Focus Areas
TOI360, the new Comprehensive Plan for the Town of Islip, will serve as a policy guide for the community for topics like housing, economic development, transportation, utilities, recreation, sustainability, open space and other important resources.
A comprehensive plan states where a community has been, where it is now, and where it wants to go. It identifies community goals and a long-term vision for the Town, recommending specific actions to achieve those goals. Public participation during the development of the plan will help define community needs and ensure TOI360 expresses community's values.
One of the initial steps to develop a comprehensive plan is to conduct an analysis of existing conditions, showing trends and issues in terms of land use, community resources, and public needs.
The analysis of issues will be organized around the planning themes described below.
Housing
Ensure a diverse range of housing options
Understanding population dynamics is crucial for effective community planning, as it influences decisions on housing, infrastructure, and services. The Town of Islip has experienced a 13% population increase since 1990, reaching 339,123 residents in 2022. However, the growth rate has slowed significantly in recent years, rising by just 1.1% since 2010. The median age has increased to 38.9 years, reflecting a broader aging trend, while the average household size remains larger than the County average. Although Islip's median household income is slightly above the Suffolk County average, high housing costs are a major concern, with over half of renters and a significant portion of homeowners facing affordability challenges.
Islip's demographic profile reveals a diverse community with over one-third of residents identifying as Hispanic or Latinx, and a significant percentage of foreign-born population, primarily from Central and South America. This diversity enriches the Town’s cultural landscape and underscores the need for inclusive planning. The labor force participation rate in Islip is higher than the county average, with a lower unemployment rate and a diversified employment sector.
Housing costs in Islip have risen steadily, contributing to economic strain for many residents. More than half of renters and a considerable number of homeowners are cost-burdened, highlighting the need for affordable housing solutions. The Town's population trends, income levels, and housing challenges indicate a pressing need for strategic planning to address these issues and support sustainable growth while ensuring that the needs of a diverse and aging population are met.
TOI-360 will consider strategies such as:
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Mixed-Use and Transit-Oriented Development: Identifying potential locations for mixed-use developments which combine housing with commercial and community amenities.
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Diversity in Housing Types: Assessing areas for a broader range of housing options, including townhouses, duplexes, and small apartment buildings, to address the demand for "middle housing."
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Energy-Efficient Housing: Identifying best practices to promote affordable, energy-efficient housing that reduces utility costs for residents.
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Climate Resilience: Offering guidance to ensure homes are designed or upgraded to withstand climate impacts such as flooding and extreme weather.
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Education and Awareness: Providing information on affordable housing opportunities, rights, and financial assistance programs.
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Public-Private Partnerships: Identifying opportunities to collaborate with non-profits, developers, and financial institutions to advance affordable housing solutions.
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Funding Resources: Exploring federal and state funding programs for developing and preserving affordable housing.
Sustainability and Resilience
Protect a coastal Town and its natural resources
Addressing sustainability and resilience in the Town is essential for protecting its environmental health, economic stability, and residents' quality of life. Given Islip's coastal location, sustainability efforts are critical for managing coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion in the aquifer, and maintaining marine habitats and water quality. By adopting sustainable practices, Islip can mitigate climate change impacts, optimize resource use, and preserve natural ecosystems, all vital efforts to ensure a resilient future. This includes enhancing infrastructure to withstand climate-related stresses and integrating sustainability and resilience strategies into the Town’s comprehensive plan.
Flood risk and climate change are significant concerns for Islip, with approximately 11% of its land area within the 100-year floodplain and additional areas at risk of storm-induced flooding. Rising sea levels and increased storm intensity, driven by climate change, exacerbate flooding risks and impact coastal infrastructure. Efforts to enhance flood mitigation include infrastructure improvements, such as the Shore Drive Elevation Project, and the ongoing Fire Island Inlet to Montauk Point (FIMP) project to reduce coastal storm risks.
The Town's natural resources are vital to its ecological health, economy, and quality of life. Preserving natural habitats, from coastal areas to inland spaces, supports biodiversity, climate resilience, and environmental integrity.
The protection of Islip’s shorelines is vital for maintaining natural habitats and safeguarding against climate change impacts such as rising sea levels and storm surges. The Town’s 75 miles of shoreline, including areas like Fire Island and the Great South Bay, face significant threats from erosion, coastal flooding and habitat loss. Addressing these challenges involves sustainable land management, erosion control, and wetland restoration. The Islip Regional Shellfish Hatchery plays a key role in this effort by enhancing shellfish production, improving water quality, and supporting local aquaculture, thus preserving both the Town’s environmental health and cultural heritage.
The Town is also coordinating with Suffolk County Water Authority to address water supply and quality challenges, which are influenced by over-extraction of groundwater and contamination from saltwater intrusion and from runoff. Additionally, Islip is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, such as solar installations and waste diversion programs. The recent appointment of a Sustainability Coordinator reflects the Town's dedication to advancing sustainability and resilience in alignment with state climate goals and environmental justice.
