Special Presentation: Ronkonkoma Transit-Oriented Development Project Update presented by the Ronkonkoma Hub Master Developer, Tritec Real Estate Company.
The meeting begins at 7:30 PM at the Ronkonkoma Fire District Building, at the corner of Portion Road and Hawkins Avenue.

Click here to see a map and get directions.

For Brookhaven Town issues, such as potholes, street light repairs, garbage collection, barking dogs, recycling, graffiti, town events, code violations and more, call 451-TOWN between 9 AM and 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday except holidays. You can also get information on government and related business services, with no call referrals and limited transfers, and without having to figure out the organization of the Town’s Departments.

Town of Brookhaven Parking Stickers are needed to enter Town Beaches, Parks, and Marinas:
$10.00 for a 1-year sticker. $7.00 for Seniors, Veterans, and Handicap.

- Stickers are available at the Parks Building in Centereach, Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Stickers will be available at the following locations beginning May 11, 2013: Port Jefferson Marina, Sandspit Marina, Mt. Sinai Marina.
- Stickers will be available at the following locations beginning May 25, 2013 (Weekends only until June 29): West Meadow Beach, Corey Beach.
- Stickers will be available at the following locations beginning May 25, 2013: Holtsville Pool Complex.

Note:
License/Registration must have the same name & address.
No P.O. Box – must have two forms of ID of a physical address.
No temporary car registrations.
Seniors, Veterans, and Handicap must show proof. Handicap must be the BLUE permanent placard, not the RED temporary placard.

ALL STICKERS WILL BE PLACED DIRECTLY ON THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE TRANSACTION & WILL NOT BE GIVEN OUT IN INCLEMENT WEATHER.

A summary of some of the activities that the Civic has been involved with recently:
- Members of the civic attended Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine’s recent Civic Roundtable. Representatives from dozens of civic organizations in Brookhaven Town participated in the event, discussing issues affecting their areas. Attendees had an opportunity to speak to both town-wide and neighborhood-specific concerns with the Supervisor and to advocate for ways to improve the quality of life in their respective communities.

- The civic continues to advocate for development in the area that complies with the Land Use Plan. Executive Board members recently met with owners of a local fast food restaurant to discuss proposed improvements to their building and how to comply with the Architectural Guidelines in the Land Use Plan.

- Members of the civic attended the monthly meeting of the Lake Ronkonkoma Advisory Board. The Lake Ronkonkoma Advisory Board, consisting of representatives from the three municipalities that border Lake Ronkonkoma (Suffolk County, the Towns of Brookhaven, Islip, and Smithtown), New York State, the Ronkonkoma Chamber of Commerce, and the Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Organization addresses issues regarding lake water quality and environmental issues in the Lake Ronkonkoma Watershed.

The Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Organization is pleased to announce the winner of our 2013 annual scholarship award. From Sachem High School North the winner is Nicole Phillips.
We believe it is important for our youth to be involved in supporting and working with and for their community, and, as Nicole states in her essay, “any act of community service, no matter how big or small, will make an impact on the community.”
There are many ways we can all give back and offer support on many levels. We would like to thank all who submitted entries this year and are looking forward to reading the entries for next year. Check with Guidance and the library Teen Center for details this coming Fall.

New York State has recently launched the http://nysandyhelp.ny.gov website to allow business owners such as yourself to apply for financial assistance. Grants of up to $50,000 to cover as much as 100% of eligible uncompensated losses may be offered. The State may offer additional grant assistance up to an aggregate grant amount of $100,000 for businesses that suffered damage under specified circumstances that can demonstrate that they are at risk of closure. To learn more about this program please go to http://nysandyhelp.ny.gov/sites/default/files/documents/smallbusiness-factsheet_rev_4-25-13.pdf

While applications may be completed online New York State has established intake centers found at http://nysandyhelp.ny.gov/content/resources. New York State also has trained professionals at our local Small Business Development Centers (“SBDC”) located in Farmingdale and Stony Brook ready to answer your questions and assist you in completing this application. The locations are as follows:

Farmingdale SBDC, 2350 Broadhollow Road, Farmingdale, NY 11735, Phone: (631)420-2765, Hours from 8:30am – 4:00pm

Stony Brook University SBDC, Research and Development Park, Development Drive, Building #17, Room 146, Stony Brook, NY 11794, Phone: (631) 632-9837, Hours from 8:30am – 4:00pm

It is highly recommended that you call the SBDC offices to arrange appointments and learn what documents you should bring. As fellow Long Islanders we strongly encourage you to apply for these additional funds.

