Fourth anniversary issue www.buildinglongisland.com September 2010 $6.95 The people, projects and policies shaping Long Island real estate Nelson, Pope & Voorhis Environmental protection meets responsible land use Charles Voorhis nelson and pope--september 2010.indd 1 10/19/10 7:27:07 PM
Planning a Better Long Island Top planner Charles Voorhis of Nelson, Pope & Voorhis grows his business by combining land planning Steve McGinn, Kathy Eiseman, Carrie O Farrell, and Charles Voorhis. with a passion for the environment. By Alan J. Wax nelson and pope--september 2010.indd 2-3 10/19/10 7:27:11 PM
Anyone who s ever attended a town board or planning board meeting anywhere on Long Island will recognize Charles Voorhis in an instant. With his silver hair and wire-framed glasses, arms full of maps and aerial photographs and a projector for PowerPoint presentations, he ll often be found standing before officials who are conducting a public hearing on a zoning change for one of the many developers he has assisted on real estate projects. Alternately, he might be describing a scientific study that he and his colleagues prepared for a county agency or municipality or making a presentation to a civic group. Voorhis, managing partner of Melville-based Nelson, Pope & Voorhis (NP&V) and known as Chic (a nickname conferred on him by his mother), has developed a reputation over three decades as one of the region s top private land-use planners and environmental experts, bringing a wealth of experience to complex environmental problem solving, planning and feasibility, resource assessment, and site investigations. Voorhis walks a fine line in his work. He is an advocate for developers and their private property rights. Developers, who often seek to build projects as densely as they are allowed, employ Voorhis to plan and explain their projects to the communities in which they re building, as well as to local planners and elected officials. But, he also has a personal and professional passion for preserving the environment and open space. It s a balancing act, Voorhis explains, noting that his work and his passion are not mutually exclusive. He states unequivocally: I am a trained environmental scientist. His training began decades ago. A native of Ridgewood, N.J. and a long-time resident of the Port Jefferson area, Voorhis received an undergraduate degree in environmental geology in 1977 from the former Southampton College and a master s degree in environmental engineering from SUNY-Stony Brook in 1984. The son of an optometrist father and physical therapist mother, Voorhis first job out of college was in marine monitoring in Great South Bay, when the bay connection of the ocean outfall pipe was being constructed for the Southwest Sewer District Bergen Point treatment plant. After Suffolk merged its health and environmental agencies in 1980, Voorhis found himself inspecting industrial plants for wastewater discharges, tank compliance, and air emissions. In 1982, he moved to the Town of Brookhaven, where he became an environmental analyst in the environmental division, evaluating environmental issues related to site plans and State Environmental Quality Review Act reviews. I found that this was really a good position for my interests and skills, he says, explaining that the work helped develop his interest in land use and its impact on the environment. Sound planning requires a full understanding of a site s environmental resources. Just a few years later he was appointed director of environmental protection for the Town of Brookhaven. Voorhis said within a few years he found himself doing more administrative chores than hands-on work and decided a direction change for his career was in order. He Mixed-use development plan currently under study; illustration of Smart Growth concept incorporating sense-of-place and pedestrian-friendly features. Courtesy of Rose-Breslin, by Dan Simone Design Group Part of the Syosset Downtown Redevelopment and Revitaliztion Plan prepared by Nelson, Pope & Voorhis. formed his own environmental planning firm and began to work in other jurisdictions on Long Island, in New York City, and in Westchester. He also went on to improve his credentials, receiving certification as a planner from the American Institute of Certified Planners and as an environmental professional by the Academy of Board Certified Environmental Professionals. In 1997, Voorhis joined his still young firm with the half-century-old engineering firm Nelson & Pope. Over the next 13 years, Nelson, Pope & Voorhis, as the environmental planning firm became known, has continued to grow at a very steady rate. The company established three divisions in 2005 headed by partners Kathy Eiseman, Carrie O Farrell, and Steve McGinn. Each specializes in various aspects of environmental planning and analysis, which has expanded the firm s capabilities: Kathy Eiseman heads the Environment and Community Planning Division and has worked with Voorhis since 1993. As a trained community facilitator, Eiseman has organized numerous community planning sessions and public workshops to gather public input for planning projects throughout Long Island. She uses tools including 3-D modeling, GIS mapping, and interactive and web-based community surveys for collection and analysis of community input. Eiseman is a certified planner and is currently the treasurer for the Long Island Section of the American We have a lot of respect for each other and our staff. There are no egos here. Kathy Eiseman, environment and community planning division head, Nelson, Pope & Voorhis Planning Association, a group that works to educate members of the planning community on Long Island by organizing workshops, conferences, and special events. Some of NP&V s most recent planning studies include the Syosset Downtown Redevelopment and Implementation Plan, Eastern Waterfront Revitalization Program and Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (currently in preparation) for the Town of Oyster Bay, the Montauk Highway Corridor Study & Land Use Plan for Mastic & Shirley Phase II, and an athletic field needs assessment for the Town of Brookhaven, the Suffolk County North Shore Embayments Watershed Management Plan, and developing a Blueway Trail for the Town of North Hempstead under a Department of State funded Environmental Protection Fund grant. Carrie O Farrell runs the Environmental Resource and Wetlands Assessment Division. As a certified planner, O Farrell started her career as a government consultant in Washington, D.C. working on large-scale federal environmental programs and joined NP&V in 2002. She 4 5 nelson and pope--september 2010.indd 4-5 10/19/10 7:27:15 PM
