feasibility study and complete the project. Once the Village receives the final letter from the ACOE the Board of Trustees will ask for your input.

Despite the efforts of the Village, Senator Schumer, Congressman Israel, Supervisor Petrone, State Legislator Raia and Suffolk County Legislator Spencer the ACOE has refused to modify any of its requirements to make the project acceptable to the Village. In fact, as noted above the ACOE has added more requirements which are likely unacceptable to the property owners. It is extremely disappointing that the ACOE did not inform the Village, Town, State, and federal officials until now.

With this new information I believe that we have reached the end of the road with the ASDRP project and that pending formal property owner input, the feasibility study will not be finished and the project will not be constructed.

Click here for the full notes of the September 13, 2016 teleconference.

Sincerely,
Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Residents and Property Owners,

At our September 6 regular monthly Board meeting we had an overwhelming attendance by property owners. It appears that a letter was distributed either by mail or email indicating that the September 6 Board Meeting would be the "last chance to express your feeling" on the ASDRP (Asharoken Storm Damage Reduction Project). This is absolutely not true.

I felt it best to communicate to the entire community and share my September 6 Mayor's Report with all of you. I also want to point out and explain the recent timeline and several components of the project that are imperative you understand.

Timeline for 2016:

• January 29 The property owners of Asharoken and Eaton's Neck submitted their responses to the ASDRP project.
• February 10 The Village submitted their full response to the ACOE along with a copy to the NYSDEC:
  • Asharoken Formal Response to USACE Draft Feasibility Report
  • Footnotes Part 1
  • Footnotes Part 2
• July 15 Congressman Israel sent out his Press Release pointing out the inability to reach a compromise.
• August 9 The Village received a letter from the ACOE indicating that five access points are required at half-mile intervals per the statute, along with parking. Despite the fact that they received responses from the Village Board, property owners of Asharoken, property owners of Eaton's Neck, letters from Police Departments, Fire Departments, politicians, utility companies and health care providers, the ACOE continues to stand by their engineering regulation which is "shores other than public will be eligible for Federal assistance but must require public access."
• August 29 A letter was delivered to Senator Schumer from the Village and the Town of Huntington seeking his help.
• September 2 The Village received a call from NYSDEC indicating that Colonel David Caldwell, Head of the New York District of the U.S. ACOE, has scheduled a call for tomorrow, September 13, to discuss the project; an updated email will follow.

I will continue to make it clear to the Colonel that the opposition to public access is so strong among village property owners that the project is in jeopardy of not being constructed and that the benefit to the project is to protect Asharoken Avenue that provides the only access for Eaton's Neck residents, Eaton's Neck Fire Department and the U.S. Coast Guard.

If Colonel David Caldwell and the ACOE must strongly follow the Engineering Regulation and cannot remove the public access component, then at the least the Feasibility Study should be completed for the future, here's why:

1. A coastal beach project run by the NYSDEC and USACOE using federal funds must have a completed feasibility study before it can move forward with the construction and design of the project. The Feasibility Study is simply an assessment of the costs required and value to be attained. It will uncover the strengths and weaknesses, any threats to the environment, the resources required and the prospects for success of the project. The study could take upwards of 15 years to complete.
2. We began our Feasibility Study in 2001, signed by Mayor Kelly, and we are approximately a year away from completion.
3. Our community could be subjected to future storms, not only in the next 5 to 10 years, but beyond that as well. It would be in the best interest of our community and our future community residents to complete the Feasibility Study for any future beach project.
4. As I mentioned at the Board Meeting, the Feasibility Study does not obligate the Village to the Beach project whatsoever. It merely expedites federal funding for future disasters.
5. At our meeting we had many questions on whether the property owners will take a vote or complete a survey. At this time the board is strongly considering a survey, which we believe is a fair and equitable process. Several public hearings will be scheduled in order for the board to hear all of your concerns, opinions and your final decisions on the beach project.

Again the Board will not move forward making any decision without holding public hearings and reaching out to the entire community for its final decision on this project. All I ask is that you listen to the facts. Please don't be misled by inaccurate information that unfortunately finds its way to you.

