By Liz McBreen
For the community, however, the business has also been a source of controversy. Many residents living in its shadow are unhappy not only with the shop's appearance, but with the storage and business practices of its owner, Michael Chazen, as well.
Neighboring businesses and residents claim that Hempstead Tire repeatedly violates parking laws and stores its inventory in a dangerous manner. According to West Hempstead Civic Association President Bob Rabey, the company has ignored the community's concerns, creating a longstanding rift that only seems to be widening. Chazen is currently seeking to acquire a permit from the town zoning board to continue operating his business, an application that has community leaders in an uproar.
In 1985, a fire destroyed the original Hempstead Tire building on Hempstead Turnpike. Chazen rebuilt, expanding the structure from 1,200 square feet to 3,500. According to his lawyer, Wayne Edwards, Chazen thought his current permit allowed for the larger building, but he was informed only last year that it does not allow for the structure's current size. "He had operated for 16 years without a problem," Edwards said.
Many West Hempstead residents don't want Chazen to receive the permit he is trying to obtain. "The business has not been an asset to the community," said Rabey, who is now leading the fight to stop the permit's approval.
Unable to fight the permit on their own, area residents contacted the Civic Association to alert it to what they believed were violations on the part of the business. According to Rabey, cars and trucks often block the sidewalk along Hempstead Turnpike during business hours, and there are tires stacked along the shop's back fence, creating a fire-code violation.
According to Edwards, the business received the original permit to operate as it does today in 1960. Edwards stated during a zoning board hearing Nov. 13 that the permit allows the owner to store tires and service large commercial vehicles. Edwards maintained that the business was well within its rights, and he asked the board to grant it permission to continue its operation.
Chazen's use of the building and parking lot across the street was also discussed. Hempstead Tire owns the property, where Speedy Muffler used to operate. Chazen uses it for parking and storage of his large tire inventory. Residents along Parker Avenue have complained that the stored tires provide an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes -- right next to their backyards.
Edwards explained that the use of both the structure and the lot is legal, and he assured the zoning board that Chazen has never received a complaint about its use from the town. "If the town should ask my client to stop using the building for storage, he would stop immediately," said Edwards.
Another concern raised by residents at the hearing was the use of the municipal parking lot behind the shop by Hempstead Tire employees. Chazen has asked employees to park there on occasion so as not to take up spaces that could be used by customers. Edwards explained that parking in the lot doesn't require a permit, and is not metered. Therefore, he said, it is legal for employees to park in the lot, regardless of whether this reduces available parking for customers of other businesses along the turnpike.
Chazen's lawyer explained to the zoning board that Hempstead Tire is important to the community because it is one of the few full-service tire stations in the area capable of outfitting a wide variety of vehicles with tires in a short time. With the large on-site inventory, the station can service everything from sedans to garbage trucks.
Scott Jablow, president of the Cathedral Gardens Civic Association, asked the zoning board not to grant the permit. "It would be an insult to the community for the board to allow this business to keep operating as it does," he said, "and it would legitimize what they are doing illegally." Jablow submitted photos, taken on different days and at different times, showing cars parked illegally on the residential streets surrounding the business.
He also explained that children living near the business are sometimes forced to walk out onto Hempstead Turnpike on their way to school when large vehicles block the sidewalk. "It is a shame that such an old West Hempstead business is such a blight on the community," Jablow said. "It could be a beautiful, modern and safe facility."
"We want our businesses to be responsible neighbors," said Greg Yuknek, president of the West Hempstead Chamber of Commerce. "If the board grants this variance, and Hempstead Tire starts to conduct their business the way they should, we will support them." Yuknek explained that the chamber has also received complaints about the business from residents.
At the close of the hearing, the zoning board chairman, Gerald Wright, said the board would be looking into the history of the building and the property as well as its current condition. After reviewing the case, the board will decide whether to grant Chazen the permit. No date has been set for a decision.
Edwards assured the board that his client intends to improve his business practices to appease the community, and that both he and Chazen are willing to work with residents. Edwards also agreed to Wright's suggestion that he act as a liaison between his client and the community in the future.
Rabey has urged residents with complaints or suggestions to contact the Civic Association by way of its voicemail, at 733-0879, or at its e-mail address, email@thecivicassociation.org.
