Message from the Director
Welcome to the Suffolk County Department of Planning web page. Often the question is asked, what exactly is planning and what does the Planning Department do? As summarized by the American Planning Association, planning is a dynamic profession that works to improve the well being of people and their communities by creating more convenient, equitable, healthful, efficient, and attractive places for present and future generations. Professional planners help create a broad, long term vision for the community. They also research, design, and develop programs; lead public processes; perform technical analyses; manage; and educate.
Components of long range planning include establishing goals, analyzing existing and proposed land use, evaluating constraining environmental conditions, tracking demographic changes, preparing population projections and estimates, conducting statistical analysis and recommending ways to implement the plan. A plan can take a variety of forms including: policy recommendations, community action plans, comprehensive plans, neighborhood plans, corridor studies, regulatory and incentive strategies, and historic preservation plans.
The Suffolk County Department of Planning includes a highly professional staff of planners, environmental analysts, cartographers and other specialists. Most of the staff have advanced degrees and decades of professional experience.
Role of the Planning Department
The Planning Department is responsible for the following:
- serving as staff to the Suffolk County Planning Commission;
- preparation of a comprehensive plan;
- preparation of an official map;
- provision of assistance to localities, including demographics and economic research, environmental studies and special studies;
- the rendering of advice to local, state and federal government regarding development projects and preservation;
- administration and professional assistance to the Suffolk County Council on Environmental Quality;
- contribution of staff and assistance to the Long Island Regional Planning Board;
- coordination of the Suffolk County Planning Federation;
- maintenance of the Arthur H. Kunz Memorial Library;
- administration of the Suffolk County Farmland Committee; and,
- the formulation and coordination of all long-range facilities planning among County departments.
The Planning Department participates on the Environmental Trust Fund Review Board, Dredging Project Screening Committee, County Farmland Committee, the County Sewer Agency and Agricultural District reviews. The department also assists various Legislative Committees, participates on county committees relating to open space preservation, property conveyance, land exchanges and other planning-related special committees as appropriate. Composition of the Planning Department
The Planning Department is comprised of five divisions:
- The staff to the Council on Environmental Quality
- Regulatory Review
- Environmental Analysis
- Planning & Research including assistance to the Long Island Regional Planning Board
- Cartography & GIS
Special Projects | | Suffolk County Comprehensive Plan | A comprehensive plan is a statement of policies directed to the long range protection, enhancement, growth and development of the county. It is a process of collecting information about the conditions of the county including environmental and socioeconomic data, and identifying goals and policies that will best meet the needs of present and future residents. The plan will seek to do this in a manner that provides for a high quality of life for all residents, with the least amount of long term adverse impacts. The plan is being prepared with the direct involvement of the Suffolk County Planning Commission. The County Department of Planning will provide the professional planning services to prepare the plan and will coordinate all activities associated with the update. The plan will be coordinated with the planning efforts of the Long Island Regional Planning Council and the towns and villages of Suffolk County.
| | Sunrise Highway Corridor Study |  | The Sunrise Highway Corridor Study represents a milestone in intermunicipal cooperation in planning one of the most significant transportation corridors in Suffolk County. The study reflects the combined efforts of the participants including the New York State Department of Transportation, the Suffolk County Departments of Planning and Public Works, the Town of Brookhaven Department of Planning, Environment and Land Management and the Town of Islip Department of Planning and its DPW Division of Traffic Safety. | | | Yaphank RFP | Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Development of Approximately 255 Acres in Yaphank, NY Owned by the County of Suffolk. This section also includes all information related to this RFP such as: the initial Request for Expressions of Interest (Yaphank RFEI); Summaries of the RFEI that were complete; and, Recommendations of the Yaphank County Center Development Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) Outreach Committee, September 2006. |
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