Please find here the Mayor's Report for the September 6 Asharoken Board Meeting. Also, the July 15 Press Release from Congressman Israel's office, which was already posted to the village website, but discovered was not distributed otherwise, our apologies.

Regards,
Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Neighbors:

I received notice yesterday from the NYSDEC that Colonel David Caldwell of the USACOE would like to have a phone conference with the Village to discuss the ASDRP on Tuesday, September 13. I am hoping that his discussion will give the Village more clarity into the public access and parking requirements that the Corps will be asking for. At the same time, it will be an opportunity for the Village and the Town to make the case that the public benefit of the project should be protection of Asharoken Avenue not public access to the beach. I have reached out to Supervisor Petrone's office to have him join in on the phone call. Clearly, until we have this call with the Corps there is no way to know whether or not the ACOE has modified its public access requirements. I will keep you informed on what transpires.

The weather forecast is calling for at least three days of strong northeast winds. We can expect higher than normal tides which will be exacerbated by the long duration of Tropical Storm Hermine. If you live past the seawall you may want to plan your trips in and out of the Village early in the morning or late afternoon to minimize the impact of the mid-afternoon high tide. The Village has made plans with the Huntington Highway Department to have a payloader and evacuation truck stationed at the Eatons Neck Fire house should either be needed.

Should you need any assistance please reach out to the police department at 631-261-7400.

Regards,
Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Neighbors:

On August 12 I met with Town of Huntington Supervisor Frank Petrone to discuss what options the Village and Town had to respond to the ACOE's insistence that the ASDRP have five public access points and parking at each. As a result of this discussion we drafted a letter to Senator Chuck Schumer asking him to contact the ACOE and determine if there is any way that they could modify their public access requirements based on the public benefits of protecting Asharoken Avenue. Click here to read the letter. I will let you know what Senator Schumer's response is when it is received.

Regards,
Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Neighbors;

The Village received via email today a copy of the August 10, 2016 Letter from the Army Corps of Engineers explaining their public access requirements for completing the Asharoken Storm Damage Reduction Project.

Deputy Mayor Pierce and I reviewed the letter and we will be requesting specific details of the parking requirements, as well as a 30 day extension for the Village's response. I will update you with this information as soon as it is available.

When the Village receives clarification it will seek your opinion on the public access requirements. Your input will be a critical factor in how the Village proceeds.

Best regards,
Mayor Greg Letica

Rep. Israel Statement on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Inability to Reach Compromise with Village of Asharoken on Beach Restoration Project

Jul 15, 2016 Press Release

Melville, NY. — Today, Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY) released the following statement after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers notified Village of Asharoken officials that in order for the beach restoration project to move forward, five public access points would be required. The Army Corps also notified Asharoken officials that the inclusion of public parking areas would be mandatory at each access point – a requirement that was previously deemed unnecessary by Army Corps officials.

"My office worked diligently to get the Village of Asharoken and the Army Corps to meet in the middle on a compromise to move this project forward. It is extremely disappointing that after making significant progress to reach that compromise, the Army Corps’ headquarters rejected it.

I believe there is a way to protect the safety of my constituents and this coastal community while complying with the Army Corps’ guidelines, but the Army Corps needs to be more willing to negotiate. I will continue to do everything in my power to work for a common-sense solution for my constituents as I have throughout my time in office with all levels of government."

Dear Neighbors & Property Owners:

I am providing you with a proposed timeline from the NYSDEC for the Asharoken Storm Damage Reduction Project (ASDRP). The schedule provided was given to the Village with the following proviso from Matt Chelbus at the NYSDEC: "This is based on the current schedule, and is subject to change. This is especially true for the dates further out in 2017." I requested that Mr. Chelbus also provide us with some answers to the Village's obligations as we move forward. His answers are copied directly from his email reply. Click here to view the full timeline and Q&A.

As I have written before, the entire ASDRP process is long, complicated and will move at the pace that the USACE dictates. The Village needs patience as it works its way through this lengthy bureaucratic process to get to a final project plan. Once we reach that milestone, we as a community will decide how to proceed. If you have any questions, please email me at mayorgregletica@gmail.com, and either I or Deputy Mayor Pierce will be happy to answer them for you.

