Suffolk can expand waterfront preservation before it's gone

In 1974, Suffolk County became the first municipality in the nation to preserve land from overdevelopment by purchasing development rights from farmers. The collaboration gives farm owners financial incentives to keep farming, and prevents farmland from being turned into McMansions.

Now, Suffolk is applying the same concept to its waterfront.

Approved unanimously by the county legislature and expected to be signed into law by County Executive Edward P. Romaine on Sept. 30, the "Working Waterfronts" protection bill will preserve Suffolk's maritime history from overdevelopment. It calls for $9.5 million to be spent between 2026 and 2028 to buy development rights from maritime businesses. The county will create a 17-member committee with 10 members chosen by each of the county's towns, in addition to maritime business owners.

The waterfront protection program works the same as the farmland preservation initiative, which has been incredibly successful in preserving about 20,000 acres of farmland through the county program and partnerships with local municipalities. A business owner, say of a marina, can apply to the waterfront protection committee to be considered for the program. Unlike a few state programs, though, Suffolk will buy the easements in perpetuity, so taxpayers benefit from knowing their money is used to preserve the waterfront forever.

The danger of having entire coastlines consumed by private developers is real. Of Maine's 5,000 miles of coastline, just 20 miles remain working waterfront, according to Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine, the sponsor of the bipartisan Keep America's Waterfronts Working Act in Congress.

There are about 3,000 marine-related businesses in Suffolk and more than 2,400 acres of commercial waterfront property. Those industries include recreational and commercial fisheries, and boat building and repair, among others.

In a 1973 report to the legislature advocating for the farmland development rights law, then-County Executive John V.N. Klein wrote, "It does not require any extraordinary sense of foresight or vision to recognize that the Agricultural Industry in Suffolk County is a vital, economic environmental and social resource."

An "extraordinary sense of foresight or vision" isn’t needed by county leaders today, but the political will to spend taxpayers' money to save the waterfront is. After this bill is signed into law, county leaders can't relax.

Suffolk has spent at least $270 million to preserve nearly 11,000 acres of farmland since 1974. Land on Long Island is expensive, and waterfront even costlier. With only 2,400 acres of waterfront commercial property eligible for preservation, the county must act quickly, and it will cost a boatload. County officials will need to fast-track approvals, identify successes and failures in the program to make improvements, and allocate more money before there's no more waterfront to preserve.

Suffolk's rich maritime history can be explored in museums and local libraries. Thanks to county officials, our waterfront traditions won't become history.