Half Hollow Hills - 6/25/15 Edition

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HALF HOLLOW HILLS Copyright © 2015 Long Islander News

Online at www.LongIslanderNews.com

VOL. 17, ISSUE 20

NEWSPAPER THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2015

2 SECTIONS, 44 PAGES

MELVILLE

Supermajority Needed For Hotel Re-Zone By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandergroup.com

Opponents of a proposed 160room Hyatt Place hotel to be developed near the Long Island Expressway on Route 110 in Melville have succeeded in their efforts to force the town board to reach a four-vote supermajority to enact a zone change for the project, town officials have confirmed. Town spokesman A.J. Carter confirmed the requirement, which was triggered by the filing of protest petitions which have been deemed to be valid. “As of now a supermajority would be required, but the developer is speaking with some of the objectors, so the situation may change,” Carter said. Plans for the project call for a 160-room, four-story Hyatt Place

hotel to be built on three acres at 500 Broadhollow Road in Melville, located on the westerly side of Route 110 just south of the Rubie Corporate Plaza and the LIE. If a zone change from I-1 Light Industrial to C-10 Planned Motel District is awarded by the Huntington Town Board, applicant OTO Development can then proceed to the zoning board of appeals for variances. Neighboring property owners have objected to the proposal, arguing the hotel plan is deeply flawed, overdevelops the parcel and creates dangerous traffic conditions by offering only southbound ingress and egress onto Route 110. Alan Katz, a member of Sherwood 510 LLC, owner of property at 510 Broadhollow Road; Jan Burman, president of LBA Melville (Continued on page A17)

Four votes will be needed to approve a zone change for a zone chance sought by OTO Development to build a Hyatt Place hotel on Route 110 the Long Island Expressway, town officials confirmed.

MELVILLE

SPOTLIGHT

Gin Blossoms Return To The Paramount A9

Home Goods Facing Opposition By Carina Livoti clivoti@longislandergroup.com

Melville residents are calling for the Huntington Town Board to keep Home Goods away from their homes, asking the board to review the Zoning Board of Appeals’ decision to allow the store to be built in a residentiallyzoned area. The property, located at 881 Walt Whitman Road, stands behind the Bertucci’s south of Fletcher Street in Melville. Lawyer Andrew McCarthy appeared before the ZBA on April 16, asking for a use variance to

allow a Home Goods to be built in what is technically a residential area, despite being located between state land and commercial development on a major state highway. At the time of the hearing, neighboring residents raised concerns about potential burglaries as a result of backyard access through the proposed building’s parking lot and loading areas, noise pollution, light pollution, regular pollution, traffic and potential parking overflow onto Fletcher Place. The development also required a parking variance allowing it to have fewer spaces

than code requires. In spite of these concerns, the ZBA granted the variances on April 23, with the conditions that a new, freestanding retail building will be constructed for a dry use tenant only; all deliveries will be between 9 a.m.-7 p.m., as will all garbage and recycling pickup; and the buffer on the north side of the property will be at least 12 feet. The board ruling prompted a backlash from civic leaders, who are urging the town board to intervene. The Sweet Hollow Civic Association sent a letter to the (Continued on page A17)

Cafe Mendoza now serving in Commack A8


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