The Glen Cove Planning Board held three public hearings on Oct. 2 and all three were for the purposes of discussing proposals for food establishments. The board did not render decisions on any of the three, (reopening the diner at the Orchard Plaza shopping center, a Starbuck's on the former site of Fleet Bank on Glen Cove Avenue and an upscale supermarket on Forest Avenue), but anticipate conditional approvals by their next meeting.

The upscale supermarket generated spirited debate sparked by comments from an attorney and a professional engineer representing an established supermarket and the landlord of the property on which the supermarket is located.

The proposal is for renovation and expansion of existing retail space to create a 36,000 square foot upscale supermarket spanning from the former Pergament up to and including the former CVS on Forest Avenue. The project would abut the current Stop and Shop.

Residents speaking in favor of the project cited the necessity of another supermarket in Glen Cove to provide healthy competition to the one establishment left in the city. One resident said another supermarket is needed especially with the upcoming opening of the Avalon luxury apartments on the former Eisenstadt's and OTB sites.

Stop and Shop's representatives oppose this project based on what they call deficiencies in the site plan, lack of proper environmental impact study and an over-intensification of use. They also cite the necessity for the applicant to obtain a list of variances from the Board of Zoning Appeals. Stated for the record was Stop and Shop's intent to vacate their current location and move into the current Farmer's Bazaar. Stop and Shop's representatives said that in no way are their objections based upon not wanting competition. The new project, according to Stop and Shop, would render the soon-to-be-vacated space unmarketable.

Speaking on behalf of his client, Jacob Adani, local attorney Nicholas Sordi, Jr. said the proposal would be located in the B-3 shopping center district in which a supermarket is a permitted principal use. Over the past 40 years, the site has been the location of quite a number of supermarkets including Bohack, Farmer's Bazaar and Hill's. Mr. Sordi said, "It would appear to me that, although they claim to welcome competition and they've indicated Stop and Shop is going to close the existing store and keep their facility at the present Farmer's, their efforts here are clearly calculated to delay and to frustrate the application to avoid competition." Mr. Sordi said Stop and Shop's representatives wish to sandbag and frustrate a genuine application for an existing site. Glen Cove Building Department Administrator Anthony Maurino said, "The City carefully reviewed the off-street parking plan, the site plan submitted and concluded prior to the hearing that all documentation is in order. Nevertheless, the planning board, in fulfillment of its planning duties is requesting more information from the applicant, which is not uncommon. As far as the zoning code is concerned, no variances appear to be necessary."

The public hearing record remains open for comments and a decision by the planning board is expected by Oct. 16.