New Hyde Park’s Board of Trustees weighed in on permits for new business openings at its Thursday, March 20, meeting.
The board heard two proposals for special use zoning permits, one for an acupuncture practice and one for a convenience store at the meeting. Both required a special use permit because the proposed businesses are non-conforming uses under the zoning regulations.
President of True Life Acupuncture PC Minja Cho requested a special use permit for a space on Jericho Turnpike to be used as a medical equipment and therapy practice.
Cho proposed that True Life Acupuncture be located at 1521 Jericho Turnpike with operating hours of 10 a.m to 7 p.m Monday through Friday, and potentially Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
New Hyde Park Mayor Christopher Devane approved Cho’s special use application, adding that a written decision would follow the verbal one.
A second special use permit was requested by O. Beatriz Salar Rivas at 405-407 Jericho Turnpike for a convenience store that would sell pre-packaged food and beverage products.
Rivas said she and her husband would work at the convenience store and would have the establishment in operation seven days a week.
Residents raised concerns about this request, including Juan Xia, who wrote an email to the village clerk about his opposition to the proposed convenience store.
“One of my primary concerns is the worsening rodent problem in our neighborhood. Last summer, in particular, we frequently saw rats running through the streets, significantly impacting the quality of life for residents,” said Xia. “The addition of a convenience store, which is likely to generate more food waste, could further exacerbate this issue, leading to serious health and sanitation concerns for the community.”
The board closed the hearing on the convenience store by reserving, or deferring, their decision on it to a later date. Devane said the board would further discuss their decision and give Rivas an answer within a week.
Later in the meeting, Devane, who was elected to his second term as mayor last Tuesday, said he wants his administration’s next four years to be even more successful than the last four years.
“When we got in here four years ago, the facilities were falling apart. The community center was an absolute embarrassment,” Devane said. “We’re going to get a new community center started soon, open it, and have it for senior citizens to come in daily and have their breakfast. We’re going to have movie nights. We’re going to celebrate a country a month and have food and entertainment. Our young people are going to say ‘the first Friday night of every month we can’t go anywhere but the Marcus Christ Community Center because we’re gonna have fun there.”
Deputy Mayor Madhvi Nijjar announced that the village applied for Community Development Block Grant Funding from the county. She said this was the village’s 51st year applying for the program’s funding and it would use the funding for senior programming, ADA compliance updates, and the village’s residential rehabilitation program, which allows residents under a certain income level to apply for money to repair or improve their homes.
Nijjar said the village currently has money in its residential rehabilitation program available to residents and urged people to apply for it so the community could continue to benefit from the program.
Trustee Arthur Savarese, who is stepping down at the end of his term, said Thursday’s Board of Trustee’s meeting would be his last.
“I am very proud of the work and the accomplishments this administration has done and will continue to do with the leadership of Mayor Devane and Deputy Mayor Madhvi Nijjar,” said Savarese. “It’s been a great experience and I have a greater appreciation for local government.”
Savarese is being replaced by Edward M. Quinlan, who was elected to the board last Tuesday.
