Suffolk County has added a small but strategic parcel of land in Mastic Beach to its growing open space holdings, strengthening natural protections for one of Long Island’s most flood-prone coastal areas. The acquisition advances a long-term effort with the Town of Brookhaven to preserve land within the Mastic-Shirley Conservation Area and reduce future storm damage.
The newly acquired 0.21-acre property on Lafayette Drive sits alongside existing county parkland, expanding a continuous buffer designed to absorb storm surge and heavy rainfall. Combined with previous purchases by the County and Brookhaven, more than 226 acres have now been preserved in and around the conservation area.
County officials say the initiative reflects lessons learned from increasingly intense weather events and the lasting impacts of Superstorm Sandy, when multiple breaches led to widespread flooding across the Mastic-Shirley peninsula. Hundreds of homes were inundated during the storm, underscoring the vulnerability of low-lying neighborhoods along the bay.
County Executive Ed Romaine said preserving open space is a proactive approach to protecting coastal communities as storms grow stronger and rainfall totals rise. By expanding undeveloped areas along the shoreline, the County aims to reduce flood damage while allowing natural systems to function as intended.
Suffolk County Legislator Jim Mazzarella said the acquisition is part of a broader coastal resiliency strategy that prioritizes flood mitigation while restoring habitat and ecosystems in the southern portion of the community. Open space preservation, he said, provides both environmental and public safety benefits.
The Lafayette Drive purchase is the latest addition to roughly 76 acres the County has preserved within the conservation area alone, representing nearly $1.4 million in investment. Officials view additional acquisitions as essential to establishing a public floodplain protection zone that can support wetland and floodplain restoration projects.
Beyond flood protection, the preserved land is expected to enhance scenic views, recreational opportunities and environmental health, while limiting future development in areas most at risk from coastal storms and rising waters in the region.