Wishing you a great day,

Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Neighbors:

Yesterday the Village emailed everyone a copy of Asharoken's response to the USACE on the proposed Asharoken Storm Damage Reduction Project and also posted a full copy to the website at asharoken.com. I would encourage everyone to take the time to read the Village's response. Additional supporting information is on the website including some excellent photographs that support the Village's position. I will keep you informed once we receive a response from the USACE.

The Village owes Deputy Mayor Pam Pierce an enormous debt of gratitude for her tireless work to get this response written. She spearheaded this project and did a phenomenal job, producing a clear, concise and spot-on reflection of the Village's feeling on the ASDRP. Pam has been fully invested in the beach restoration for the last couple of years. She has become an expert on the project, solicited letters of support for the project, attended countless meetings, ran small group information sessions at her home and always represented the Asharoken in a diplomatic and professional manner. She has really done a remarkable job for the Village. Thank you so much Pam.

I would also like to thank Village Clerk Nancy Rittenhouse for an excellent job in providing needed data for the report, editorial input as the report was prepared, and the unenviable task of assembling all of the documents for distribution. As always Nancy went above and beyond what is expected of her to help Asharoken. Finally, the Village's Coastal Geologist, Aram Terchunian, gave Asharoken excellent guidance throughout the process.

The Village will strive to find Co-Sponsors for the project to defer the costs if the residents desire to go forward with the restoration. I have already spoken to Huntington Supervisor Frank Petrone about the Town of Huntington joining the Village as a Co-Sponsor. This week I also wrote a letter to Suffolk Legislator Dr. William Spencer seeking his assistance to help Asharoken get Suffolk County on board as a Co-Sponsor. Click here to read the letter. Realistically, because Huntington is constrained by a tax cap with a 0.12% limit, and Suffolk County is having serious financial difficulties, additional funding may be very challenging to acquire. But the Village will do all it can to get outside financial assistance. The better news is that if this project were to go forward the earliest it could start would be in 2018 so there is ample time to explore Co-Sponsor support.

Next week the Village will be sending out a timeline and explanation of the upcoming steps as we move forward with completion of the Feasibility Study.

I hope that everyone stays warm the next couple of days. Fortunately, our February cold snap will only last a couple of days this year compared to last year where it was the entire month. So toss an extra log on the fire, put on an extra sweater, grab a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy the beauty of Asharoken in the winter!

Wishing everyone a great weekend, Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Neighbors:

On January 19th Deputy Mayor Pierce, Aram Terchunian (the Village's Coastal Geologist), Rob Holmes from the the beach committee and I had a teleconference with the Army Corps of Engineers and the New York State DEC about the beach restoration project. Rob was kind enough to prepare a summary of many of the questions asked and their answers. Additionally, Aram added comments to Rob's summary.

In an effort to keep you fully informed on the ASDRP, I have included this document for your review: Click here to read the full summary. I would like to thank Rob for his hard work to prepare this summary which required quite a bit of effort.

Wishing you a great day,

Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Neighbors:

I would like to give you a brief end-of-the-year update on the Asharoken Storm Damage Project (ASDRP).

As you know the Village has been trying very hard to eliminate or at the least mitigate public access to the Sound side beaches. Click here to read two recent documents related to this effort.

The first is from Town of Huntington Supervisor Petrone to Lt. General Bostick at the ACOE requesting "...you reconsider the current plan's access requirements and develop one that balances, what I believe are, legitimate concerns of the residents with the overriding public purpose of stabilizing Asharoken Avenue, the only land link to our population living on Eaton's Neck, and the imperative to promote better public access to the nation’s waterways".

The second is an email I sent to Congressman Israel explaining that the ACOE had not taken into account the economic impact of a storm on the home values in Eaton's Neck. If the ACOE acknowledges the financial impact the loss of the road could have on Eaton's Neck, then the economic benefit of protecting the road would increase in value and emphasize that the public benefit of the project should be road protection not beach access.

