By Nick Buglione
Living directly behind the Wal-Mart at the corner of Hempstead Turnpike and Newbridge Road, the Wongs said they have been tossing and turning for over a year now thanks to late-night deliveries and unloading that sometimes take place at the superstore as late as 2 a.m.
"It makes so much noise my children cannot sleep," said Wong, a father of three who has lived in East Meadow since 1989. "If they can't sleep, how can they go to school?"
Under Wal-Mart's "restrictive covenant," made with the Town of Hempstead when the store moved in a year and a half ago, no deliveries are to take place between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. Yet local residents like Wong and town Councilman Gary Hudes (R-Levittown) say the store has not adhered to the agreement.
"The restrictive covenant is there to protect the interest of the community, and it's there to be followed," said Robert Zafonte, president of the East Meadow Civic Association. "They can't just do business at the expense of the neighborhood."
The numerous complaints prompted Hudes to call a meeting early last May with the management of Wal-Mart, angry residents and other town officials. "Wal-Mart explained to us they would take care of it," Hudes said, noting that soon after the meeting the company installed a gate that's locked at 11 p.m., blocking delivery trucks from entering the store's parking lot. "That was our way of solving that problem."
Things were quiet for a time, he added, but grievances soon resurfaced. "I was confident we had gotten rid of the problem," Hudes said. Yet late-night noise complaints from the Wongs and other residents living behind the store continued. "If everything was OK, we wouldn't be complaining," said Leslie Wong, 18. "We're the ones living directly across from the loading area."
Tom Williams, a spokesman for the Arkansas-based franchise, insists that after Wal-Mart installed the gate, late-night deliveries stopped. "That was an issue about a year ago, and we fixed it," Williams said. "The last deliveries we take are at 10 p.m. We haven't heard anything [in terms of complaints]. This is the first we're hearing about it."
Confirming that actual late-night deliveries have stopped, Hudes said goods are being shipped to the store at regular hours and left outside in large storage containers, which are then sometimes loudly unloaded well after 11 p.m. In fact, he's witnessed the late work.
"Residents have the right to peace and quiet in the evenings," Hudes said. "Business must recognize the rights of residents."
The Town of Hempstead Buildings Department has issued Wal-Mart 14 appearance tickets since mid-October for various code infractions regarding the large storage containers on its premises. Wal-Mart representatives were scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, Jan. 21 to address the tickets. They have, though, acknowledged the problem and promised to now put an end to the late-night unloading, Hudes said.
"I'm hoping all these summonses are a sign that we've gotten their attention," he said. "I'm hoping that the residents are going to be able to live in peace and quiet as they should."
The Wongs hope so, too. "We're a respectful neighborhood," Leslie said. "If Wal-Mart wants to be here, they should respect us."
