At the outset of the last New Hyde Park Village Board meeting there was a public hearing scheduled. However, prior to the public hearing Benjamin Truncale, representing village attorney John Spellman, explained that the board was going to vote to repeal section 195-10 of the municipal code, which was entitled "Residents' Zone-Uses Exceptions."

He said, "Basically the repeal of this law would bring the code to consistency. Previously, this board, as a result of many public hearings adopted 195-7, which provides for the 'As of Right Uses' and Special Permit Uses for the B-Zone. Section 195-10 is an older law on the books and is not consistent with the new 195-7 so this is basically a housekeeping item to make the code consistent."

After a very short discussion the board voted to repeal 195-7.

The board then moved on to the first hearing. The hearing was conducted by attorney Chris Gomoka, representing Adeline Mucchi, who was seeking a special-use permit for take-out purposes for the premises located on the north side of Jericho Turnpike, identified as 1211-A Jericho Turnpike, New Hyde Park.

Gomoka said, "The applicant proposes interior alterations to the property and plans have already been submitted to the village building department. As you will note the plans have provided for a preparation area, a storage area in the basement, which allows the issues of trash to be refrigerated and the items have been conference with the Nassau County Fire Marshall's office for purposes of a primary review. The applicant is also prepared to comply with the Nassau County Fire Prevention Ordinance that applies to food uses including automatic fire extinguishers and fire alarms."

He continued, "The applicant proposes take-out food only. There will be no seating at the location and it will include a series of display cases and food preparation for cold and hot foods."

He explained that the applicant has a contract with a produce distributor. She will go there, pick it up and then bring it back to the store so there will be no on-street delivery. Additionally, Gomoka said, in the interest of being a good neighbor, the applicant wishes to work with local businesses to perhaps provide her with additional produce.

New Hyde Park Mayor Daniel Petruccio wanted to know what was in the building prior to the application and was told it was a hair salon.

Trustee Donald Barbieri wanted to know about garbage pickup.

Gomoka said he understood that the village picked up the garbage at the street, but he said if it becomes a problem his client would seek to contract with a garbage operator.

Deputy Mayor Robert Lofaro wanted to know what would be included on the menu and was told that there is no fixed menu at this time but that "mostly deli food" will be served on the premises with a choice of two hot lunches offered per day.

Mayor Petruccio said that he hoped the business would prosper and flourish, but that he didn't see any chance of the area being enlarged into a

restaurant due to the amount of room at the location.

Gomoka said that the applicant does not wish to turn this take-out deli into a restaurant. He explained that there would be two full-time employees; one at the opening in the morning and one at the closing in the evening and the projected hours are from 7 a.m. to approximately 5 or 5:30 p.m. and will only serve soft drinks and juices.

Lofaro pointed out that due to a lot of fast-food stores on the Turnpike there would be a lot of competition for a deli and would her food be offering any different kind of fare.

Gomoka said, "Previously the applicant had been a caterer and she is aware of the competition, but she will be offering a somewhat different menu, one that will include spicy foods along with a regular menu. The name of the deli, which has just been approved, will be "Adeline's Sweets."

Ed Powers was the only audience member to address the board regarding this application. He said, "I have been looking at an empty store for the longest time in this location and I am happy that somebody is going to bring business into the community that will be an asset to the community. This store has turned over at least 10 or 15 times in the 39 years I have lived here and I am in full support of this application."

The board adjourned this hearing and the application will be sent to the Nassau County Planning Commission for their approval. It will then be brought back to the board for a vote.

Robert McNulty was the next applicant. He purchased the property on 806 Third Avenue in an Industrial Zone for purpose of parking his five landscaping trucks.

He explained that he has been in the business that he started himself 21 years ago. He said that most of his work is in Manhattan and that he is licensed in the village, Nassau and New York City. He said, "I bought the property so that I could walk four blocks to work, get into my truck and drive to Manhattan."

Trustee Lawrence Montreuil wanted to know about the house on the property. McNulty said he was going to try to park the trucks alongside the house rather than in front of the house. The house has two offices on the ground floor and an apartment above. He said he would keep one office for himself and that he might lease the other office, but might leave it empty.

He said, "Since most of my work is in Manhattan my trucks have no trailers and any equipment would be small and in the trucks. All fourteen men are uniformed. They will arrive between 6:30 and 7 a.m. and get into the trucks and go."

In an answer to a question posed by Trustee Donald Barbieri he said he would not be going on residential streets. He said, "We will make a left on Third Avenue, a right on Covert and down Jericho Turnpike."

Another question was posed regarding the storage of any waste products and McNulty explained that any waste will be dumped at a site in Westbury prior to returning to the site.

It was explained that this application would also have to go before the Nassau County Planning Board to be approved and then sent back to the village board for their approval.

As is the custom at board meetings, the first few minutes are devoted to any person in the audience who might wish to speak. This is done so that they don't have to wait for the entire meeting to voice their concerns.