During the month of December, Deputy Mayor Pierce and I have been interviewing prospective Coastal Engineers to advise the village on the technical aspects of the ACOE plan. I expect that a decision will be made at our next board meeting to hire one of the interviewees.

Finally, I firmly believe that your input will be the determining factor in deciding if the Village will go ahead with the ASDRP. To get your feedback both a survey and public hearing will be done as soon as we have a final plan from the Corps that Village residents can respond to. The current proposal by the ACOE is a tentatively-selected plan and is still in the public comment phase. Once the public comment phase ends at the end of January, the ACOE will review the comments and complete a final plan. It is likely that the final plan will differ substantially from what is on the table today. Therefore, I feel that it is much too early to be sending out a survey or scheduling a public hearing.

Wishing you a very Happy and Healthy New Year,

Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Village and Eaton's Neck residents,

I would like to thank all of you who attended the ASDRP Public Meeting held on December 9th. The large turnout and thoughtful questions asked are a critical step towards getting the ASDRP completed.

Click here to read the comments I made during the meeting. Thank you for all your support and interest.

Regards,

Mayor Greg Letica

Photo: Steve Trombetti

Mayor Letica attending the ACOE Presentation

On Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at the Northport High School, the Army Corps of Engineers and the New York State DEC gave a presentation on the Asharoken Storm Damage Reduction Project (ASDRP) draft report. The information-laden presentation was attended by hundreds of residents of both Asharoken and Eaton's Neck.

News12 Long Island was on hand covering the event. Click here to view the News12 report.

The ACOE and the NYSDEC have released the November 2015 Draft "Update to the North Shore of Long Island, Asharoken, Suffolk County, New York Coastal Storm Risk Management Feasibility Study". Click the links below to read the full draft. NOTE: These are very lengthy documents.

• November 2015 CSRM Feasibilty Study (104 pages)
• Appendix A: Engineering (157 pages)
• Appendix B: Environmental Assessment (602 pages)
• Appendix C: Cost Engineering (20 pages)
• Appendix D: Economics (25 pages)
• Appendix E: Real Estate (47 pages)
• Appendix F: Pertinent Correspondence (24 pages)

Click here to view and print the comment card. All comments with regard to the draft study should be submitted via hardcopy letter or email to:

Howard Ruben
New York District Corps of Engineers
Room 2131
26 Federal Plaza
New York, NY 10278-0090

Email: howard.ruben@usace.army.mil
Note: Comment period has been extended through January 29, 2016

Dear Neighbors,

I would like to encourage everyone to attend the meeting with the Army Corps of Engineers and the NYS DEC on Wednesday, December 9th to learn about the Draft Feasibility Study for the Asharoken Storm Damage Reduction Project. The meeting will allow for time to chat in small groups with the Corps and DEC, include a presentation about the project and also have a session to ask questions and make comments. Short of reading the voluminous Draft Feasibility Study and Appendixes, this will be the easiest way to learn the details of the proposed project. The meeting will be held in the large cafeteria in the Northport High School and begins at 6:30 PM.

The Village received notice on Friday that the Public comment period for the Draft Feasibility Report has been extended until January 29, 2016.

Now that we have the Draft Feasibility Study it is possible to make a preliminary estimate as to what the project would cost individual taxpayers based on the information provided by the ACOE. Click here to view details of the Preliminary Estimate.

I would urge everyone to treat the members of the ACOE and DEC with respect and decorum. They are here to present us with a proposed plan for our consideration. The Village has an opportunity to distinguish itself as a community of civil and reasonable people as we all work together on this important project. I look forward to seeing everyone at the meeting on the 9th. Regards,

Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Neighbors,
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.non-ASDRP text
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ASDRP: The Village continues to make progress with our local elected officials to get their support for the beach restoration project in order to protect the road without the requirement of public access. Assemblyman Andrew Raia wrote an excellent letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo on this issue: click here to read the full letter.

