by Anthony Rifilato
At a zoning board meeting last week, representatives and attorneys for Yum! Brands Inc., KFC's parent company, submitted applications to move ahead with the $1.5 million project, which, if all goes smoothly, is expected to be completed in October. Attorneys asked for a variance for an 18-foot KFC sign, as well as special-use permits for a drive-through and a menu sign.
The old Friendly's structure would be torn down to make way for what a KFC representative called a "state-of-the-art facility." The new establishment would also include a Long John Silver's restaurant, part of a double-branding initiative by the company to keep profits high.
The new facility will be built on roughly 29,000 square feet of property, which would include 34 parking spaces, refurbished landscaping and the 3,400-square-foot restaurant.
"It's going to be a real pretty building," said Dave Berman, a real estate manager for Yum!, explaining that the look of the business would be different from the older KFC restaurants. "We're enhancing the site from what it was."
When asked why fast-food chains seem to gravitate to Baldwin, with a McDonald's nearby, Berman said, "We want to be everywhere. It doesn't matter the location."
Residents worried about noise, traffic
Residents who live and businesses that operate within 100 feet of the property were notified about the project by the Town of Hempstead. Eight residents showed up at the zoning board meeting last Tuesday, April 29, to voice their concerns, though most left before the hearing after assurances from Berman and others, who addressed their concerns informally outside the meeting, that the company would work with residents.
Jose and Gloria Aquino, who live behind the property on Village Avenue, said they were worried about the noise and hours of operation, which to their relief would not be around the clock. KFC would operate from 11 a.m. to midnight on weekdays and Sundays, and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturdays, Berman said.
"We're satisfied," Mr. Aquino said, explaining that representatives were receptive to their concerns. Aquino said that the sound system for the drive-through would be a nuisance, and asked if there was a way to direct the noise toward the Fairview Shopping Center and away from homes. Representatives assured him it would be done, and also said they would replace the chain-link fence behind Aquino's home with a new six-foot fence.
"They are very accommodating," Aquino said, adding that he was satisfied with the assurances and the overall look of the project. "It will improve the building there."
Residents and corporation come to an agreement
At the official hearing before the zoning board, three residents came to have their say about the project, and Jackie Bell, president of the Baldwin Oaks Civic Association, submitted a petition signed by 50 nearby residents opposing the drive-through, which KFC representatives say is vital to operating a profitable business.
Bell said the issue was not the restaurant, but its drive-through. Bell said nearby residents are already bothered by the nearby McDonald's' 24-hour drive-through, which she says causes increased noise, loitering and garbage.
"It affects the entire Baldwin Oaks community to the east," Bell said of the McDonald's and the future KFC.
One board member told Bell that if the permit for a drive-through is denied, the KFC business may not come to Baldwin. The board recommended a 10-minute recess so that the two parties could discuss the issue outside.
After returning to the meeting, Yum! attorney Chris Coschignano and Berman said they would change the drive-through closing time to 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturdays instead of 3 a.m. During the week and on Sundays, it would close at midnight. Coschignano and Berman said they would also work on the design of the drive-through to make it less intrusive.
Reassured, Bell said that although she would have to notify members of the civic association about the proposal, she was in favor of the project. "They were receptive," said Bell. "I still have a problem that we couldn't have it without the drive-through, but they seem like an organization that we can work with if problems arise."
Board weighs in on project
Members of the zoning board were concerned with traffic buildup and pedestrian safety when cars come out of the drive-through. A traffic analyst for the company said that the plans would be altered, moving the stop sign for the drive-through back, as well as adding a crosswalk for customers.
The board also asked about left turns out of the parking lot and onto Grand Avenue, despite the center left-turn lane. Although the company did a study on traffic patterns that found that no significant traffic changes would occur, the board said it would conduct its own inspection. Coschignano noted that if customers were not allowed to make a left, it would wreak havoc, forcing drivers into residential areas to turn around.
The company must submit final plans to the Zoning Board before being granted approval from the Town of Hempstead Building Department. Berman said he expects approval within a matter of weeks.
Residents who came to the hearing appeared satisfied that the company representatives addressed their concerns. "I think they were very receptive," said one Baldwin resident at the hearing who didn't want his name used. "I don't know if that guarantees it will be done, but I think the community raised some good points."
