March 2026 | Volume 3 Issue 3

We know you’re busy, so rather than sending you a newsletter with a lot of text, please take a look at our ‘Monthly Photo Newsletter’ – a ‘snapshot’ of happenings to keep you informed and up-to-date on the Trust.

The Trust wishes you and your family a merry, magical and meaningful St. Patrick’s Day!

The Three Village Community Trust’s Annual Meeting
At the Setauket Neighborhood House
Wednesday, March 25th

Celebrating our 23rd year “Protecting the Places You Love”

Don’t miss our Annual Membership Meeting on Wednesday, March 25th at 7:00pm at the Setauket Neighborhood House.

Help celebrate the Trust with some good food and conversation. Displays, speakers, announcements…but mostly fun.

Everyone is invited and it’s Free!

Save the Date

And coming soon as part of the America 250 Celebration

The Trust’s newest Passport to Exploring 76 Cultural and Historical Sites in the Greater Three Village Area. This new Commemorative Edition is based on the success of last year’s Passport. More sites, more exploration, more fun.

Wow! We are Proud to Announce:

The Trust is being honored at the upcoming America 250 Stronger event being held by the Anna Strong Smith Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution! This promises to be a Great event with unlimited “happenings,” but very limited tickets. Get yours today!!

Greenway or Highway – You Decide

The Trust holds the Stewardship Agreement for the Setauket to Port Jefferson Station Greenway. The Trust’s Friends of the Greenway holds monthly cleanups, has an active team of Trail Stewards, partners with Scouting America on projects to enhance the trail, and advokes for our community’s ‘linear park.’ The Greenway is arguably the most used, year ‘round recreational amenity in our area – used every day by hundreds of bicyclists, runners, walkers, nature loves, etc.

But the Greenway is not officially parkland. The Greenway – an 8 million dollar project is built on a 150’ corridor that runs 3.5 miles – is owned by the New York State Department of Transportation. Yes, the NYS-DOT could tear out the Greenway, and build a bypass in its place..

That’s why this recent letter by the President of the Three Village Civic Association is important to read:

Re: The Setauket to Port Jefferson Station Greenway

Dear Suffolk County Legislator Englebright,

As you know, The Setauket to Port Jefferson Station Greenway is one of our community’s most valued treasures – a 3 ½ mile corridor used every day by hundreds and hundreds of residents to safely commute, exercise, walk, run, and enjoy nature. Free from motorized vehicles, the Greenway has grown in use and popularity with children and families, and is today, arguably, the most used recreational amenity in the Stony Brook, Setauket, East Setauket, and Port Jefferson Station area. The success of the Greenway serves as a model for other greenbelt proposals throughout Long Island; Suffolk County’s nearby, 11 mile North Shore Rail Trail certainly took its inspiration from the scenic and widely used Greenway

The Greenway was built, beginning in 2009, on a 150’ corridor owned by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT.) It was your vision as a State Assemblyman that galvanized our civic association, environmentalists, good government activists and stakeholders to advocate for the Greenway, rather than a highway on this corridor that touches on multiple neighborhoods. The New York State Department of Transportation was a partner, at the time, in helping establish the Greenway.

However, there is now the unfortunate possibility that the NYSDOT could decide sometime in the future to remove the trail and build a bypass/highway extending Setauket to Port

Jefferson Station. This ‘build out’ would destroy surrounding neighborhoods, devastate the economic viability of both downtown Setauket and Port Jefferson Village, squander an eight million dollar investment of taxpayers’ money spent in the planning and constructing of the Greenway, and ‘pave over ‘a valued resource that has come to define the Three Villages.

This is simply unacceptable to the community.

Our association strongly believes immediate action is needed to preserve the trail. The recent veto by Governor Kathy Hochul of the legislation titled NY S08349 makes local action all the more urgent. We urge you to propose legislation to transfer the ownership of the Greenway from the New York State Department of Transportation to the Suffolk County Department of Parks, thus preserving in perpetuity our existing ‘linear park’. This transfer to Suffolk County Parks would have an added benefit: allowing the MTA to move forward on plans to use the former Lawrence Aviation site to modernize their LIRR Port Jefferson Branch without the apparent obstacles and continual ‘roadblocks’ by the New York State Department of Transportation.

We look forward to your response in resolving this issue so that future generations of Long Islanders can continue to enjoy a strong and connected ‘Greenway’ community.

Sincere Regards,

Peter St. Germaine

Our 2026 Membership Drive is in Progress!

The Trust is now entering its twenty-third year of “Protecting the Places You Love!” Our success over the past decades of caring for some of the oldest and most iconic properties in the Three Villages has only been possible because of people like YOU! With your help, we will continue to protect and preserve the community you love.

Our all-volunteer organization relies heavily on memberships for the funding needed to maintain our “museum collection” of historical homes and sites like the 3.2 mile Setauket to Port Jefferson Greenway, Patriots Rock, the Smith/de Zafra House – Brookhaven’s first Town Hall- and the grounds of the Stony Brook Train Station.

At this time, we hope you will continue to support of the Trust by renewing your membership. (And if you are not a member – please join us!)

Prefer to sign up online? Click here!

Zelle user? Go to tvcommtrust@optonline.net to make payment.

Our Annual Simply De-Vine Awareness Campaign Kicks Off in April

English Ivy is an invasive species that often crowds out native plants and reduces the habitat for animals. It inhibits the growth of understory plants and kills understory and overstory trees by shading them out. Ivy can damage trees by the added weight in their canopy. The dense ivy on the trees may act as a ‘sail’ and snap trees subject to high wind. Ivy uses the water and soil nutrients that would otherwise benefit trees. We’ll have more info next month!

Ask yourself: At what point does a tree become a vine?