It's important that businesses register, even if they have questions about eligibility. We can only provide assistance after an application has been filed and processed.

Our fiscal year ends at the end of May and that means it’s time once again to renew your membership. Renewing your membership early helps to save the Civic the cost of repeatedly mailing reminders.
Your membership status is on page 3 of your May newsletter.

You can pay for your renewal online, safely and securely, by using your credit card or PayPal account. Just visit the Civic membership page:
http://www.lakeronkonkomacivic.org/membership/membership.html

You will be automatically transferred to a secure PayPal-hosted page where you can complete the payment for your membership using American Express, Discover, MasterCard, or Visa, or if you have a PayPal account, you can use that too. Your credit card information remains safe and secure with PayPal's encrypted website; the Civic does not store, nor have access to, your credit card data.

If you are interested in helping the Civic, especially with membership growth, please contact Gregg at (631) 471-7405.

Starting time will be 9:00 AM in Cunningham Park. Mark your calendar, SAVE THE DATE!
For more information contact the Lake Ronkonkoma Heritage Association at thelakeheritage@aol.com

The Civic is looking for volunteers to march in this year’s Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 27. Show your support and help us remember our brave veterans by marching along with other Civic members.
No sign up is necessary; just meet us in front of the American Legion Hall, 115 Church Street, at 9:00 AM

For more information on the parade, contact the Memorial Day Parade Chairman at post155@verizon.net.

The Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Organization is compiling a list of street name signs and traffic control signs that are missing, or vandalized or in generally bad condition. We're asking our members to keep an eye out for signs that are candidates for replacement and to send us their list. We will verify all submissions and compile them and send to the appropriate town departments for review and possible replacement. Members can share this information with the civic in one of two ways:
➢ Mail the list to the civic at P.O. Box 2916, Lake Ronkonkoma, 11779
➢ E-mail the list to information@lakeronkonkomacivic.org

35th Anniversary Gala
A Mirror to the Past
Lake Ronkonkoma in Historic Photographs
Sachem Public Library
April 1st through May 3rd

Reception and Slideshow Presentation
April 6th, 2:00 PM

Tuesday February 26th, 2013
Tuesday April 16th, 2013
Tuesday June 11th, 2013
Tuesday August 13th, 2013
Tuesday October 15th, 2013
Tuesday December 10th, 2013

Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Rose Y. Caracappa Legislative Auditorium at the William H. Rogers Legislature Building (Bldg. No. 20), 725 Veterans Memorial Highway, Hauppauge.

On Friday January 11, members of the civic's Executive Board met with representatives from the Long Island Rail Road regarding the "Double Track Project" from Ronkonkoma to Farmingdale. The project will establish two continuous railroad tracks from Farmingdale to Ronkonkoma. The LIRR states that this project, along with other projects in various stages of planning (mainly associated with Long Island MacArthur Airport), will improve service, spur economic growth and provide many construction-related jobs. Read more...

Below is the Civic's meeting schedule for 2013. All meetings are at 7:30 PM, at the American Legion Hall, 115 Church Street, Lake Ronkonkoma.

If you use Google Calendar, you can subscribe to the Google's LRCO Meeting Calendar by clicking on this link:

Thursday, February 14th, 2013: General Membership Meeting
Thursday, March 7th, 2013: General Membership Meeting
Thursday, April 11th, 2013: General Membership Meeting
Thursday, May 9th, 2013: Annual Civic Meeting
Thursday, June 13th, 2013: General Membership Meeting
Thursday, September 12th, 2013: General Membership Meeting
Thursday, October 10th, 2013: "Meet the Candidates"
Thursday, November 14th, 2013: General Membership Meeting
Thursday, February 13th, 2014: General Membership Meeting

Waiting until the day you may have to evacuate your home, due to a power outage or a natural disaster, is the worst time to discover that you are unprepared. We encourage our members to take an hour one evening to review the list below and plan ahead. It is up to us to be prepared!

Read more...

Stock your home with emergency supplies that you and your family may need during the emergency period.Read more...

