Dear All,
Some of our neighbors are unsure about the types of flowers that are best suited for planting on our properties. Below is a poster illustrating the local flora for your reference. The native flora poster exhibits plants growing in the New York metropolitan area, a region known for its natural diversity.
Share a Beautiful Beach Day with Neighbors!
The Board of the Crane Neck Association
Welcomes our fellow residents to join us for a
Meet and Greet!
Saturday, August 10th, 2019
2:00 pm
at the Crane Neck Beach… of course!
Please bring a side dish or dessert to share.
Don’t forget your beach chairs and umbrellas!
We are excited to see you!
As always, no funds for this party are taken from CNA.
Any and ALL expenses are donated.
Dear Residents of Crane Neck,
The annual Crane Neck Association meeting will take place on Saturday, May 4th at 9:00am in the Emma S. Clark Memorial Library. Please make your way to the basement where a large room will be reserved for our meeting. We urge all the residents of Crane Neck to attend as we will be discussing important issues pertaining to our community, including the roads, election of new board members and budget.
We hope to see you there,
The Board of the Crane Neck Association.
Dear All,
A portion of Crane Neck Road will be repaved starting on Monday, July 16th. Please note that there maybe delays for transiting the road during the road work. The paving will be done between the two painted white arrows along Crane Neck Road.
Crane Neck Association Annual Meeting
May 5, 2018
The meeting was held at Emma Clark Library and called to order at 9:40 am by CNA
board president Marisela Staller.
• Board members attending: Marisela Staller, James Mammen, Roberta Gordon, and
Lise Sasson.
• Membership attending: Veronica Groth, Karen Wexler, Thomas Dowd, Astrid Wimmer,
Roseanne Cole, Gina Titus, Barbara and Will Gray, Hayley Ogle, Rick Greenberg,
Brian Carmody, Richard Hamburg, Chris Smith, Annette and Arthur Grollman, Mary
Harrington, Lev Ginsburg, Tom Gulbransen, David Douglas, Christine D’Alessandro
others present but not signed in.
President’s Report – Marisela Staller
• Marisela reported the year in review. Shore Road was repaved. Potholes and road
maintenance was performed per usual.
• Dues were raised due to the increased maintenance required.
• Fishing pass requests were down due to the increase in fee. However the fisherman
who have been in good standing for many years were grandfathered in at rate of
$120.
• Landscaping contract will change this year to significantly decrease roadside
maintenance to twice per year (late Spring and late Fall), and flax pond flap
maintenance to once per month and on call during storms.
• Due to long overdue need, tree trimming was performed. Expense was approximately
$17,000. $2250 per day was paid over 7 days.
• Beach gate repair was required after a vehicle hit and run.
• Snow removal contract was awarded, again, to Aronica. They have done an
exceptional job.
Roads Report
Emil Moshkovich is Roads chair but was unavailable for meeting.
• The company All-Island paving was awarded contract again for road maintenance
(Pot hole repair) as well as repaving, and will begin in June. There are extensive
repairs to pot holes this year. Until the road is repaved, this condition will continue to
deteriorate and require more expensive patching.
• The re-pavement of road will take place from 3 Crane Neck Road to 12 Crane Neck
Road.
• This will cost the total of our budgeted amount of $75,000
• James noted that we have budgeted an extra $6,500 for the extensive pot holes.
• There was a general discussion regarding the possibility of the road berm needing
work vs the problem being the flap and drain into flax pond. There were 2 members
present who had vehicles totaled last year due to flooding of salt water on to Crane
Neck Road. The concern was raised, again, that when the road floods it becomes
impassible. The residents living beyond 28 Crane Neck Road may not be accessible by emergency vehicles when the road floods. This has been a problem for many
years, perhaps created by Superstorm Sandy. One resident suggested FEMA be
notified.
• The contract between Stony Brook University and Crane Neck Association to assist
with road repair and maintenance was deemed invalid by Stony Brook University.
Historically, the University had paid 1/3 of our maintenance costs. The board is
currently working with Stony Brook on new contract.
Beach Report – Lise Sasson
• Crane Neck Beach Party is scheduled for July 21, same time schedule as last year.
Invitations to follow in early July.
• Please see addendum 2 for Save the Date Card.