The first person to speak was the owner of a building supply company on Plaza Avenue. She said that since the one-hour parking has been instituted it has been a hardship to her employees and to her. She explained that most of her employees are drivers who park their cars and then she has to keep feeding the meters for the day. She said that when the four-hour parking meters were in place it was a lot easier and she requested that the four-hour meters be brought back again.

Deputy Mayor Lofaro explained that maximum parking in the village is four-hours and then a car would have to be moved or be subject to being summoned.

She said that was much better than a one-hour parking limit. "We have almost 20 employees and it has become a nightmare. They arrive at 6 a.m., in the dark, and parking is awful," she said.

Mayor Petruccio wanted to know how recently the time had been changed and he was told by the owner quite recently.

In researching the problem, apparently when new sidewalks were installed in that area, the meters were removed and replaced, once the sidewalks were completed, with one-hour meters.

The owner of a trophy company came to the microphone and explained that it was his renovation of his store on Plaza Avenue that installed the new sidewalks and he said he would prefer to have 15 minute meters because his store has walk-in traffic. He explained that the parking in front of his building was for his customers only and that he had purchased space for his employees to park across the street.

The woman pointed out that after Miller Brothers, her business was the oldest in the village.

Mayor Petruccio said he would take all the information and go back to the board for a decision.

The next person to the speak was Anthony LoPinski who is petitioning against Open House street signs that are put on lawns and on the streets throughout the village by real estate brokers.

He said he has been up against a "brick wall" in the Town of North Hempstead. He said they are not doing anything to curtail the signs even though they are against the law.

Mayor Petruccio said that he didn't want to speak for the entire board but that he felt there were better ways to sell a house than to stick signs all over the place.

Lofaro said, "We have written it into our village code and have instructed all the local real estate what our restrictions are on signs. And, now sellers will receive a summons when there are signs on their houses or on the street directing folks to their houses."

He continued, "We want residents and real estate agents to sell homes, but we need to draw the line and the best tool we have is to enforce the law that is on the books."

LoPinski said that he was told to take the signs and lay them on the ground.

Mayor Petruccio said, "I would not advise you to touch anyone's sign."

The board then ended the public comment and asked for trustee reports.

New Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce

Trustee Coppola said that he attended the last Chamber meeting at Umberto's. He said that the new president is Chris Volpis and the vice president is Richard DeMartino.

Parks & Recreation

Surveys are back and are being reviewed.

Fire Department

Everyone is reminded, that since it's the Christmas season, to be careful with "live" Christmas trees, to keep them watered and away from

heaters and to be careful with candles. They are very dangerous. Further more, all residents are asked to clear the snow away from fire hydrants in front of their homes.

Department of Public Works

Lofaro asked that now that the snow has arrived to please move your cars off the street so that the DPW can plow from curb to curb. Anyone shoveling his/her driveway should put the snow on the side, not in the middle of the street that has just been plowed.

Beautification Committee

Lofaro said, "Since the committee has installed signs all around the village that say, 'Let it Snow' we have had record snow falls. The mayor recognized the committee for putting up wreaths around the village and at village hall and thanked Richard Polisco and his committee for doing a great job: "I would just like to thank the DPW for all the work they do in decorating village hall. We sleep at night and we wake up and it's clear."

Lift Elevator

A pre-construction meeting will be held in two weeks and that will mean that village hall will finally be handicapped-accessible and that folks will be able to get to the second floor.

LIRR

The LIRR has extended the comment period regarding the third track until Dec. 31, residents are welcome to do so.

Zoning Board

Next meeting will be on Jan. 11. On Nov. 15, Architectual Review Board heard several cases on sign permits. Future meetings will be held on Jan. 17 and Feb. 14.

Trustee Barbieri thanked the Cultural Committee and Lisa Miranda for the program they put on for the tree lighting ceremony.

Library

The library wants everyone to know that they are still in business and running programs for children as well as adults. Call for further information.

DPW

Trustee Barbieri thanked the DPW for clearing out the street scape area so that the Lions could hold their annual Christmas tree sale.

DOT

The DOT will hold a meeting in January to discuss how funding, allocated by Congresswoman McCarthy, will be distributed.

The mayor announced that a meeting of the master plan committee was scheduled but the chairperson, John Shapiro, fell ill and could not attend so that it will be rescheduled.

He also announced that the property that once housed Copperfields and Luna Lounge has been closed as a result of the efforts of the village attorney. He said, "I want to thank the board for their help in closing down these establishments. Sometimes we can't talk about what is being done to make something like this happen, but we are always working behind the scenes."

In other matters, the village tabled a request from the Rescue Company of the New Hyde Park Fire Department to hold a three-day fund-raising event (rose sale) from Feb. 12 through Feb. 14. They requested the use of 3 parking spaces at the northeast corner of the village lot, next to the two handicapped spaces, for Feb. 14, to be used after 9 p.m. on Monday and vacated by 9 p.m. on Tuesday. The reason the request was tabled was because the mayor and trustees had just received it and did not have time to fully discuss it.

The next meeting will be held on Dec. 20 and a special hearing will be held at 7:30 p.m. prior to the meeting of Jan. 3, 2006.