Town of Huntington Superintendent Frank Petrone has also been extremely helpful by discussing the project with Congressman Steve Israel. Thanks to Supervisor Petrone and Assemblyman Raia for supporting Asharoken.
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.non-ASDRP text
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Regards,

Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Neighbors:

I am pleased to let you know that our Suffolk County Legislator, Dr. William Spencer, wrote a letter to the USACE supporting the Village's efforts to reach a compromise agreement on the Asharoken Storm Damage Reduction Project. Dr. Spencer's support is appreciated and significant. His letter adds to a growing list of elected and safety officials who have recognized the need to protect Asharoken Avenue for the well-being of all those who depend on it.

Click here to read Dr. William Spencer's letter to the USACE.

Regards
Mayor Letica

Dear Neighbors:

On March 23rd the Village received a Memorandum for the Record (MFR) from the United States Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) containing comments on the Village’s draft Public Access Plan for the Asharoken Storm Damage Reduction Project. To read the full memorandum, click here. The Village is carefully reviewing the MFR and will be preparing a full response. The Village is waiting to get a tentatively selected plan showing the ACOE’s plan to restore the beach. Once Asharoken receives the plan I will invite the ACOE to present it to the village.

The ACOE’s comments were generally supportive of the plan especially since the ACOE agreed with the Village’s assumption of low recreational use. The ACOE is seeking additional information to support the assumption of low recreational use and the Village’s proposal not to have parking at the middle three access strips from the road to the beach. Second, the ACOE is requesting a modification of the agreement between the Town of Huntington and National Grid for the use of the boat ramp parking lot. Finally, the ACOE is looking for more definitive locations of the public access strips.

Linda and I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy Easter and Passover.

Regards,

Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Neighbors:

On June 3, the Army Corps of Engineers and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation made a presentation to the Board of Trustees and attending residents updating the status of the sound side beach restoration project. I am posting the PowerPoint presentation they gave to allow you to learn more about the project and review the information presented. Click the image below to view the entire slide show: The beach restoration is a very significant project with many long-term ramifications for the village. Going forward the residents of Asharoken will have to decide how to proceed on this project and to do so they should have as much information as possible in order to guide the board. Please do not hesitate to send any comments or suggestions to me at mayorgregletica@gmail.com.

Wishing you a great day,
Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Neighbors:

On Friday, December 6, 2013 Deputy Mayor Pam Pierce and I met with Ron Pinzon from the USACE and Sue McCormick from the NYSDEC. At the meeting we discussed the Army Corps of Engineers restoration of Asharoken’s Long Island Sound shoreline.

A Preliminary Calendar of Milestone Dates, the Draft Tentatively Selected Plan for the restoration and a Draft Preliminary Groin and Beach Fill Plan were reviewed. Copies of all of these documents are available in village hall for review. Please keep in mind that all of these documents are draft/preliminary and are subject to modification and change as the process goes forward. Also the milestone calendar is very optimistic and should be considered a best case scenario.

The meeting was very constructive and the village expects to meet with the NYSDEC and USACE in the near future to continue moving the process forward.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Neighbors:

During October I approached the office of Huntington Supervisor Frank Petrone and requested that the Huntington Town Board pass a resolution supporting the restoration of the Long Island Sound beach by the Army Corps of Engineers. The idea was eagerly embraced and on November 7 a resolution was unanimously adopted by the Huntington Town Board. The resolution, which was sent to our Federal and State elected officials as well as the head of the NYSDEC, reinforces the fact that the beach restoration will benefit many residents of the Town of Huntington as well as the Village of Asharoken. Click here to read the full text of the resolution.

The resolution makes it very clear that the only way to protect Asharoken Avenue and the seawall is to restore the beach in front of it. I would like to thank Supervisor Petrone, Councilwoman Berland and Coucilmen Cuthbertson, Mayoka and Cook for their support.

By having the Town of Huntington openly support the beach restoration and asserting that sand on the beach is needed for their residents’ safety and welfare, we hope we will convince our Federal and State elected officials to rally behind this project and do what they can to expedite its progress. To that end, I have also reached out to the offices of all our elected officials to encourage them to do all that they can to move the process forward as quickly as possible.

