Neighbors wary of Taco Bell plan

Despite the bitter cold, several dozen residents attended a special meeting sponsored by the Wantagh Seaford Homeowners Association last week to learn more about Taco Bell’s plans for its new franchise at 1260 Wantagh Ave., just south of the post office.

On Feb. 25, Taco Bell will go before the Town of Hempstead’s Board of Appeals to seek several variances that would allow it to build a 2,148-square-foot restaurant with 40 seats and a drive-through on the west side of Wantagh Avenue. The original hearing was scheduled for Dec. 17, but was adjourned in order to provide homeowners the opportunity to meet with the project’s developers.

Taco Bell needs several variances, including a special exception for the menu board and speaker that would be part of the drive-through, and a ground-level sign out front. Additionally, the restaurant is short one required parking space. The plan calls for 23 spots, but 24 would be needed based on town code.

“Our goal is to work with everyone to be the best we can be,” attorney Chris Coschignano told residents on Feb. 12 at a meeting at the Wantagh Library. “Taco Bell gives us latitude to work with the community on buffering, noise or other suggestions that you may have.”

Taco Bell plans to demolish the empty building on the property, which was last occupied by Chase Bank two years ago, and build the restaurant toward the rear of the parcel in order to allow for 11 parking spaces in front. The restaurant would be bordered on the south by Wantagh Lanes and on the west by the bowling alley’s parking lot. There are homes across the street.

The restaurant would have a double-sided, 8- to 9-foot-tall ground-level sign out front, explained Coschignano’s fellow attorney, John Farrell, as well as a menu board and speaker that would be part of the drive-through.

Eric Meyn, of Bohler Engineering, added that the drive-through would be at the rear of the building, and would wind around to the front. The restaurant would be open until 2 a.m. Green space, including shrubs and other buffers, would be included on the property, and trash would be kept in an enclosed dumpster behind it.

Taco Bell employees would police the area to deter loitering and clean up litter. Meyn said that if litter became a problem for neighbors across the street, on the east side of Wantagh Avenue, Taco Bell would put up fencing out front.

Adjoining properties would be shielded from lights in the parking lot, and the sound from the menu speaker is projected to carry only 8 feet. “It will be a whisper in the parking lot,” Meyn said.

Finally, he said, food odors would be kept to a minimum because “we thermalize food and use a full hood system that strips the odors when they leave the building.”

But residents said they remained skeptical. In particular, they raised concerns about dangerous traffic patterns along Wantagh Avenue and the potential for accidents for both new drivers, from the nearby high schools, and pedestrians from Wantagh High School.

“This is a high-interest teenage place,” Pam Higgins said. “The kids only have 42 minutes, and they will be coming from both Wantagh and MacArthur. Some of them are inexperienced drivers, and using the turning lane is tricky. Find another spot. This is not the right place.”

Meyn said that Taco Bell would construct defined sidewalks and crosswalks, including a sidewalk at the rear of the building, by the bowling alley parking lot.

Maryann Messina asked if Taco Bell had considered other sites, such as the shopping centers along Wantagh Avenue.

“The existing shopping centers don’t have enough space for the drive-through,” Farrell explained. “Cherrywood has significant parking issues there.”

Meyn added that Taco Bell expects 70 percent of its business to be from the drive-through.

“McDonald’s is a nightmare,” Fred Parola said of that drive-through facility. “Based upon your existing facilities, how much traffic will your drive-through generate? Be honest.”

“McDonald’s has a larger menu, so their queue is different than ours,” Meyn replied. “Our average queue is seven to eight cars at peak, and can stay in the parking lot.”

Dr. Jane Arena asked if Taco Bell had conducted a traffic study, noting the history of accidents at Flower and Wantagh avenues. Farrell said that a traffic study had been done, and would be made available to residents shortly. He added that Taco Bell’s application was also being reviewed by the Nassau County Department of Public Works. “If they see a problem, they will let us know,” he replied.

Residents also questioned Wantagh’s need for another fast-food restaurant. Taco Bell would be the fifth one, joining Wendy’s and McDonald’s, as well as two other YUM! Brands franchises, KFC, which is up the street from the site of the Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut, which is around the corner, on Jerusalem Avenue.

“All the other Taco Bells are in fully commercial areas,” Arena said. “There’s one on Sunrise Highway in Seaford, just 1.6 miles away. Why another?”

“We are in planning; others crunch the numbers,” replied Farrell.

Residents will be able to weigh in on the proposal on Feb. 25, at a public hearing to be held at Hempstead Town Hall at 2 p.m.