By John Harras
The end of Long Island’s post-war land rush is in sight. Long Island regional planners estimate that “total build-out” is only 16 years away. To make matters worse, desirable tracts available for residential development are increasingly being targeted by heavily funded public “open space” acquisition programs.
As a consequence, developers are re-visiting parcels that, in the past, were deemed too difficult or expensive to develop because of steep slopes, wetlands, an odd configuration, troublesome easements or other problematic features. Informed developers who understand the cluster development provisions of Section 278 of the Town Law will have a significant advantage in locating overlooked properties that can be developed at higher densities and, in some cases, less expensively than previously thought.
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