ONLINE EDITION FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2001

At a meeting of the Farmingdale Village Board Tuesday, Sept. 25, residents living on or near No. Front Street and Melville Road in Farmingdale expressed concern over a parking lot proposal being planned for the area currently occupied by the house of resident Thomas Fiorillo, who lives on North Front Street. The village is looking to acquire the land to expand the lot by parking field 6.

The village, in an effort to help ease the daytime parking stresses in the areas surrounding Main Street, approached Fiorillo about his home when he put it up for sale approximately five months ago. When Fiorillo first put his house up on the market, a senior housing developer was interested in the property but never bought it from him after the village board declined him use of the land. Since Fiorillo wished to sell the house, the village had it appraised and based on the condition of the house's fragile structure, it was valued at $122,000. According to village officials, the house's value is so low because it has not been well maintained and the structure of the house is warped.

After the house was appraised at $122,000, the village offered Fiorillo $132,000 for the property, and in addition is offering him relocation expenses.

The village encouraged Fiorillo to get the house appraised himself and, finding the village's offer inadequate, he did so and found it to be valued closer to $200,000. He claimed that the village's appraisal was based solely on the land value of just the property, not the house itself. In addition, Fiorillo argued that the village does not need another parking lot.

Some residents agreed with Fiorillo, questioning whether or not a man's house was worth an approximate 35 additional parking spaces.

"It seems a shame to use eminent domain to take a man's house away," one resident said. "This appraisal is absurd."

Farmingdale Village Mayor Joseph Trudden explained to Fiorillo and other residents that the village is not looking to just "take" Fiorillo's house.

"The house was placed for sale," he said, "that's how it was brought to the village [board's] attention. We're not here to take anybody's house away, we wouldn't [approach him] without offering fair compensation."

Village Attorney Patrick Mielo added that the village was offering him "above and beyond" the fair market value of the house, because of its condition, plus compensation.

Mayor Trudden told Fiorillo that he has the right to get his own appraisal, and that the board is willing to review the two proposals to reach a fair deal.

Even if Fiorillo agrees to sell his house to the village, residents who own houses surrounding the property on No. Front Street said they do not want another parking lot to be built in that area, especially those whose backyards would border the property.

"We have enough problems around here at night," one resident said, concerning the area around 7-11. "Trucks come late at night making their deliveries; there's a dumpster three feet away from my back fence," one resident said. "We're losing our privacy."

Although many residents agreed that an additional 35 parking spaces would surely compensate for the daytime parking problem facing the village, they were worried about what would happen at night.

"In the early morning hours you can hear boom boxes," one resident said. "Police are not around at 2 or 3 a.m. It this lot goes in, it will be nothing but problems."

Residents argued that there are better areas in Farmingdale that would be suitable and more beneficial parking lots. One suggestion was to put one in the area where Shamrock Pub used to be, since it is on Main Street, a heavy traffic-ridden road where people probably wouldn't spend much time. Placing a lot behind a main road, residents said, would only entice people to stay there since they could not easily be seen. In addition, residents were worried about people coming in and out of the local bars found along Main and Conklin Streets and loitering in the parking lots.

"You're just asking for more trouble if you go through with this," one resident said, reflecting on the recent drug-related arrests which occurred at the Downtown Bar and Grill. "I don't want these people in my backyard."

"We don't want to move," one resident said. "This is just another burden on the community. We want to keep our village beautiful."

The board, upon hearing residents' concerns and suggestions, said they will continue looking into other locations where placing a parking lot could be a possibility. They added that they had already looked into the area at Shamrock Pub, but that the space would not be cost efficient. They said they would take the residents' suggestions and comments into consideration and review the matter at the next Village Board meeting, scheduled for Oct. 16.