The Annual Fall Festival, held September 29th at the Michael P. Murphy Beach, was a huge success. The weather cooperated and a fun time was had by all.

To open the festival, after the Pledge of Allegiance, Stephanie Ross beautifully sang our national anthem. For the children there were the pony rides and petting zoo as well as the bouncy activities. There were many vendors who offered a large variety of goods to keep shoppers happy. Lots of holiday shopping was accomplished!

Special thanks go to Ann Zapata for help with “paint a pumpkin,” Andy Glut for his help with set up and so much more, as well as to our board members who volunteered their time and energy. A big thanks goes to Chester’s for once gain providing us with worms for our DEC Fishing Clinic. The Events Committee also thanks Legislator Tom Muratore for the Corrections Dept. display. We also thank the Ronkonkoma Fire Department for providing a fire truck and a stand-by ambulance, and the DEC for their fishing clinic instructions. Our lake is our biggest asset and it is a wonderful way to enjoy a fall day---the beauty of our lake, fun, food and shopping---and being with others who are also having a great time.

We are looking forward to your attendance at the Ninth Fall Festival, September 28, 2013.

Also mark your calendars for December 8, 2012 for Breakfast With Santa at the Fire District Building at 10 a.m. Reservation forms can be found in future newsletters and on our website.

Thanks to a grant arranged by Suffolk County Legislator Tom Muratore, the Civic was able to buy two new welcome signs and install them at the south and north ends of Lake Ronkonkoma.

Read more...

(The following is from a press release issued by the Town of Brookhaven Division of Public Information * Office of the Supervisor)

On August 28, 2012, the Brookhaven Town Board approved the Master Developer Designation Agreement (MDDA) with TRITEC Real Estate Company, LLC (also Trec Ronk Hub, LLC) for the 50-acre Ronkonkoma Hub redevelopment. This is the first time in the Town’s history that it has entered into a formal partnership with a master developer to create a vibrant new community in the Town. Read more...

(The following are excerpts from a press release issued by the Suffolk County Legislature Office of the Presiding Officer)

Doing its part to pave the way for the most important pending economic development project in Suffolk County, the Suffolk County Legislature has included funding in its 2013 capital budget to create sewers to serve the Ronkonkoma Hub project.
The proposed $350 million redevelopment project will transform the Ronkonkoma Long Island Rail Road station into a 50-acre, mixed-use, transportation-oriented, pedestrian-friendly centerpiece of the community.Read more...

On Tuesday, May 8th, there was a Town Board Hearing at Brookhaven Town Hall to re-zone 15 parcels within the area of the 2010 Portion Road Corridor Land Use Plan. The Civic supported this series of re-zonings because it changed the zoning of specific parcels where the current use of the property matched the Land Use Plan, but not the current zoning. This was be the third hearing held for re-zoning; the Town was successful in re-zoning 78 parcels presented at a hearing in June 2010, and 31 parcels in March 2012.

The Easter Bunny made a special trip back to Lake Ronkonkoma to remind us we forgot to thank one of his biggest helpers during our Bagels With Bunny! Suffolk County Legislator Tom Muratore and his aides put together special Easter eggs filled with candy for the Easter Bunny to hand out to all the children. It made the Bunny's visit so much easier knowing we have elected officials who care about our events and give a hand to help. So, from the Civic and the Easter Bunny, we extended a heartfelt thank you.
See everyone at “Breakfast With Santa” on December 8th. Check the webpage and newsletter for details and reservations forms this Fall.

On Thursday, March 1st, there was a Special Town Board Hearing at Brookhaven Town Hall to re-zone 31 parcels within the area of the Portion Road Corridor Land Use Plan. The Town adopted the Land Use Plan in 2010. The Civic supported this series of re-zonings because it changed the zoning of specific parcels where the current use of the property matched the Land Use Plan, but not the current zoning. The hearing also resolved “split-zoned” properties, where one parcel straddles the line between two zoning areas. The re-zoning removed the burden of a Change of Zone application from the property owner who may want to develop a parcel in compliance with the Land Use Plan, and protected residential parcels from inappropriate development. This was be the second special hearing held for re-zoning; the Town was successful in re-zoning 78 out of the 86 parcels presented at a prior hearing in June 2010.

