Representatives from Stop & Shop said three traffic studies for a proposed supermarket at the former Liberty Industrial Site at the Main Street-Motor Avenue intersection showed that after some road adjustments are made, the store would be a perfect fit for Farmingdale. However, more than 30 residents in attendance at the March 25 Concerned Citizens Association of Farmingdale (CCAF) meeting heavily opposed the idea, saying that traffic and pedestrian concerns were not sufficiently addressed, and other options for the site should be considered.

Bob Bencivenga, a senior real estate representative for Stop & Shop, said that a left turn arrow would need to be instituted for cars traveling from Main Street to Fulton Street, from Main Street to Motor Avenue and traffic light timing adjustments must be made before the location would be ideal for the food store. However, Mike Grello, CCAF president, said that adding turn arrows would reduce green light time for other travelers, which could cause accidents and congestion.

RMS Engineering of Huntington conducted the traffic studies. Wayne Muller, an RMS employee, disagreed with Grello's comments, pointing out that fewer people would attempt to make unprotected turns.

Residents in attendance said the traffic adjustments would not work. Many said that traffic was a problem now, and would become much worse. Also, residents mentioned that Stop & Shop is open seven days a week and traffic would be worse all days of the week. Grello admitted he knew the property would be developed in the near future. But he said he had a better idea for the land.

"How about an office building there?" he asked. He added that the supermarket would pay the town $600,000 annually in property taxes, while the office building would collect $2.2 million in taxes.

In addition, residents said an office building would not only bring jobs, but well-paid executive positions that could be filled by townspeople. Also, an office building would only bring traffic five days a week.

Bencivenga responded that the supermarket would bring numerous jobs, including management positions. "Stop & Shop has shown that it will be a positive for the community," he said. "We contribute heavily to charities and community events."

Kevin Ryan, Stop & Shop's public relations representative, added that it would take an office building, a fast-food restaurant and a bank to earn $2.2 million in taxes. He also indicated those three companies would occupy a much bigger space than the supermarket and there weren't any potential tenants if that possibility were considered.

Ryan also said that all residents in the 11735 zip code were sent postcards asking their opinion about Stop & Shop moving in. Results said that 70 percent of the 2,196 respondents approved the plan. However, residents mentioned that people more than two miles from the proposed site wouldn't care if the store went in, and people living in other zip codes would be affected by the proposal. Another resident at the meeting said that the postcard did not discuss pros and cons of the plan. "We should send these out again," she said. "And we (the CCAF) should write it instead of Stop & Shop."

Bencivenga said he would be happy to see the new questionnaire and invited any questions or concerns about the project. He also said the supermarket chain would work with the public to determine times of day when trucks could make deliveries, in an effort to reduce noise. A number of residents voiced concerns in the past that deliveries and trucks idling at night would be disturbing for nearby homeowners.

A female resident in attendance expressed another concern that Stop & Shop would destroy local businesses and force a nearby Waldbaum's to close. And she mentioned that the many seniors who live in a local residential community that would travel to the food store would be forced to walk with pushcarts of food while trying to cross a busy road.

Bencivenga answered the first question by saying that Waldbaum's would not go out of business, and that many big companies have opened stores in the past with "mom and pop" stores surviving.

In answer to the second comment, Muller said any necessary pedestrian crossings would be installed.

Stop & Shop paid for all three traffic studies. Bencivenga received suggestions for intersections residents said should be studied for possible traffic problems that haven't been reviewed yet. He said he would look into the intersections as well as to review feedback he received during the meeting.

Before Stop & Shop can move into the former Liberty Site, the proposal must go before the town for reviews, including environmental quality. The county and state must also approve the proposal. According to Bencivenga, the Farmingdale Chamber of Commerce has already endorsed the plan.