TOI-360 will consider strategies such as:
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Floodplain Management: Regulating land use and development in flood-prone areas to reduce flood risks and protect communities.
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Stormwater Infrastructure: Improving systems to minimize runoff, flooding, and pollution to surrounding water bodies.
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Flood-Resistant Building Designs: Promoting construction methods and materials to protect structures from flood damage.
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Green Infrastructure: Identifying environmentally friendly solutions, such as rain gardens and permeable pavements, to manage stormwater and improve ecological health.
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Sustainable Transportation: Reducing environmental impacts by promoting public transit use, cycling, walking and electric vehicles adoption.
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Water Resource Management: Ensuring sustainable use and conservation of water resources while balancing demand with environmental protection.
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Waste Reduction and Management: Minimizing waste and improving handling through recycling and composting programs.
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Community Resilience and Preparedness: Strengthening the community's ability to recover from and adapt to emergencies and environmental stresses.
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Sustainable Economic Development: Identifying opportunities to promote environmental sustainability and offer training to build a green economy.
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Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction: Setting general targets for reducing emissions to combat climate change.
Parks, Recreation,
and Culture
Enhance access to community programs and facilities
The Town's parks and open spaces are vital to its economic vitality, community well-being, and overall quality of life. These recreational areas provide spaces for residents of all ages and abilities to enjoy while fostering a sense of community. To ensure that parks continue to offer these benefits, it is essential to invest in well-maintained facilities, diverse programs, and improved access. Recent upgrades, such as new amenities at Byron Lake Park and Roberto Clemente Park, demonstrate the Town's commitment to enhancing park access and functionality for all residents.
Waterfront recreation is integral to Islip's community identity, reflecting its historical ties to maritime activities. Parks like East Islip Marina and Bay Shore Marina, along with other waterfront public areas, provide essential recreational opportunities and support local tourism. Addressing climate change effects, maintaining infrastructure, and ensuring equitable access through improved transportation and ADA-compliant facilities are critical to sustaining these recreational spaces.
Community cohesiveness and connectivity is a priority for Islip, which encompasses diverse hamlets each with unique characteristics and challenges. The Town fosters interaction and engagement through special events, festivals, and programs provided by the Islip Youth Bureau and senior services. Despite these initiatives, there are challenges related to the lack of formal governance structures in each hamlet, presenting an opportunity for the Town to enhance physical and social connections between neighborhoods. This focus on community-building helps bridge differences and create a cohesive environment for all residents.
TOI-360 will consider strategies such as:
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Facility Needs: Assess the current park and recreation facilities to identify service gaps and community needs, with a strong focus on residents’ feedback.
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Connectivity: Explore opportunities to connect parks and facilities to neighborhoods through multi-use trails.
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Land Use: consider zoning changes that limit development in sensitive areas like wetlands and wildlife habitats, while encouraging sustainable land use, such as clustering developments where infrastructure already exists.
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Low-Impact Building: Encourage low-impact development practices that incorporate environmentally friendly approaches, such as green roofs and energy-efficient designs, to reduce the impact on natural resources.
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Funding: Explore potential funding sources for park improvements, including grants, public-private partnerships, and community fundraising.
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Programming: Promote environmental education programs such as workshops, guided tours, and informational campaigns to raise awareness about local ecosystems and conservation efforts.
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Collaboration: Consider creation of advisory committees, composed of local experts, residents, and stakeholders, to provide guidance on conservation and recreation initiatives.
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Community Outreach: Encourage outreach and partnerships with local businesses, non-profits, and community groups to support conservation efforts and the development of recreational facilities.
Neighborhood Centers
Make downtowns more dynamic, attractive, and accessible
Islip’s development has traditionally centered around hamlet hubs, which have served as focal points for community activities and amenities. Recognizing the need to rejuvenate these areas, recent planning efforts have emphasized enhancing and revitalizing the Town’s centers, particularly those near transit. By adopting downtown revitalization and transit-oriented development (TOD) strategies, the Town aims to alleviate traffic congestion, improve accessibility, and foster walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods. Promoting mixed-use and higher densities in the hamlet centers help create vibrant communities that attract investment and minimize environmental impacts.
Future planning should build on recent revitalization projects in Central Islip, Bay Shore, and Bayport, which explored different approaches to leverage development to improve hamlet center areas and their connectivity. Effective planning must account for each area's unique context, prioritize community needs, and address infrastructure requirements. Essential components include accessible and sustainable transportation options such as bus routes, bike lanes, and pedestrian paths to link residents with these newly developed centers.