Throughout 2011 the Civic continued to work closely with the Town of Brookhaven Planning Department to craft the future for the area around the Ronkonkoma railroad station.
The Civic president participated on the Town’s selection committee, which ultimately chose the TRITEC Company, a developer based on Long Island, as the master developer for the Ronkonkoma Hub.
Moving forward, the Civic will continue to work with the Town, and the master developer, in creating a vibrant and exciting transportation oriented development that will appeal to the next generation of workers and residents.

Planning is a rational way of preparing for the future. A process that includes gathering and analyzing data, forecasting future trends and needs, and considering alternatives, all with community input. Such was the case for the Portion Road Corridor Land Use Plan.
What began as a vision-driven process became a comprehensive community plan with specific goals, an understanding of trends and opportunities, and strategies for implementation. Back in early 2010 the Civic was proud to support the Town of Brookhaven’s adoption of Portion Road Corridor Land Use Plan, a plan the Civic helped to create.
Some of the goals of the Plan include:
• The revitalization of the long-established downtown center at Hawkins Avenue, and the development of a new downtown area at Morris Avenue, near Nicolls Road.
• The creation of Transition Areas along the roadways that bring vehicles and pedestrians into the downtown centers.
• The integration of existing Regional Centers by providing more pedestrian-friendly connections to local residential areas.
• The further development of Transportation networks that reduce congestion, enhance safety, and encourage a diversity of transportation options.
• An economic development plan that will increase appropriate retail activity, encourage the expansion of local businesses, increase the quantity of local jobs, and provide an adequate tax base.
• The interconnectivity of commercial and residential areas with local resources, such as the Lake. A related goal is the preservation and promotion of the history and historic structures in Lake Ronkonkoma.
• The establishment of architectural design guidelines to improve appearance of buildings undergoing construction or renovation, because a picturesque downtown draws more shoppers.
The adoption of the Land Use Plan was a significant accomplishment for the Civic, but it was only the first step. In June 2010, there was a Special Town Board Hearing at Brookhaven Town Hall to re-zone certain parcels within the area of the Land Use Plan, along Hawkins and Ronkonkoma Avenues. The Civic supported this series of re-zonings because it changed the zoning of specific parcels where the current use of the property matched the Land Use Plan, but not the current zoning. This action removed the burden of a Change of Zone application from property owners who want to develop a parcel in compliance with the Land Use Plan, and it also protects residential parcels from inappropriate development. The Town was successful in re-zoning close to all the parcels presented at the hearing. Another special hearing for a similar purpose for parcels along Portion Road will be scheduled for 2012.
The Civic also continues to work on enforcing the architectural design guidelines contained in the Land Use Plan. The Civic’s Land Use Plan Implementation Committee comments on drawings submitted to the Town of Brookhaven and appears in front of the Town’s Planning Board to ensure that proposed façade changes comply with the design guidelines.

When was the last time you were able to meet face to face with one of your elected representatives to voice your concern about a particular issue? Well, if you’re a Civic member who attends our meetings then that opportunity occurs almost every month. Our monthly meetings are frequently attended by elected representatives from New York State, Suffolk County, and the Town of Brookhaven. These representatives provide our members with the latest information on local and regional issues, such as the Ronkonkoma Hub, the Bavarian Inn property, LIPA, taxes, and budgets. Members also get the opportunity to ask about issues that are important to them.
Also, don’t be surprised if an officer from the 4th or 6th Precinct is in attendance to report on the what’s happening in the area.

The Civic website started accepting credit cards, so now you can pay your membership dues online, quickly, safely and securely. New or renewing members can visit our "Join the Civic" web page, and then need only click on a button to be automatically transferred to a secure PayPal-hosted page where they can complete the payment for membership using American Express, Discover, MasterCard, or Visa, or a PayPal account. Credit card information remains safe and secure with PayPal's encrypted website, and the Civic does not store, nor have access to, any credit card data.