• Beach cleanup is scheduled May 26 from 10 am – 12 pm.
• We have 2 Girl Scout Troops from Stony Brook and East Setauket joining us.
• Signs will be made for clean up.
• Christine D’Alessandro spoke regarding the new flax pond walking path which is
currently under construction. The plans are for a newly (ADA approved) bridge and
walking path, including 5 parking spots and 2 hunter parking spots located at Marine
Lab. It was discussed that the DEC may be required to complete an environmental
impact statement. Please see addendum 3 – Flax Pond Revised Unit Management
Plan.
• Regarding the ongoing deer/tick problem; Rebecca VanDerBogart and Haley Ogle are
working on a questionnaire to distribute to the community. They will collect data and
get back to us with findings.
• There have been several requests to gain permits for swimming and access to Crane
Neck Beach which, by unanimous agreement of the membership, will be denied.
New Business
• Roberta Gordon discussed the 501c3 status of the Crane Neck Association. We are in
need of legal advice to better clarify our tax situation and other matters.
• Cary Staller offered to draft a letter of dues responsibility to be sent to real estate
brokers upon closing of any real deeded property with rights to Crane Neck Beach.
• Astrid Wimmer informed the group that the pipes to the grate at the Flax Pond drain
flap have been fixed.
• Christine Smith offered to look into the requirements and costs of having a natural gas
line installed to the end of Crane Neck Road.
Motions
• Roberta Gordon made a motion to change terms of Crane Neck Association Board
members from 3 years to 5 years. Christine D’Alessandro – second. Vote was 13 yes,
1 no. Motion passed.
• Cary Staller made a motion for a $5,000 special assessment to repave all roads in
Crane Neck. Veronica Groth second. 3 Yes, 12 No. Motion denied. There was further
discussion about how to improve the roads.
• Rebecca VanDerBogart made a motion to elect Hayley Ogle and Christine
D’Alessandro and the re-elect Roberta Gordin, Emil Moshkovich, and Lise Sasson to
the board. Marisela Staller and James Mammen will continue in advisory positions.
Meeting adjourned 11:30 am.
FLAX POND
Revised Unit Management Plan (UMP)
and
Current Projects
Meeting Convened by Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn
Childs Mansion Feb 14, 2018
Attendees
Name Affiliation
Kara Hahn (KH) Suffolk County Legislator/Crane Neck Resident
Larry Swanson (LS) Emeritus Professor, School of Marine and Atmospheric Studies, SBU
Michael Levine Mayor, Village of OldField
Robert Marsh NYS DEC, Director of Wetlands Management
Thomas Gadomski NYS DEC
Kaitlin Grady NYS DEC Police
Mark Simmons NYS DEC Police
Larry Zacarese Asst. Chief Stony Brook University Police Department (SBUPD)
Robert Lenahan Chief, Stony Brook University Police Department
Michael Kelly Sgt, 6th Precint, Suffolk County Police Department
Christine D’Alessandro Crane Neck Association, Past President
Marisela Staller Crane Neck Association, Current President
Fredelle Robinson Flax Pond Woods Association
Jessica McKay Intern, Office of Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn
Alyssa Turano Intern, Office of Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn
The meeting was convened in response to residents’ concerns about future access, environmental impact, and oversight/regulation for Flax Pond, a parcel of land owned by Stony Brook University and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (thus wholly state-owned). A draft of a Unit Management (UMP) was circulated several years ago, and at a public meeting held by the DEC many members of the public brought serious issues to light. The revised UMP was the focus of this meeting as residents require greater clarity of proposals and implementation.
LS stressed that this UMP is still a draft, not a final document.
KH asked residents to speak first. Significant complaints were about:
1. Access
a) Wetlands and Beach
In the future ALL people entering the wetlands and pond, including residents, must have a DEC Managed Land Access Permit; a PDF is available online at NYSDEC website. Hunters will require a hunting permit.
Signs will be manufactured, placed and paid for by the DEC in the laboratory parking area, and will indicate restrictions, penalties and fines for illegal camping, shellfish taking, fires and trespass. Additional signs (with identical wording) will be manufactured, placed and paid for by the CNA along its private beach dunes to the east of Beach Path and west of the inlet. Village of Old Field officers are responsible for enforcing restrictions on CNA property. On DEC property, residents are urged to call DEC police if violations are observed [see separate sheet/CNA website for telephone numbers]. CNA signs will display these telephone numbers as well as place warning signs (symbols) about ticks and mosquitoes.
