How Huntington Handles Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: A Practical Guide
Huntington maintains 128 local ordinances across all categories, and 2 of those deal specifically with zoning overlays & bonuses. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Huntington falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.
Downtown Design Guide
Huntington's Melville Town Center Overlay District, added in 2024, requires buildings that front Maxess Road, Baylis Road, Melville Park Road or Corporate Center Drive to build to a thirty-foot setback from the property line and orient toward those streets. Interior parcels not fronting the designated corridors cannot develop until the front parcels build first, and zero-foot side yards are allowed to encourage a continuous street wall.
Key details: Adopted: 12-10-2024, L.L. No. 50-2024. Frontage setback: 30 ft from property line. Height cap: 50 ft / 4 stories max. Lot coverage cap: 90 percent. FAR cap: 3.6.
No building permit issues until the Planning Board and Town Board approve the site plan and special use permit; work started without approval is unauthorized construction under Chapter 198's general enforcement provisions. Under § 198-34.1(G)(4), the Zoning Board of Appeals must hold any pending application in abeyance whenever a covenant, condition or restriction needs interpretation, and refer the applicant back to the Town Board first.
Compared to other cities, Huntington takes a harder line on downtown design guide. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.
Density Bonus Law
Under the Long Island Workforce Housing Act as adopted by the Huntington Town Board, any developer seeking a density bonus or other incentive on a five-or-more-unit subdivision, site plan, or mixed-use project must establish workforce housing on-site, off-site, or by paying a fee in lieu, before the Planning Board can sign off.
Key details: Governing chapter: Ch. 74, Affordable Housing (adopted 2017). Trigger: 5+ unit subdivision, site plan, or mixed-use project. On-site set-aside: 1 affordable unit per 5 market-rate units. Fee in lieu: 2.5% of unit's initial sales price (under 5 units). Administering agency: Huntington Community Development Agency.
Town Code § 74-53 makes a violation of the Affordable Housing chapter punishable by a fine of $500 to $1,000 for a first offense, $1,000 to $2,000 for a second offense within five years, and $2,000 to $4,000 or up to 15 days' imprisonment for a third or later offense; each week a violation continues is a separate offense. The Bureau of Administrative Adjudication can impose the same fine ranges, and the Town Attorney may seek an injunction or civil penalties of up to $500 per day.
The Bottom Line
Huntington's zoning overlays & bonuses rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Huntington is broadly strict or permissive.
All of the above reflects Huntington's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.