By: Hector Flores
Now, any business looking to build on a Town of Hempstead Business Zone with two-lane roads, allowing only a single lane of traffic in each direction, must obtain a special exception from the town Board of Zoning Appeals.
The amendment was passed during the last town board meeting on Tuesday, April 27.
Testifying at the meeting were representatives from Frederick P. Clark Associates, who were contracted by the town to conduct a traffic study of commercial areas similar to that of Jerusalem Avenue and Peapond Road.
"We studied 12 different study areas," said Michael Galante, executive vice president of Frederick P. Clark Associates. "And during the traffic study process we discovered that during peak hours there was significant traffic congestion and delays at these areas."
The six-month study and moratorium was first proposed in October 2003, in response to residents' concerns about the traffic congestion a Western Beef supermarket at Jerusalem Avenue and Peapond Road would cause.
According to Carrie Wilson, a 10-year resident living at Peapond Road and Saw Mill Road, drivers use Jerusalem Avenuewhen the Southern State Parkway is congested, which results leads to traffic woes.
Andrew J. Campanelli, an attorney representing Western Beef, was curious about the speed of the moratorium and the subsequent traffic study.
"I grew up in North Bellmore and I shopped at the A & P, which could have become the a new Western Beef," he said. "There was no plans for construction of a new building or new parking lot. So, why was there a need for a moratorium, which is used to study effects on traffic during construction?"
Campanelli also said he acquired town records and found article clippings from local newspapers suggesting that racism was at the core of the moratorium.
"There is nothing in the town records that shows that a traffic study was needed and there were no environmental concerns," he said. "It is very clear that bigotry and racism was the driving force of this study. In an article from a local paper it states, 'We don't want a store that will bring lower income residents into the area.'"
North Bellmore residents, however, dismissed the notion that their opposition was motiviated by bigotry.
"What we residents object to is that there is documented evidence that Western Beef has many health code violations," said Richard Schary, a civic leader. "And when cars are idling by on Jerusalem Avenue during traffic that contributes to the local air pollution.
"The bottom line is that this neighborhood is very mixed and the community is not happy to have this supermarket here. Further more, there are many children that walk to and from school and risk injury at this intersection because of the traffic."
Six other strips affected by the new amendment are found in East Meadow, Merrick, Bellmore and Wantagh. Bellmore has one other strip at Bedford Avenue, from Oak Street to Sunrise Highway, that will be affected.