By making membership renewal easier, the Civic can reduce the need to mail out letters and make phone calls to remind members to renew and devote its limited resources to other activities such as…
Creating Eyes on the Street

In 2011, the Civic continued to promote the establishment of Neighborhood Watches. During the year, the Civic, along with other local community groups, had a chance to meet with Inspector James Rhoads, Commanding Officer of the 4th Precinct, and other precinct officers. One of the many topics we discussed was the effectiveness of Neighborhood Watches. Within the 4th Precinct, which encompasses the Town of Smithtown and portions of Islip and Brookhaven around the Lake, there are 21 active Neighborhood Watches, of which 7 are in Ronkonkoma. That’s a great start, but the Civic knows that we can still do more to fight local crime.
By working together with Suffolk County Police, neighbors learn how to safeguard each other’s homes by observing and reporting. By observing and reporting any suspicious circumstance, neighborhoods actually increase their own safety.
Police cannot fight crime they do not know about. When alert citizens keep them informed, the police are far more effective against crime, and citizens have better protection and safer neighborhoods.
In 2012 the Civic will continue to help organize Neighborhood Watches in our area. If you’re interested, contact the Civic President at president@lakeronkonkomacivic.org or the COPE office at the 4th Precinct at (631) 854-8478, or for neighborhoods east of Hawkins Avenue, the COPE office at the 6th Precinct at (631) 854-8670.

Overall the Civic continues to advocate for public involvement in the development of our community. We have voiced support for the zoning changes necessary to implement the Portion Road Land Use Plan and continue to monitor building proposals for their compliance with the Plan. The Civic supports the concept of a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Plan for the Ronkonkoma Hub and worked hard to assure there were community meetings to give residents a chance to voice their concerns over this Plan. The Civic also continues to oppose flag lot developments that significantly degrade the character of residential communities.

Every election year the Executive Board has invited local candidates to a Civic meeting to meet with our members, and this year was no different. This past October our members were able talk one on one about the issues that are important to them with the candidates for Suffolk County Executive, Suffolk County 4th and 12th Legislative Districts, Brookhaven Supervisor, and Brookhaven 5th Council District, along with local judicial candidates.

The Town of Brookhaven scheduled Town-wide cleanup events once again this past April as a part of their Keep Brookhaven Beautiful campaign; an affiliate program of Keep America Beautiful. The Civic continued to participate in the planning and coordination of this annual event by identifying some local sites in need of special attention and getting local residents to volunteer their time.
Because a clean community discourages littering and raises local living standards and quality of life, the Civic also hosts a monthly litter cleanup along Portion Road. On the first Saturday of the month, volunteers meet in the parking lot at the southwest corner of the intersection of Portion Road and Holbrook Road, where our litter coordinator, Ken Kellaher, distributes gloves, safety vests and trash bags. Then each team walks a small section of the road collecting litter in bags that will picked up later. If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to walk more this year, you can improve your health and your community by volunteering for our litter cleanup. For more information, you can contact Ken at 736-0626.

Every year we ask our members to keep an eye out for street name signs and traffic control signs that are missing or vandalized or in generally bad condition and report the locations to the Civic. The Civic then compiles a list and sends it to the appropriate departments at the Town of Brookhaven with a request to have the signs repaired or replaced, and in the majority of cases the Town has done so. Although this yearly task may seem minor, the Civic encourages members to participate every year because visible traffic control signs, such as stop signs, help reduce accidents, and legible street signs can assist emergency vehicles when responding to a crisis.

The Brookhaven Planning Board holds hearings regarding proposed development site plans, subdivisions, and variances for the clearance of property vegetation. The Civic monitors the Planning Board’s agenda and speaks out on behalf of the community when there are site plans that are unattractive or objectionable to adjacent homeowners, or against subdivisions that will overcrowd our area or are poorly designed. The Civic also opposes the relief of clearing covenants that significantly reduce the required percentage of native trees and natural vegetation on certain parcels. Excessively replacing native growth with landscaped areas can increase water pollution from fertilizer and insecticides, and reduce the habitat available to local wildlife.
The Civic also enforces the architectural design guidelines contained in the Portion Road Land Use Plan by commenting on façade designs submitted to the Town’s Planning Board.
We encourage our members to attend Planning Board hearings and let their voices be heard; the success of the Civic indicates that our participation does not go unheeded.

The Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Organization played a major role in the designation of the lake by Governor Patterson as a New York State Inland Waterway. To take advantage of that designation, during 2011 the Civic worked with Suffolk County Legislator John Kennedy to have Suffolk County and the Towns of Brookhaven, Islip, and Smithtown to create a Lake Ronkonkoma Watershed Intermunicipal Organization. That effort will continue into 2012, and when completed the LRWIO would facilitate the coordination between the municipalities in regard to activities within the watershed and create a watershed management plan.
To further the public-private partnership strategy for the area around the lake, the Civic also created a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, the Ronkonkoma Lake Foundation, which has the ability to apply for grant funds for educational and environmental programs related to the lake.

The Civic’s Annual Fall Festival is a big draw for people from all over the region, and it is THE place to be on the last Saturday of September. Besides lake activities, we have food, children’s games and rides, pony rides, a petting zoo, and many vendors and local organizations to interest everyone. Our local fire departments and police bring information and demonstrations, and tours are given from the at the Lake Ronkonkoma Historical Society’s Homestead. It is the perfect combination of laughter, shopping, and our beautiful lake!
At the beginning of every December we welcome Santa with our annual Breakfast With Santa, and in the Spring we have our annual Bagels With Bunny. At both the children have great fun (though we suspect the adults have just as much fun as the children) with crafts to make, coloring and puzzle sheets, food, goodie bags (and Santa hands out reindeer food), and, of course, a visit and photo-op with Santa and the Easter Bunny. Check our website for the dates for each event and reserve your seats early for a memorable time for your children or grandchildren.

The Civic is proud of our youth and we recognize their participation at school and in our community by offering a scholarship to a January or June graduate who lives within the area served by the Civic. Applicants are required to write an essay explaining how they have volunteered for community projects and it is certainly heartwarming to see how so many students make their time available for the benefit of others and the Lake Ronkonkoma area.

In 2011 the Civic continued coordinate improvements to the previously abused triangular shaped property at Church Street and Pond Road. Civic member Nick Crismali heads our Buy-a-Brick campaign to raise funds for the park; residents and businesses can buy a brick engraved with a custom message, to be placed in a plaza around the flagpole. The Civic has also planted trees and flowers on the property and has it mowed regularly. We would like to give a special thanks to Civic member Daren Caranella for mowing the grass. In the future we plan to add a flag light, more trees, flower gardens, benches, and picnic tables.

"Mirrors of the Past" Photographic Exhibit Opens at the Port Jefferson Village Center
Exhibit traces the history of Lake Ronkonkoma with 120 enlarged photos
Now through February 29, 2012

Reception - Sunday, January 15, 2012, 1 - 3 pm
Meet the Lake Ronkonkoma Historical SocietyRead more...

Here on are some recent news items regarding the proposed transit-oriented development of the 50 acres around the Ronkonkoma Train Station:Read more...

On July 28, 2011, members of the Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Organization attended a Public Information Meeting hosted by the Town of Brookhaven at the Middle Country Public Library in Centereach. Read more...

Thanks to a grant by Suffolk County Legislator, Tom Muratore, in 2010, the Civic was able to buy park benches for the bus stops along the new Portion Road where bus shelters were not feasible. The benches were fabricated on Long Island and were installed this past Spring by Civic volunteers.

Vision Long Island honored the Town of Brookhaven’s Portion Road Land Use Plan with a Smart Growth Award at a ceremony on Friday, June 17th, at the Crest Hollow Country Club. The Plan was recognized for “Certainty & Predictability” which are essential attributes for a successful land use plan. The Civic worked tirelessly alongside the Town’s Planning Department to craft a land use plan that implemented the community’s vision.
Watch the video about the award: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65Yb-R03UHw

The Smart Growth Award for the Portion Road Land Use Plan at the Vision Long Island luncheon: (L to R) Vision LI Executive Director Eric Alexander, Town of Brookhaven Planning Commissioner Tulio Bertoli, Town of Brookhaven Councilwoman Kathy Walsh, Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Organization President George Schramm, Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Organization Recording Secretary Pat Duffield, Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Organization Vice-president Dawn Hopkins, Town of Brookhaven Joseph Sanzano.