University police have no jurisdiction on the beach (only on land and at the lab) but can enforce parking restrictions/violations near the lab. Suffolk County police can enforce the prohibition against fires and camping. Responsibilities and enforcement rights of the DEC police are commensurate with Suffolk County police.
b) Pond and Dredging of the Inlet
Long-standing issues about the deterioration of the pond will probably not be remedied until dredging occurs. Currently the artificially constructed inlet (first opened in 1804) is only about 8 feet deep at high tide, and the upper part of the pond does not empty well due to the delta at the mouth of the inlet. Additionally, increasingly high tides threaten Crane Neck Road, the laboratory, and homes.
Funding and proposals for future development of the laboratory have resulted in a grant from NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo for $3.5 million dollars to construct a shellfish hatchery at the marine science laboratory; this would include a 3,000 square foot extension at the northwest corner of the building. The governor has not yet designated Flax Pond as a sanctuary site, long proposed by advocates of Flax Pond. However, this construction project might help to secure funding for future dredging.
ML asked about dredging the inlet. KH and LS explained that there is a “Plan A” and a “Plan B.”
• “Plan A”, the less expensive option, would be to dredge three small channels across the delta to faciliate upper-pond flushing. These would, however, fill up over time and are thus not the best remedy.
• “Plan B” would require reconstruction of the state-owned jetties, which are currently ineffective. Two permits are required, one from the Department of Public Works and the other from the Department of Health. Both application processes are stringent and require additional environmental data. The Suffolk County Legislature committee overseeing approval currently has 11 votes in favor but needs 112. KH is talking to Governor Cuomo. Funding for this project is not yet secure. Also, access to the state-owned pond is legal for motor boats, so signs will be posted to indicate a “no wake” zone (5 mph) to deter boats and especially jet skis. Currently, the erratic depths/shallows of the pond is a deterrent.
c) Roads
Crane Neck roads are privately owned and maintained at huge expense to residents. The university currently subsidizes some cost of repairs, but the prospect of increased road traffic is extremely worrisome. The CNA will be renegotiating its contract with SBU in the near future, and it is to be hoped more funds will be garnered as a result.
The DEC UMP proposes public access along Crane Neck Road to Shore Drive with parking at the marine science laboratory. To limit access, the DEC has proposed the construction of 6 parking spaces at the laboratory with only 2 parking spaces reserved specifically and only for hunters (maximum 2 people per car). DEC-issued access permits will be required for display on the dashboard (hunting permits are also required). Signs will indicate penalties and fines.
2. Hunting
Specifically noted was the obvious danger posed to walkers and kayaks, and the threatening behavior of hunters who loudly assert their right to carry firearms on state property. Also not to be underestimated is the disturbing noise of guns being fired.Note that this is waterfowl hunting, not deer hunting (which is currently prohibited). LS concurred, saying that SBU students also do not feel safe when working on the pond or near the marine science laboratory.
This is an ongoing problem with no clear solution in sight because the DEC and SBU have not yet reached an agreement. It is important to define “recreational uses” and whether this would include or exclude hunting. Future talks with NYS State Assemblyman Steve Englebright will be scheduled.
Current and Future Projects
An Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant path behind the Childs Mansion is almost complete. Entry will be from the marine science laboratory parking lot (limited).
Efforts must be made to coordinate the number and response to complaints. All parties involved (SBU police and staff, Village of Old Field officers, DEC police, Suffolk County police) must be vigilant in collecting and disseminating data about access
Reconstruction of the bridge across Flax Pond is also almost finished (a small barge will sink additional pilings at high tide). Plans are being discussed to extend the bridge over the berm to the beach, but these plans have implications for the beach property owned by the Crane Neck Association. Funding is also uncertain.
It was suggested that the woods along Crane Neck Road be cleared of invasive vines and broken limbs, and the fencing restored to its original state (at the moment, many rails are broken and unsightly).
Garbage and debris should also be collected.
