By Esther McKenna
Village retains 'right of denial'
Results of the Home Depot traffic study may prove to be the deal breaker local businesses have been looking for. The report concluded that the proposed development "has the capacity to generate considerable traffic" and called for the elimination of parking and extensive modifications to surrounding roadways.
According to village administrator, Anthony Cancellieri, making major adjustments to local roads and the removal of public parking were never options the village was willing to consider. "We did not contemplate making any modifications to existing roadways before [Home Depot submitted plans] and we are not considering making those kinds of changes now."
When asked whether the results of the Dunn Engineering study would likely result in a denial to the Home Depot proposal, Mr. Cancellieri said he wasn't sure but did point out that the decision now lies completely with the village. "It has always remained within our right to say 'yes' or 'no' to any business requesting [these types of] changes," he said.
The report, conducted by Dunn Engineering and Associates on Home Depot's behalf, stated: "During the weekday P.M. peak, the Home Depot traffic generation [will be] considerably higher than the existing industrial use and will add new traffic to the highway system. During the Saturday peak hours of traffic, the Home Depot traffic would virtually be all new traffic as the industrial building [now occupying the site] would not be in use."
Recommended changes to roadways in the vicinity of the proposed site -- the location now occupied by the Darby Drug building on Banks Avenue -- include the removal of public parking on both sides of Morgan Days Lane and on the east side of North Centre Avenue between Sunrise Highway and Front Street. The report also indicated that widening, restriping and adding a third traffic lane on Morgan Days Lane would be necessary to accommodate increased traffic. In addition, the portion of Banks Avenue north of Morgan Days Lane is proposed to be removed to become the primary entrance to the Home Depot parking lot.
The parking and traffic study was done, in part, to address the fears of residents and business owners regarding congestion in an area that currently houses many of the village's larger commercial businesses including King Kullen, the MTA/LI Bus terminal and Yellow Book.
"We had concerns about the parking and traffic in that area before Home Depot ever approached us," said Mr. Cancellieri.
MTA/LI Bus spokesperson, Frank Ryan, stated concern over what he considers inadequacies in the study.
"I am amazed that there was no mention [in the study] of consideration for MTA/LI Bus and the flow of buses in and out of that depot," said Mr. Ryan.
"Even though we are not open over the weekend, we are an operating depot that uses most of the roads they refer to [in the study] on weekdays. In addition, we have a compressed natural gas fueling station that is utilized [in the same location]. This issue is of very keen interest to us and we have several concerns [about the study and its results]," said Mr. Ryan.
The village has hired Greenman Pederson, Inc. to do an independent evaluation of the traffic study and determine whether the proper scope [of roads] was maintained. GPI is scheduled to complete the evaluation of the traffic study and make a recommendation by the end of September, according to village attorney, Martha Krisel. Village officials declined to comment further until the results of GPI's evaluation are completed.
