[Year-Round Housing] Fwd: Population (Long Island)

Thu Jan 24 09:39:24 EST 2008

If you have any doubts about the significance of the work you all  are doing 
to encourage year housing opportunities on Long Island,  please  study the 
following statistics and analysis for the Comp Plan.  I  think they are sobering. 
   Coupled with local incomes below  County, State, and National averages and 
soaring housing prices we have much  work to do and do quickly.      Mark

____________________________________
 From: cmcduffie at earthlink.net
To: judyp at tpda.com, cadebro at gmail.com,  COVESIDE.LI at VERIZON.NET, 
drftwdgrl at aol.com, Mlongreene2 at aol.com,  cbbradbrown at aol.com, cpmurley at verizon.net, 
njordan at long-island.lib.me.us,  oldcove5 at gmail.com
Sent: 1/24/2008 9:28:13 A.M. Eastern Standard  Time
Subj: Population

Below please find the Population section lacking only the  birth/death 
statistics which Curt will add and then post it to the town  website.
Chris

Town of Long Island
Comprehensive  Plan
Population

The following are locally generated figures, done in  the fall of 2006, 
after doing a windshield survey and confirming with  various lists from 
the Town of Long Island, and with others in the  community who have 
detailed knowledge of who stays on the island year  round. Our community 
is small enough that population statistics are common  knowledge, and 
residents can be counted relatively easily. This  information has 
community endorsement.

Total winter population in  fall of 2006: 216

Our population as of the last Comprehensive Plan was  180. Our 
population in 2006 was 216 people. This is an increase of 36  people in 
twelve years, an average of 3 new people per year, but as a  percentage 
of our small population that amounts to a 20%  increase.

Age Breakdown         
Last Plan (Fall 1994)     Fall 2006
Preschool         10 (6%1   of ‘94 total)             6 (3% of ‘06  total)
5-17             33 (18% of ‘94 total)  34 (16% of ‘06 total)
18-44  56 (31% of ‘94 total)      45 (21% of ‘06 total)
45-64      45 (25% of ‘94 total)          92 (43% of ‘06 total)
65+            36 (20% of ‘94 total)          39 (18% of ‘06  total)

>From these figures we can observe that the numbers of young  people on 
Long Island are declining, particularly the very young and the  18 to 44 
year olds, while the number of older adults (45-64 years old) has  more 
than doubled in the most recent twelve year period. Although the  number 
of folks 65 and older has increased by 3, as a percentage of the  total 
year round population that is a slight decline.

Add recent  births and deaths.

Tenure of year round households

In the Fall of 2006 54  households  (56% of the total) were the same 
households which had  been in residence in the Fall of 1994 - in other 
words the same family had  lived in the same house since 1994 - and 43 
(44%) were new households  since the Fall of 1994. New households would 
include those formed by  marriage, divorce or new arrivals. This is very 
comparable to the average  tenure reported in the previous Comprehensive 
Plan when 54% of the  households had been in residence for at least 10 
years, and 46% had  existed for less than 10 years.

Household occupancy      
Last  Plan (Fall 1994)        Fall 2006
Single      26              27
Double occupancy      31                  44
3 or more occupants        23                    26
Total households        80   97
Average number of persons per year round household: 2.25  persons

Seasonal Population

There is a large seasonal population  which must be acknowledged on Long 
Island. It is difficult to estimate  their numbers because occupancy of 
seasonal residences varies widely  depending on family habits, vacation 
schedules, numbers of visiting  relatives and guests and particularly 
the weather. The State Planning  Office suggests estimating seasonal 
residents based on 2-4 persons per  housing unit. This would give a 
range of 540-1080 seasonal residents in  addition to the year round 
population of 216. As reported in the housing  segment of this report, 
the proportion of winter houses to seasonal houses  remains about 1 to 
3, even as both numbers slowly increase.

On Long  Island, particularly in summer, there are also numbers of “day 
trippers”  some of whom are visitors to island households, but many come 
simply to  enjoy the island and its beaches. Their presence is noticed 
most on the  beaches, but they are also an important customer base for 
our stores and  gift shop.

Population Projection

There being no circumstances  identified to cause us to expect a change, 
it is projected that our  population will continue to grow at a slow 
steady space of about 3 persons  per year. Perhaps more than many towns 
Long Island values its multi-aged  population, and there is a good deal 
of interaction across the age  spectrum. School functions attract a wide 
audience. Most of our public  activities welcome all ages, and our 
seniors seem to enjoy our youngsters  as our children bask in their 
attention. We want to be sure that our aging  population has the 
services to live comfortably on Long Island.

The  ability to make a living in the Town of Long Island is fundamental 
to the  continued existence of our year round community, a fact which we 
do not  take lightly. Philip Conkling of the Island Institute cites the 
grim  statistic that of more than 300 year round Maine island 
communities in  existence at the turn of the century, only 14 remain 
today. The defining  criteria for year round community status is an 
island school, because the  lack of a school reflects lack of children. 
With no school, few families  with children find it possible to stay on 
an island; the population cannot  renew itself, and the year round 
community dies out. It becomes a summer  island. As Conkling's figures 
point out, year round Maine islands are an  endangered species.

Attracting and keeping young people on Long Island  must be a priority 
if we are to survive - for the simple reason that we  need them. 
Youthful vigor and abilities are required here more than in  most 
communities because ours is a more demanding setting. Our volunteer  
fire department and emergency rescue operations require the strengths  
of youthful members. Our town must provide the kinds of services that  
will support the needs of young families. The well-known quality of our  
school is a source of pride among residents and property owners and  
reflects the level of community support it has traditionally enjoyed.  
Our school is valued because it's excellence holds families here and  
attracts more, but families must  have the wherewithal to support the  
decision to live here.

Population Policy

1.  Inasmuch  as the citizens of Long Island have expressed desire for 
minimum growth,  it shall be the policy of the Town of Long Island to 
neither actively  discourage nor actively encourage population growth 
with the exception  that the town shall attempt to provide services, 
which make it possible  and desirable for young families to locate and 
remain here and to sustain  those who already live here.

Population Policy Implementation  Strategy

1. The Planning Board will periodically review population  levels so 
that the Town can respond as necessary to either increasing or  
declining population trends.

2. The town will continue its current  commitment to the quality of our 
school and community  services.

3.  The town’s Year Round Housing Committee will  continue its efforts 
to create year round affordable housing on Long  Island.

**************Start the year off right.  Easy ways to stay in shape.     
http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489
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