By Nick Buglione
A local civic group is wary of the findings, however, and is in the process of reviewing the report so its results can be more closely scrutinized.
³When you¹re paid by the applicant to do a job, then you have a vested interest to report what the applicant wants,² said Robert Zafonte, president of the East Meadow Civic Association. ³I want to thoroughly examine the report to determine its credibility.²
There is currently a proposal on the table to build a new 7-Eleven at the corner of East Meadow and Prospect avenues, where G.F. Auto Repair currently stands. The store would be about 2,000 to 2,200 square feet in size and would be nestled in the northeast corner of the property.
East Meadow already has four 7-Elevens in the area, which has left some wondering why the convenience store chain wants to build another. Since East Meadow and Prospect avenues are already marked by traffic congestion and accidents, concerns that a 7-Eleven would exacerbate the problems surfaced after residents learned of the proposal.
Others worried that a 7-Eleven would turn the corner into a 24-hour hangout, at the same time swallowing up the mom-and-pop delis on East Meadow Avenue.
7-Eleven officials met with civic leaders in a closed-door meeting last July, saying they have no intention of turning the area into a hangout and promising to conduct a traffic-impact study.
Atlantic Engineering conducted the survey in October, said Zafonte, who obtained a copy of the report. Since the heavily-trafficked Veterans Memorial Park pool was closed for the season at the time of the survey, residents are likely to question if it was performed at the right time.
³We¹re still fact-finding,² Zafonte said. ³We want to do what¹s right for the community.²
Once his civic association has reviewed the report, Zafonte will hold a meeting with his officers. Following that meeting, 7-Eleven officials will be invited to make a presentation before the entire community on its proposed project, Zafonte said. He hopes to schedule that hearing sometime in May.
³We¹re going to open this up to the community,² he said. ³At that time, the civic group will make a decision on what we¹re going to do.²
Meanwhile, the Hempstead Town Board of Zoning Appeals is planning to hear testimony on the project at a Wednesday, June 22 meeting at 2 p.m. at Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington St.
In previous years, this type of project would have been considered ³as of right,² meaning the company wouldn¹t have to apply for variances or receive any kind of approval from the town Board of Zoning Appeals.
An amendment last year to the Hempstead Town code, however, now requires certain-sized businesses to apply for a ³special exception² with the board when moving into roads allowing only a single lane of traffic in each direction.
Comments about this story? NBuglione@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 236