Dear Residents of Crane Neck,
The annual Crane Neck Association meeting will take place on Saturday, May 5th at 9:30am in the Emma S. Clark Memorial Library. Please make your way to the basement where a large room will be reserved for our meeting. We urge all the residents of Crane Neck to attend as we will be discussing important issues pertaining to our community, including the roads, election of new board members and budget.
We hope to see you there,
The Board of the Crane Neck Association.
October 2017
Dear Neighbor:
I hope you had a pleasant summer. I am writing on behalf of the Crane Neck Association (CNA) Board to update you on projects we have undertaken since the annual meeting.
First, we have installed a gate at Beach Path, paid for by volunteer residents, to restrict beach parking to members of the association in good standing. Residents have observed many cars turning around to exit Crane Neck Road upon realizing they could not park at the Beach Path lot. Consequently, the beach was quieter and cleaner this summer and less garbage built up in the parking area than in prior years.
The CNA beach picnic, sponsored by volunteers, was very successful and well attended. Residents ate, swam and caught up with neighbors.
The CNA paid to fully repave Shore Road in May. We hope to have sufficient funds to pave another road next year, after the collection of dues. In the interim, we plan to fill inseveral shallow trenches on the eroded sides of the roads with filter fabric and small rocks to allow the overflow of water to drain and prevent water from undermining the road, and we will repair potholes. We also will clean out drains that have filled with sand and debris, a costly but necessary procedure to keep the roads free from flooding.
After a few tree limbs fell on the road, and several residents expressed concerns about the threat of dead limbs falling on the road, we undertook a long overdue project to prune dead branches and trees that hovered over Crane Neck Road and were a danger to passing cars, bikers and pedestrians. We worked with the pruning crew for six days. While the cost of this project was not in the budget, with the upcoming winter, the board unanimously decided it was an important preventive measure to take. To prioritize what is most needed, such as this pruning project, we will cut back on trimming and mowing the sides of roads to 3 or 4 times per year.
With the winter close at hand, we have a budget for snow plowing since neither the Town nor the Village provide this service to us, and the Association must do so from the dues it collects from its members. The CNA also pays for insurance and other costs associated with maintaining the property owned by the CNA.
Please do not contact your personal landscaper or vendor to work on the road or the sides of the road without prior approval from a Crane Neck board member. If you do so, you will be responsible for payment for the work.
The dues you pay to the CNA are for the mutual benefit of our residents. All residents owe it to their neighbors to live up to this obligation. Note that several families have not paid this year. Those who do not pay are subject to the 10% interest charge, which will be added to next year’s bill. To those families who have failed to pay their dues, including any assessments necessary to maintain our property, please contribute your share.
Finally, the association board is composed of unpaid volunteers who live in the community. We have representatives from Holly Lane, Crane Neck Road, Woodcock Lane and Child’s Lane. We currently are down to five members and two will be stepping down in April at the end of their three-year term. If you are interested in joining the board, please let us know. We encourage all families to volunteer for the board, and we would particularly welcome members from Mount Gray Road, Shore Road or Laurel Lane as we have none on the board at present.
If you have ideas, questions or concerns, please email one or more members of the board at the address provided on the Crane Neck website.
We wish you all a very Happy Holiday Season.
Sincerely for the Crane Neck Association Board,
Marisela H Staller
Dear Crane Neck Residents,
Back in April of 2017, R. Lawrence Swanson, Director of Waste Reduction and Management Institute and Associate Dean at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University gave a presentation regarding the dredging at Flax Pond. Below is the given presentation for your reference. You can also download the PDF of the presentation below.
FlaxPondDredgingPresentationMAR333
Share a Beautiful Beach Day with Neighbors!
The Board of the Crane Neck Association
Welcomes our fellow residents to join us for a
Meet and Greet!
Saturday, July 15, 2017
4:00pm
at Crane Neck Beach… of course!
This year we’ve decided to have a Pot Luck Party
Please bring your own food and drink
Along with a side dish or dessert to share
Don’t forget your beach chairs and umbrellas!
We are excited to see you!
Please let us know you’ll be there:
craneneckbeachparty@gmail.com
As always, no funds for this party are taken from CNA.
Any and ALL expenses are donated.
Crane Neck Association 