Steve McGinn (l.) and a Nelson, Pope & Voorhis staffer maintain quality control over soil borings with one of the company s rigs. became an NP&V partner three years later and now oversees, among other things, the preparation of environmental impact statements, environmental assessments, planning and zoning law review and preparation, storm water permitting and erosion control compliance, and wetland delineation, assessment, mitigation, and permitting. O Farrell is known in the Long Island land-use community for her understanding of the state stormwater regulations and has assisted numerous municipalities and private developers with the preparation of stormwater management programs, stormwater pollution prevention plans, and creative solutions for stormwater management and erosion control. Her division has recently completed a number of New York State Department of State funded watershed management plans, as well as large-scale environmental impact statements for development projects. As a result of [Voorhis ] excellent work, our client became aware of the issue but also developed an excellent negotiating position on the business terms. James Rigano, Rigano LLC Steve McGinn, who started with Nelson & Pope in 1989 and joined NP&V upon its creation in 1997, oversees the Phase I/II Assessments and Remediation Division. McGinn, who is a certified environmental inspector, certified asbestos and lead based paint inspector, and 40-hour HAZWOPER, or Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response standard, trained, can often be found on one of NP&V s two drill rigs installing soil borings or groundwater monitoring wells. This division of NP&V performs large and small site assessments, often in the face of due-diligence deadlines, as well as site remediation, geophysical surveys, groundwater investigations, and asbestos and lead testing and abatement and related services. Thanks to McGinn, NP&V now has an extensive equipment list, including two drill rigs, ground penetrating radar, pipe cameras, photo ionization detectors, two fully stocked field trucks, and a wide variety of sampling tools to assist in site investigations and collection of samples. NP&V s Phase I/II Environmental Site Assessment services are known and accepted by lending institutions throughout the tri-state area. NP&V s expanded staff of environmental professionals reflects the increasing complexity of the assignments that the firm has tackled in recent years. There seems to be a greater focus on better planning, Voorhis noted. There is more of a focus [by officials] on quality site design. This often includes detailed planning with respect to stormwater management, pedestrian/ bicycle access, architectural contiguity and character, low impact or sustainable design and energy efficiency, native landscape species selection, lighting, and more. Our goal is to build Long Island better, added Voorhis. I don t know of any other planners in so many multifaceted roles, says Jefferson Murphree, the Town of Southampton s land management administrator. The team is key to NP&V s operations. We re a teamoriented company said Voorhis. In addition to Voorhis and his three partners, the firm has eight other professionals and can call on the expertise of Nelson & Pope s civil and traffic engineers, and land surveyors and architects from Hawkins Webb Jaeger for additional support when needed. We have a lot of respect for each other and our staff, says Eiseman. There are no egos here. Voorhis has also garnered the respect of real estate developers, lawyers, and municipal officials who praise his work ethic, his thoroughness, and his ability to solve problems. Among his fans is environmental lawyer James Rigano of Melville-based Rigano LLC, who s worked with Voorhis over the years on a variety of projects. Recently, Rigano said, Voorhis, providing due diligence on a real estate transaction, identified an undisclosed subsurface contamination problem on a property. Rigano said things like this are often ignored in environmental investigations. Other parties in this deal were attempting to conceal the information, the lawyer said. As a result of Chic s excellent work, our client became aware of the issue but also developed an excellent negotiating position on the business terms. Kathleen Deegan Dickson, a landuse attorney with Uniondale-based law firm Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo, Cohn, & Terrana, also speaks highly of Voorhis. He s one of the most-talented and creative planners I ve worked with in a number of years, said Dickson. He s very knowledgeable, extremely smart, and well-educated in the ways of Long Island development. She also credits Voorhis for being a creative problem solver. Sometimes things seem insurmountable and he pulls something out of a hat and it works, she adds. Southampton s Murphree, who has known Voorhis for 12 years, working with him in numerous capacities, says Voorhis has common sense and can remain objective about the land-use applications he works on. He understands both sides of an issue. He understands what the municipalities want and he also can serve his clients, says Murphree, adding that because Voorhis is so well versed in various aspects of planning he can quickly get Chic Voorhis rocks There s more to Charles Chic Voorhis than