Suffolk County Executive Bellone Praises Legislative Passage of Kings Park Swere Expansion Project

With State Senate and Assembly Passage, Bill Now Heads to Governor Cuomo's Desk

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone today praised the passage of the Kings Park Alienation Bill in the New York State Assembly, marking the culmination of almost ten years of collaboration involving Suffolk County, the Town of Smithtown, the Kings Park Civic Association and the Kings Park Chamber of Commerce on a comprehensive plan to promote new investment and economic growth in the Kings Park Business District.  

The state legislation (S.2859/A.5716) will allow for the alienation of certain parkland in the Town of Smithtown to be transferred to Suffolk County in order to facilitate the placement and operation of a sewer pump station to connect the Kings Park Business District to sewers. The state authorization is necessary since the proposed sewer pump station is currently designated as parkland. Further, if the measure were not enacted, the pursuit of an alternative would delay the implementation of the project by up to two years and add millions of dollars to the total project cost.

“The lack of sewers has prevented growth in too many of our downtowns, but today we came one step closer to unleashing the true economic potential of the Kings Park community,” said County Executive Bellone.  “I want to thank Assembly Speaker Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins for delivering on this major economic and water quality victory for the Town of Smithtown, Suffolk County, and all of Long Island.”

The Kings Park Downtown Redevelopment Plan completed by the Chamber of Commerce and Civic Association in late 2016 identified the lack of sewer service as the primary issue facing the area, and made connection of the Kings Park Business District to Suffolk County Sewer District #6 the top priority to facilitate other aspects of the plan.  A lack of funding for the sewer project, estimated to cost $18 million, was identified as a potential obstacle to success.

In the FY 2017-18 state budget, however, Governor Cuomo provided the necessary $20 million in state funding to make this plan a reality for the Kings Parks community.

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