Last Wednesday, the Village of Mineola Board of Trustees reconvened a hearing on a proposed plan to erect a CVS store on the north side of Jericho Turnpike between Emory and Andrews Roads. Like the first two hearings, discussion centered on potential traffic problems a CVS might cause on an already busy road.

To assist the village in determining what impact CVS may have on the traffic in the area, the village contracted L.K. McLean Associates, P.C. Consulting Engineers to conduct a traffic study of the area.

Coming into last Wednesday's hearing, based on the way the plan is laid out, there is an entrance and an exit on Jericho Turnpike. Motorists traveling westbound on Jericho could make a right into the property. However, the New York State Department of Transportation recommends that cars traveling eastbound on Jericho not be allowed to make a left into the property. In addition, there is an entrance on Emory Road that can only be entered by cars traveling north bound. Therefore, only a left can be made into the Emory Road entrance. Cars exiting the site can only make a right onto Emory toward Jericho Turnpike. Andrews Road would only serve as an exit for a tractor-trailer making a delivery once per week.

The results of the capacity analysis contained within the traffic study revealed that the levels of service at the intersections of Emory and Jericho and Andrews and Jericho in between which the CVS would be located would not be significantly impacted by the additional traffic generated by the store, stated Ray DeBiase, who presented the traffic study before the board.

However, there has been some concern raised in the past that cars exiting onto Emory Road would turn left on Emory and head north to avoid the traffic light or traffic on Jericho Turnpike. Exiting CVS and heading north on Emory is forbidden under the plan and some residents expressed doubt that a sign would act as a deterrent to cars wanting to make a left out of CVS.

DeBiase suggested constructing a raised concrete island to the left side of motorists exiting CVS onto Emory Road. This island would prevent vehicles from turning left on Emory and heading north. "It would force cars more toward the right," DeBiase said. "In order to turn left, essentially the car would have to execute something very close to a U-turn. This would be considerably more restrictive in terms of discouraging the left turn."

Because of the construction of the island, Emory Road may lose a parking space or two, according to DeBiase.

Although the New York State Department of Transportation recommends that motorists traveling eastbound on Jericho not be allowed to make a left into the site, a plan to have a left turn lane on Jericho so eastbound cars can easily make a left into the site will go forward. DeBiase agrees that a left-hand turn lane should be part of the site plan because cars making a left onto Emory to enter the site could back up into Jericho Turnpike.

Representatives from CVS have asked the state to reconsider having a left hand turn lane into the property for residents traveling eastbound on Jericho. If such a lane is permitted by the state, DeBiase stated that there would be no need for an entrance to the property on Emory Road, which would only be used to exit the property. "The key reason that Emory Road access should be provided is to enable exiting traffic to leave the site and gain access to [Jericho Turnpike in order to make a left on Jericho and head eastbound]," said DeBiase.

The only time Emory may be used for an entrance is for a tractor-trailer making deliveries once per week. The vehicle could enter through Emory and then exit through Andrews.

Attorney for CVS, Thomas Pantelis, disagreed with the recommendation that Emory not be used as an entrance point to the store so that entrance is only gained through Jericho Turnpike. "I think you'd be blocking up the site too much," he said, adding that "some people may find it more convenient to make the turn on to Emory from a traffic signal rather than waiting for a gap in the traffic in order to make the left across Jericho Turnpike [into the site]."

Pantelis said CVS would prefer to leave Emory Road as both an exit and an entrance to the site, instead of just an exit as proposed by DeBiase.

Both DeBiase and CVS representatives agree, however, that an exit onto Emory Road from the site is essential because, without it, cars wishing to leave the site and head eastbound on Jericho would have to eventually head into the residential area north of the site. DeBiase said without the exit on Emory, the residential area would be impacted by additional traffic.

Village of Mineola Mayor John P. Colbert raised a concern that a tractor-trailer exiting on Andrews may touch the Tobacco Junction-Cugini's Pizzeria property. A representative from CVS assured the mayor that the truck, which is 55-feet long, would not touch the apron of the Tobacco Junction-Cugini's property.

DeBiase said he would like to see some projected sizes of the trucks and radii of the turns so it is ensured that movements on the side streets can be accommodated.

As far as parking goes, DeBiase said there would be adequate parking on the site and recommends that 'No Stopping' signs be placed on Jericho Turnpike in front of the site.

Mayor Colbert also raised an issue about outdoor garbage bins. The mayor said he witnessed garbage bins outside other CVS stores in other villages overflowing with garbage. "We, in this village, will not accept that garbage to be in front of that building, overloaded, out of the container and out into the sidewalk, the street and the parking lot," the mayor stated.

Pantelis responded that in order to prevent that from happening, garbage would have to be picked up more frequently during the hours acceptable to the village. It should be noted, however, that if CVS were to violate village codes with respect to the garbage, notices of violation would be issued to the Reese family, which is retaining ownership of the property. CVS is leasing the site.

Village Trustee Maryanne Warnecke raised concerns as to where the garbage bin would be located. CVS positioned the garbage bin in the front of the building as opposed to the back of it where residential housing is located. Trustee Warnecke also expressed her concern about it being in the front of the building, especially if the garbage overflows.

"At this point, we really don't have another place to put it. I think we're going to have to leave that to the board's discretion because we just don't have another place," said Pantelis, who added that the garbage bin could be enclosed in a structure made of brick, which matches the building.

As was the case in the first two hearings, Village Trustee Elizabeth Conlon expressed concern about potential contamination of the property due to the fact that it was once used for work on automobiles. Trustee Conlon wanted to make sure environmental testing was done on the site. Pantelis said a phase I environmental assessment was done to make a determination as to whether or not there was potential contamination of the property. There wasn't any conclusion or evidence that there was contamination, Pantelis said.

When it was time for the public to speak, Joseph Toritto of Emory Road suggested that CVS only have an entrance and exit on Jericho Turnpike, eliminating the need for entrances or exits on Emory or Andrews Roads. There is enough room on the site for the tractor-trailer making deliveries only once per week to exit and enter on Jericho, he said. CVS should be willing to make concessions in their plan, he added.

The board reserved decisions on the application and held the record open until Feb. 7 for sufficient traffic information by the applicant to the village.