Residents soundly opposed a proposal to convert the Coastal gas station on Jericho Turnpike and Mineola Boulevard into a 7-Eleven convenience store during a public hearing Wednesday, and the board followed suit, voting 5-0 against it.

The board heard the testimony of two traffic experts, one representing the village and one hired by the applicant, as well as comments by several residents before voting against granting a special use permit. The permit is needed to remove the gas tanks and pumps and expand the building housing the current convenience store.

Raymond DiBiase, of LK McLean Associates, the engineer hired by the village, said the new use would yield more trips, further congesting traffic at the already busy intersection. He estimated about 50 vehicles ¬ 25 in and 25 out ¬ visited the Coastal gas station within an hour during peak time, and that 100 ¬ 50 in and 50 out ¬ would visit if a 7-Eleven was opened.

DeBiase also noted the potential for accidents because of the proposed layout of the driveways and said there is not adequate parking available to handle the increased business. After the expansion, the lot would only accommodate 11 parking spaces.

"There is a question of what happens when you have more than 11 cars," DeBiase said. "But a 7-Eleven is a place many people stop at on the way to work, and occasionally you get landscaping trucks and the occasional tractor trailer as well."

The applicant had Dan Disario, a traffic expert with Atlantic Traffic and Design Engineers, Inc. based in New Jersey, counter DeBiase's figures and assumptions.

"People who will go there will be people already on Mineola Boulevard and Jericho Turnpike," he said. "There will not be significant traffic impacts."

Disario also said parking overflow would not be a problem, noting, "If the parking lot is full, in our experience, motorists will most likely bypass a particular site and make their purchase elsewhere."

Burkhard Avenue resident Jeff Harnett, who once owned a deli in Suffolk County, disagreed.

"I think it's a little insult to our intelligence that they don't see an increase in customers because of there only being 11 parking spots," he said. "If you're a Dunkin' Donuts shopper, you'll wait for Dunkin' Donuts. If you're a 7-Eleven shopper, you'll wait."

Other residents' concerns had nothing to do with traffic, but with the store's 24-hour operation.

"I worry about nocturnal visits from undesirables once this place is open 24 hours," said Patrick Tobin, a Royal Avenue resident. "It will be a constant hangout and the phones will be used for undesirable activities."

Alice Lineham, who lives two blocks north of Jericho Turnpike, agreed. She had once lived next door to a 7-Eleven in Lindenhurst.

"Everyone said I was the luckiest person in the world to live next door to a 7-Eleven. I had my milk and everything right next door," she said. "But the three primary products they sell are beer, cigarettes and coffee. It was all littered on our property, and one night I saw a young man relieving himself on our driveway and fall down drunk."

Banbury Road resident Greg Hunter noted that 7-Eleven would be yet another chain store opening up in Mineola, just down the road from the new KFC which is building on the site of the the old Jack's. He also said a building across the street from KFC is behind fences and under construction. Mayor John Colbert conceded that a Dunkin' Donuts is moving into the site that used to be occupied by a bagel shop. The chain does not need village approval since no alterations are being made to the building and the primary use is not changing.

"It's nice that 7-Eleven would have some place to handle their overflow with this Dunkin' Donuts, but my house is right in the middle," Hunter said.

Kevin O'Brien, attorney for the applicant, tried to appeal to the board, saying there are many 24-hour operations in the area already, including the gas station and convenience store which sits on the site in question.

"If one cannot operate a 7-Eleven on one of the busiest roadways in the area, it raises questions about where one can operate one," he said. "It's just a change of brand. We can go in tomorrow and change the sign and start operating 24-hours with the gas station intact without approval. We thought it was more logical to have one less gas station."

However, the board was not convinced the applicant effectively answered its concerns.

"I don't believe the applicant has proven they can protect the village from a safety standpoint," Deputy Mayor Warren Brinker said.

O'Brien said he will go over options with the applicant before deciding what the next step will be. It is possible that action will be brought against the village to reverse the decision.

One satisfied resident was heard to remark, "7-Eleven is out. Now we just have to deal with Dunkin' Donuts."