Shooting range and spa business withdraws plan ahead of Lynbrook hearing

Bringing to an end a six-week-long squabble involving a business owner, neighboring residents and the Lynbrook village administration, the applicant for a proposed gun range and spa to replace Cutler’s Lighting, at 817 Sunrise Highway, withdrew the application late last week, days ahead of a public hearing at which the business’s fate would have been decided.

Despite news of the withdrawal, dozens of people filed into Village Hall on Monday night for the regular village board meeting sporting green shirts to signify their solidarity in opposition to the proposed business. Joseph Gallo, who lives on Reyam Road, behind Cutler’s, presented the administration with a petition opposing the business with about 1,200 signatures, and implored village officials to improve their communication with the public in the future.

Despite being able to see Cutler’s from his backyard, Gallo said he was not told about the proposal, because the village only notified residents who lived within 200 feet of the business. He and other residents who rallied around this cause have started calling themselves the Lynbrook Community Alliance, and are planning to take steps to register as an official civic association and to host regular meetings.

“I understand that the village board completed its legal obligation by posting notice in the various newspapers,” Gallo said. “But doing what is required and doing what is right for the residents are two separate things … The residents need to have more of a presence at these meetings, and the village board needs to do more to communicate and educate the people of Lynbrook [about] its decision making.”

“We were prepared to say no tonight, and we’re not saying that now because it was unpopular,” Mayor Bill Hendrick said at Monday night’s meeting. “It was unpopular. It was very unpopular. But we can’t as a board say no because something is unpopular.”