Successful neighborhood development relies on collaboration between the Town, County, and other stakeholders to advance infrastructure improvements and zoning changes. Examples from Suffolk County's successful communities, like Patchogue and Huntington, demonstrate how strategic investments can stimulate housing options and revitalization efforts. By adopting similar strategies, tailored to Islip, the Town can create vibrant, sustainable neighborhoods based on TOD principles and enhanced connectivity.
TOI-360 will consider strategies such as:
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Neighborhood Accessibility: Identify opportunities to improve sidewalks, bike lanes, and pedestrian paths, especially in and around hamlet centers and near community assets
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Traffic Safety: Consider strategies to reduce vehicle speeds, especially on local roads and in hamlet center areas, to improve pedestrian safety and create a more walkable environment.
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Public Transit: Collaborate with transit agencies to enhance existing services.
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Aesthetics: Explore streetscaping projects (trees, greenery, lighting), public art installations, and the revitalization of building facades and public spaces.
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Economic Development: Partner with community stakeholders to promote mixed-use developments that integrate residential, commercial, and community spaces.
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Zoning: Recommend zoning and land use policies that encourage local business growth, walkability, and smart growth initiatives.
Economic Development
Support compatible commercial and industrial development
The Town of Islip’s diverse business districts and shopping centers, like Bay Shore and Sayville commercial cores, are pivotal to its economic vitality. These commercial areas only provide essential employment opportunities, contribute to the tax base, and also offer convenient access to a wide range of goods and services for residents and surrounding communities. The Town’s industrial parks offer extensive land for various industrial clusters, including advanced manufacturing and pharmaceuticals.
Islip is experiencing notable growth in its commercial and industrial sectors, largely due to significant projects and investments. The Long Island MacArthur Airport and its surrounding industrial parks are central to this expansion, supporting industries such as logistics, aviation, and manufacturing. The Midway Crossing project, a major transit-oriented initiative near Ronkonkoma Station, exemplifies this trend. This $2.8 billion development, which is in a planning phase, contemplates a Life Sciences/Commercial District, retail spaces, and potential airport expansions, promising to enhance regional connectivity with a "train to plane" link and generate substantial economic benefits estimated at $3.3 billion annually.
Revitalization efforts are also transforming key commercial corridors such as Montauk Highway and Sunrise Highway. These improvements focus on better traffic management, enhanced pedestrian accessibility, and promoting developments that harmonize with the community's character. Traditional retail is evolving towards service-oriented businesses and experiential spaces, driven by shifts in consumer behavior and the rise of e-commerce. Consequently, there is an increased demand for warehousing and distribution facilities, particularly near the MacArthur Airport area, reflecting Islip's commitment to economic diversification. Other key trends include increased demand for technology, manufacturing robotics, biotechnology, and logistics. Veteran’s Memorial Highway has also seen recent successful redevelopment projects that allowed new companies and industries to strategically locate near the airport. The Town plays an important role in ensuring that future commercial and industrial development is compatible with surrounding neighborhoods and does not unduly impact them, maintaining the balance between growth and community integrity.
TOI-360 will consider strategies such as:
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Community Input: Engaging residents in the planning process to ensure that new developments are supported by the community and compatible with surrounding neighborhoods, helping to meet local needs.
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Traffic Congestion: Exploring infrastructure enhancements to address potential traffic increases from new commercial and industrial developments, particularly near residential areas.
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Public Transportation: Considering ways to improve access to industrial areas via public transportation to reduce traffic and provide workers with more commuting options.
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Green Building Standards: Encouraging or recommending that new industrial and commercial developments follow green building standards to reduce environmental impact.
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Targeted Industry Growth: Considering key sectors like technology, green energy, healthcare, and tourism to attract businesses and create jobs that align with the skills of the local workforce.
Transportation and Mobility
Provide safe and integrated transportation options
Existing transportation patterns are characterized by a heavy reliance on automobiles, reflecting Islip’s suburban nature. This dependence is linked to existing land use patterns and expected population and employment growth. The New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) anticipates an 11.7% increase in Long Island's population and a 10.8% rise in employment by 2050, which suggests that Islip will experience similar trends. To address this, the Town must enhance mobility options and shift towards a more sustainable transportation system. Opportunities exist with the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and growing interest in non-motorized transport, which could drive interest and investment into multimodal transportation improvements.
Despite the availability of alternative commuting options, the use of public transit in Islip is minimal. Over 76% of commuters drive alone, leading to significant peak hour traffic. Only 9% carpool, 4.4% use public transit, and a small fraction walk or bike to work. The Town has a significant number of inbound and outbound commuters, while about 33.4% of residents both live and work within Islip.
Transportation issues are typically regional in nature, and while the Town of Islip can only do so much on its own, it is understood that congestion is a persistent problem both within the Town and across Long Island as a whole. Much of this congestion occurs on highways and major roads owned by the State or County. However, the Town should continue advocating at the state and county levels to ensure that maintenance and upgrades are steadily rolled out, and that congestion relief measures are evaluated and implemented over time.