planning. He s an avid sailor, musician and father of two boys, who are now both in the work world. Voorhis says the job he had back in the late 70s with the Southwest Sewer District required boating day and night and ultimately led to his obtaining a captain s license from the U.S. Coast Guard. Today, Voorhis has a 34- foot Tartan sailboat that he moors in Port Jefferson Harbor. He and his wife, Michelle, frequently take sailing vacations through the waters of New England. He also plays the guitar, one of which is an old Gibson, and the mandolin. In his youth, Voorhis was the lead singer of Greasy Joe and the Surfboards, a popular New Jersey band. Now, he performs rock n roll and blues with the group Bishops Gate. to the bottom of an issue or knows someone he can turn to for an answer. We don t always agree, but he understands where we re coming from. As a principal of Yonkers-based developer AVR Realty, Tom Perna has worked with Voorhis on a number of Long Island projects, including a multi-use plan for a large tract in Yaphank. He s upfront, intelligent, knowledgeable, and makes a good presentation at meetings, Perna said, A Nelson, Pope & Voorhis staffer in the field on a survey of six south shore streams for barriers to fish passage, completed for the South Shore Estuary Reserve. 6 7 nelson and pope--september 2010.indd 6-7 10/19/10 7:27:19 PM
Voorhis and Eiseman do field work for the Blueway Trail in North Hempstead. adding that Voorhis work has helped his firm succeed. To get approvals on Long Island is a grind. It s grueling and we ve gotten approvals for a number of major projects working with him. Voorhis is working on some of Long Island s most significant projects, including AVR Realty s plan to develop 320 acres in Yaphank. Others include planning a Blueway Trail in the waters off North Hempstead, which Voorhis calls his dream project. It will promote access and enjoyment of the town s waters, including determining access points and points of interest to recreational users of the town s waters. It s been a fun project and I hope it will lead to greater awareness of water resources, maritime heritage, and waterfront businesses and promote good recreational opportunities for the residents, he says of the project, which started last year and is scheduled to wrap up in 2011. A long time special consultant for the Town of Southold, NP&V is working with the town to update its comprehensive plan. NP&V is currently preparing the economic and demographic chapters for the plan, There have been economic and demographic changes, Voorhis noted. The goal, he explained, is to improve the economic vitality in the town. Other current projects include a watershed management plan for Great Cove in the Town of Islip, which includes much of the western portion of the town. The plan focuses on storm water management and water quality improvements for Great Cove and the Great South Bay, and it will include the conceptual design of nearly a dozen stormwater improvement projects. With its long history, NP&V has little trouble drumming up new business, even in periods such as the recent downturn, which produced a drop in private studies. But after his being in the business 32 years, Voorhis says the firm s diversity and willingness to take on new challenges have brought new opportunities, keeping the job interesting. Despite the downturn in the economy last year, municipal work remains strong. In addition to projects in North Hempstead, Islip, and Southold, NP&V is leading a team that is conducting a feasibility study of plans to eradicate invasive aquatic weeds from three lakes in the Town of Brookhaven: Canaan Lake on the Patchogue River, and Upper and Lower lakes on the Carmans River. These plants are affecting aesthetics, recreational usage, fish populations, and water quality. NP&V is scheduled to conduct public meetings in the fall and will subsequently come up with recommendations. In tough economic times, what does Voorhis see for the future of the firm and land-use planning on Long Island? We ve looked to diversify the business over the past year and during the economic downturn. The addition of drilling capabilities allows us to maintain quality control over site testing, and provide added value and services to clients for a wide range of subsurface investigations, Voorhis stated. NP&V also now offers full economic analysis services, including fiscal and economic studies, market studies, niche studies, and economic master planning. A big change over the past 20 years, is the availability of funds for open space preservation, Voorhis stated, adding that this has taken some uncertainty out of the process, particularly when there is a willing buyer and a willing seller. When money becomes available, Voorhis said, I see the potential for more open space preservation. He adds that there have been some beneficial changes to the review process for land-use applications, noting that even though regulations have become more complex, some towns are proactive in promoting economic development and are moving projects through the cumbersome review process. These are things we like to stay ahead of, he says. And planners and officials are giving plans more scrutiny that ever before. This can improve the end result of a project Voorhis says. It keeps our job interesting. The complexities of land use on Long Island and the challenges and opportunities it brings is what keeps Voorhis interests peaked and his team ready for the next day s challenges. That s why the outlook for NP&V remains good. v [Voorhis] understands both sides of an issue. He understands what the municipalities want and he also can serve his clients. We don t always agree, but he understands where we re coming from. Jefferson Murphree, land management administrator, Town of Southampton 8 Nelson, Pope & Voorhis 572 Walt Whitman Road Melville, NY 11747 Tel: (631) 427-5665 Fax: (631) 427-5620 www.nelsonpopevoorhis.com nelson and pope--september 2010.indd 8 10/19/10 7:27:21 PM