Town Holds Hearing on Woodbury Shopping Area

Owners of a Woodbury shopping strip are asking the Town of Oyster Bay to help them get more breathing room.

The town held a hearing Tuesday on a request by the owners of 8025 Jericho Realty Corp's request to remove a buffer area near the intersection of South Woods Road and Jericho Turnpike.

The property features the likes of Dugan's Sandwich Shop and Gabby's Bagels. Lawyers for the property owner want to get rid of or at least reduce the buffer from the north side of the shopping strip.

The property was once farmland owned by Dugan Poultry. A 50 foot buffer had been required to separate homes from the farm's chicken coops. Over the years the property has converted to a business area. A site plan has been submitted to the town which would create a 10 foot buffer, with new landscaping and a parking lot to handle drainage.

To appease current tenants, dumpsters will be added, with pick up scheduled five days a week.

The board said they will reserve decision on the matter, and seemed optimistic that plans for the property will move forward without issue.

Other resolutions authorized at the meeting include:

• The New York Naval Militia will dock their vessel at John J. Burns Park ramp for the 2012 boating season, and will dock additional law enforcement boats for training on August 20-24.
• The corner of Louden Street and Clocks Blvd. in Massapequa will be designated "Town of Oyster Bay Dog Park", allowing animals on the property.
• Town-wide senior trips for the third quarter of 2012 have been approved for various dates and locations.
• The town will assist the East Norwich Volunteer Fire Co. #1 in celebrating their 100th anniversary and host the 5th Battalion Parade and Drill on June 16.
• The town will partner with the Jones Beach Power Squadron in the WAKEUP program (Waterways Adopted Keep Environments Undamaged and Protected), to hold the annual World Oceans Cleanup Day on June 9 at the Saladino Memorial Marina and Tobay Beach.
• An amended site plan has been approved for Cold Spring Harbor Labs in Woodbury.
• A hearing will be held to address potential improvements of facilities for the Oyster Bay-Hempstead Joint Community Hall and Swimming Pool District.

The next regular meeting open to the public will be Tuesday June 19, 10 a.m. at Town Hall, 54 Audrey Avenue in Oyster Bay.