Road improvements in the region are progressing steadily, with several New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) capital projects either underway or in the planning phase. Future projects, such as the Oakdale Merge and the Midway Crossing connectivity project, are expected to enhance transportation infrastructure. Additionally, Suffolk County Transit (SCT) is working on improving bus services and implementing Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems. Expanding pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure also remains a priority. This includes enhancing bike lanes and sidewalks, especially in areas with limited existing infrastructure, to support more active transportation options.
TOI-360 will consider strategies such as:
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Safety Programs: Continue to support local programs and policies aimed at increasing safety for all users.
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Advocacy for Road Improvements: Advocate at the state and county levels for enhancements and congestion alleviation measures on Islip’s highways and high-volume roads.
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Advocacy for Public Transit Improvements: Advocate for improvements to train and bus service and improved coordination between those services.
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Regional Alignment: Review regional priorities and align them with those applicable to Islip, focusing on expanding multi-modal options for commuters.
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Pedestrian and Bike Networks: Explore gaps in pedestrian and bike networks and collaborate with the county and neighboring municipalities to address these gaps.
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Promotion of Walking and Biking: Encourage walking and biking as alternatives to driving through educational initiatives, improved wayfinding, and maintenance of existing facilities.
Public Services
Provide efficient and high-quality public services
The Town of Islip is dedicated to enhancing its public services to meet the changing needs of its residents. Key areas of focus include education, public safety, health, and environmental justice. While some services are provided directly by the Town, others are managed by external entities such as the Suffolk County Police Department and independent public school districts. The Town is monitoring trends related to public services, such as declining school enrollment and growing investment into the private healthcare system (for example, the Good Samaritan University Hospital is undergoing a $500 million expansion.)
Islip is also investing in technology and has future plans to improve public services and facilities. Technology upgrades include a redesigned website, public Wi-Fi, and the upcoming Islip Town Square, which will serve as a hub for online services. The Town’s planning portal will streamline permit processes, supporting efficient service delivery. The Town Hall building will be expanded to better serve its residents. The expansion of senior services, recreational programs, and new community events contributes to an enhanced quality of life. Additionally, initiatives like the opioid task force and anti-bias task force further support community well-being and cohesion.
TOI-360 will consider strategies such as:
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Data-Driven Decision Making: Use data and analytics to evaluate community needs, identify service gaps, and allocate resources more effectively.
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Integrated Service Delivery: Promote coordination among public service departments and agencies to ensure comprehensive and seamless service delivery.
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Community Engagement: Engage residents in planning and evaluating public services through regular feedback mechanisms, public forums, and surveys.
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Equity and Inclusion: Aim to make public services accessible and equitable, particularly for underserved or vulnerable populations.
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Sustainability and Resilience: Incorporate sustainability and resilience strategies into the plan to foster environmentally friendly and adaptable public services.
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Partnership Development: Develop strategies for forming partnerships with local organizations, businesses, and other stakeholders to enhance service delivery and expand resource availability.
Hamlets
Address hamlet-specific needs and opportunities
The Town of Islip recognizes that many community needs are best addressed at the local level, given the Town's size and diversity. Each hamlet has unique characteristics and challenges that require specific attention. TOI-360 will focus on the distinct needs of each hamlet, using public outreach to gather input from residents. This feedback will be refined throughout the process to ensure the final plan reflects the priorities of each community.
This section of the report is currently a work in progress and will include tailored information for each hamlet area. For each hamlet, the report will provide a history and context, a snapshot of the population profile with key demographic data, and a basemap showing land use and significant neighborhood points of interest. Additionally, it will identify the specific issues and opportunities within each hamlet, ensuring that local challenges are met with targeted solutions. This approach aims to create a more responsive and inclusive comprehensive plan that reflects the unique character and needs of Islip’s diverse communities.
TOI-360 will consider strategies such as:
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Land Use and Zoning: Provide recommendations for residential, commercial, and mixed-use development, focusing on preserving open spaces and managing growth to prevent sprawl.
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Housing: Overview community needs to address housing demand and improve housing conditions.
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Transportation and Mobility: Identify opportunities to enhance connectivity, reduce congestion, and support safe and efficient travel within and between neighborhoods.
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Public Services and Facilities: Discuss community needs related to local public services, including schools, parks, libraries, and emergency services.
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Economic Development: Propose strategies to support business development, attract investment, and enhance the local economy based on current economic conditions and opportunities.
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Environmental Sustainability: Address environmental concerns such as managing stormwater, protecting natural resources, and reducing the community’s carbon footprint.
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Community Engagement and Identity: Identify opportunities to enhance social connectivity through local events and improved public spaces.
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Safety and Resilience: Identify and address potential hazards and vulnerabilities, such as flood risks or infrastructure weaknesses specific to each area.