NORTHPORT, NY — A zoning application seeking a variance to convert the second floor of a Northport shopping center into an apartment building has been withdrawn as residents petitioned against it, according to the Town of Huntington.
The property address of 1015 and 1019 Fort Salonga Road — North Fort Plaza — located at the corner of Route 25A and Norwood Road, was seeking to build 19 apartments, said the woman who started the petition. The petition, created Feb. 24, garnered more than 320 signatures as of Tuesday.
“Zoning Board Counsel John Bennett has confirmed that ZBA application 23230 has been withdrawn by the applicant and any further application going forward for site plan approval would be to the Planning Board,” the Town of Huntington told Patch.
The petitioner is concerned that the zoning board application being withdrawn will allow North Fort LLC to move forward with the application without a hearing.
Click Here: 3d printing
There is usually a public comment portion, similar to town board meetings, according to the Town of Huntington.
A letter of denial from the Town of Huntington, obtained by Patch, told the applicant that 216 parking stalls would be required for the apartments while 149 were proposed.
Alan Medvin of North Fort, LLC, proposed a project of food shops, retail and a restaurant on the first floor; one studio apartment, 15 one-bedroom apartments and three two-bedroom apartments on the second floor; and site work including a mailbox, bench and planter area, masonry, an accessible ramp, a concrete curb and walkway, and a bumper overhand, according to a filing.
The property is currently a two-story masonry building with a shopping center and office space. The proposal is to replace the office space with apartments.
The petitioner said the proposal is out of character for the area.
“The ensuing detriment to the community’s quality of life and our property values is obvious,” she wrote on the petition. “This is an undesirable change that would be out of character to the surrounding neighborhood and a detriment to nearby properties.”
Her other concerns were the 24/7 activity that apartments would create, the increase in traffic, and an “excessive burden” on neighbors’ sidewalks.
“There is ABSOLUTELY NO BENEFIT to our community if such variance were to be granted,” the petitioner wrote. “The only benefit is to the applicant. Our community will be changed FOREVER! Do not let this happen.”
The current shopping center shuts down at 10 p.m. on most days when the last shop closes, currently a pizzeria, the petitioner wrote. Most stores and offices shut down earlier.
“It has been like this for over 20 years,” the petitioner said. “Apartments will create a 24/7 active parking lot, constant light pollution, noise from cars and people, increased sidewalk usage, increased traffic on Norwood Rd and 25A, foul smells, and black flies from additional sanitation containers, and 10 of these apartments will have outdoor balconies with no restricted usage times directly facing our beautiful residential zone with insufficient screening to the North and absolutely NO screening to the West. All residences within a reasonable distance will suffer from all of this newly initiated activity.”
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.