Currently, National Grid is providing sand replenishment on Asharoken Beach. The placement is moving along with approximately half of the required 45,000 cubic yards placed to date. Their goal is to be finished by the end of December.

Linda and I would like to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Neighbors:

I am happy to report that the Village of Asharoken just received a payment in the amount of $77,305.97 from FEMA. This is the federal share of village expenses incurred during Sandy. This amount does not reflect any money for damage done to village hall which is being treated as a separate item and is still under analysis. The village is also awaiting additional funds from New York State to cover our costs from Sandy and reimbursement from the FHWA for the dune repair.

Have a great day!
Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Neighbors:
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Sand on the Beach: Currently we have two Sand on the Beach projects in the works.

• Included in the Sandy Relief Funding Bill is over $30 million that can be used by the Army Corps of Engineers and the DEC to complete the feasibility study and begin the full scale reconstruction project. The study is needed to determine the best offshore locations to dredge and to minimize any environmental impact. I have reached out to all of our state elected officials to encourage the DEC to expedite the completion of the study.

  Senator Schumer announces aid package for protecting New York's Coastline, which includes over $30 million earmarked for Asharoken. Note Asharoken highlighted on the map.

  Deputy Mayor Pierce and I attended a press conference in Point Lookout hosted by Senator Schumer on Sunday, January 27 where he announced the aid package. At the same time I had an opportunity to publicly thank him for his efforts to have Asharoken included in the bill.

• The existing permit between National Grid and The Army Corps of Engineers requires National Grid to place approximately 45,000 cubic yards of sand on Asharoken Beach every three years. The last deposit of sand took place in the fall of 2010. The ACOE just advised me that "the next three year cycle for nourishment of Asharoken beach is due by 31 December 2013 and should include placement of 45,000 cubic yards of sand." As plans progress I will keep you informed.

Dune Repair: The village is working with the Federal Highway Administration to have an additional 5,000 cubic yards of sand added to the dune area to increase the size of the dune protecting the road. This week we heard back from the FHWA and it appears that they will pay for the entire sand placement and 80% of planting the dune. The net cost to the village is approximately $3,500 out of an estimated $170,000 gross cost.

Although the full reconstruction is still several years away the smaller additions should help protect homes and the road until then.
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Have a wonderful day,
Mayor Greg Letica

Dear Governor Cuomo, Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, Congressman Israel, State Senator Marcellino and Assemblyman Raia.

Last night we had our third Nor'easter since Sandy and the inadequacy of the piles of sand that protect Asharoken Avenue was clearly exposed. What were once vegetated dunes prior to Sandy are just piles of sand and the contour of the beach allows the water to easily reach the littoral side of the piles. There is no doubt that the road is at risk of being destroyed should we have a major storm. Asharoken Avenue is the only means of access to Eaton's Neck home to over 2000 people. Something needs to be done quickly to resolve this dangerous situation.

The Army Corps of Engineers and the NYS DEC have been working for many years to fully restore Asharoken beach by adding 600,000-1,000,000 CYDS of sand. Now is the time to act. If we lose the road the cost of fixing the problem will increase radically and thousands of people's safety will be put at risk. I do not think that this is something we should allow to happen.

Following Sandy, all sorts of dredging and beach restoration is underway on the south shore of Long Island. It is high time to get one of these dredges up here and start restoring Asharoken. Every day that we wait to act is one day closer to the next big storm. It is time to finish the never ending feasibility study, fund the project and restore the beach.

I am asking that you do all you can to find funding for this project and expedite its completion. Asharoken is a community of 650 people and approximately 300 homes. There is no way that we can be expected to bear the burden of the cost of this project, particularly since it will benefit far more residents of Huntington than Asharoken. We need your help to provide full funding from the federal and state government. Our project is small enough that finding the funds in a pool of $50 billion of proposed aid should not be too difficult.

I have attached two photos taken today to show how poorly the sand piles protect the road. As I have done before, I invite you or a representative of yours to come to the village and see first hand how badly we need help.

I wish everyone a very happy and healthy new year.

Dr. Gregory Letica
Mayor, Village of Asharoken