On March 7, 2011, the Town of Brookhaven issued a Request for Expression of Interest (RFEI) for developers to present the Town with a concept plan for the Ronkonkoma Hub transit-oriented development, which is one of the most significant opportunities in the region to create a beautiful new transit-oriented downtown.
Read more at the Brookhaven website: http://www.brookhaven.org/PressRoom/tabid/56/newsid970/985/Default.aspx

Brookhaven Town and the Ronkonkoma Cenacle have signed a conservation easement agreement that will protect approximately 12 acres of the over 40-acre estate once owned by the famous 19th century stage actress, Maude Adams.
According to the agreement, the purpose of the easement is to forever conserve the property to “assure the sustained, natural capacity and the ecological integrity of the Protected Property and its soils and vegetation and limit adverse aesthetic, wildlife and ecological impacts, particularly in public vistas.” Some of the land uses that are prohibited by the agreement include housing, camp grounds, golf courses, recreation fields, hotels, antennas, and equipment for telecommunication.
Maude Adams, who famously portrayed Peter Pan in 1905, donated her estate to the Cenacle Sisters in 1922. In 2007 the sisters decided to replace the 1927 Retreat House with a smaller, greener building scheduled to be complete in September 2011.

By George Schramm, Lake Ronkonkoma Civic Organization President

The year 2010 saw the loss of one of our community’s greatest assets: Bob Molinari, who passed away in November.Read more...

New York State Governor, David Paterson, signed legislation sponsored by Assemblywoman Ginny Fields and Senator Brian X. Foley officially designating Lake Ronkonkoma as an inland waterway. Recognition as a state inland waterway will enable Lake Ronkonkoma to receive new streams of funding and expedite economic development in the surrounding communities.

Every first Saturday of the month volunteers like you help keep Lake Ronkonkoma clean.
Saturday, April 3, 9:00 AM will be our next Portion Road & Hawkins Avenue Clean Up, weather permitting.
Read more...

A Neighborhood Watch program has proven to be a successful method of reducing the risk of crime. But don’t wait until your neighborhood has problems to participate; establishing a Neighborhood Watch now can prevent those problems from occurring.The Civic can assist your neighborhood in establishing a Neighborhood Watch.Read more...

Congratulations to Civic Vice-president, Dawn Hopkins, who was appointed as Brookhaven Town’s representative on the Suffolk County Parks Board of Trustees. Read more...

Becoming a member of the Civic is now just a click away, and renewing your membership couldn't get any easier.

The Civic now accepts credit cards, so now you can pay your membership dues online, safely and securely.Read more...

Lake Ronkonkoma residents, community groups, and Civic members participated in this year’s Great Brookhaven Plant-In by planting flowers and trees in the new Arrowhead Community Park.Read more...

Suffolk County Homemakers, Unit 38, will be meeting every Friday, from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM, at the Ronkonkoma Fire District Building, on the corner of Portion Road and Hawkins Avenue, in Lake Ronkonkoma.
Suffolk County Homemakers is an organization that hosts local community service projects, donates to scholarships, worthwhile charities and organizations, and provides a social atmosphere where members can share talents and skills.
New members, and those who are interested in finding out more, are welcome to attend.

Lake Ronkonkoma is stocked and ready. Are you ready for the challenge of largemouth and smallmouth bass, Walleye, Chain Pickerel, Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Black Crappie, Yellow Perch, White Perch, Carp, and Brown Bullhead?Read more...

The WS Commerdinger, Jr. County Park is open.Read more...

"Traffic does not yield to simple, appealing solutions. Adding lanes or roads is a short-lived fix. Widen one highway, and drivers from another will defect. Soon that road is worse than it was before." - Tom Vanderbilt, in his new book, "Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (And What It Says About Us)."Read more...

Navy Names New Ship and Town Dedicates “Serenity Plaza” for “Medal of Honor” Recipient Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy

On Wednesday afternoon, May 7th, on the shore of Lake Ronkonkoma, U.S. Navy Secretary Dr. Donald C. Winter, Brookhaven Supervisor Brian X. Foley, 5th District Councilman Timothy P. Mazzei, and 1st Congressional District Representative Tim Bishop today joined the Murphy family to honor Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy of Patchogue. Lt. Murphy, who was killed in action in Afghanistan June 28, 2005, received the nation’s highest military medal, The Congressional Medal of Honor, for his courage, sacrifice, and heroic efforts to save the Navy SEALs under his command.Read more...

You can support your Civic and buy get some great stuff at the same time.
We have hats, shirts, mugs, tote bags, and more with the Civic logo and other neat Lake Ronkonkoma artwork.Read more...