A petition drive launched by a coalition of more than 20 organizations representing 25,000 homeowners has resulted in over 4,000 signatures gathered in opposition to the proposed mega-mall on the former Cerro Wire property. A package containing all 4,274 original signatures was recently mailed to Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto's office.

"The positive results of this petition drive further underscore the efforts of our organizations to let the public officials we vote for see and hear our 'No Mall Here' message loud and clear," said Birchwood Park at Syosset Homeowners Association Co-President Debbie Hunter. "We expect many of these same residents will voice their opinion in person starting at 6 p.m. at the public hearing on Sept. 7 at Syosset High School."

The petition drive, which collected more than 4,000 signatures in just over a month, seemingly contradicts a recent advertisement by the Nassau-Suffolk Building Trades Council that contends that only a handful of outsiders are opposed to the project, according to Howard Avrutine, Birchwood Civic Association Co-Council.

"It is unfortunate that the Nassau-Suffolk Building Trades Council has endorsed this project when there are other viable alternatives for developing that property that would still employ union workers and provide similar positive economic benefits," said Avrutine. "The Taubman forces have mistakenly tried to paint us with a NIMBY brush in their attempts to whitewash the devastation that this project would cause to the surrounding community. We are strongly in favor of having this property developed, however a mall is simply unacceptable."

In response to the 4,000-plus signatures collected, Gary Lewi, spokesperson for the Taubman Co. said, "If this is going to be a simple game of ignoring the merits and concentrating on head counts then the construction trade union which puts 7,000 people on the streets on Mineola, to protest crippling economic policies, will reach out to their members and double that number again. But we have to get beyond simple head counting."

"Currently, Oyster Bay and Nassau County homeowners are on the edge of a sustained series of double digit property tax increases as a result of this county facing enormous deficits," Lewi continued. "This project is the only economic firewall currently being proposed that can stand between us and property tax increases that will devalue our homes and a reactionary NIMBY response created by a quarter of a million dollar ad campaign is not going to fund a single solution. It is a disservice to those people who have signed the petition and having not been told what the true dynamics are either behind the motivation of those people who are sponsoring this program or how this mall proposal is a responsible, environmentally sound response to recycling the property."

Judging from the resounding response to this issue, the Oyster Bay Town Board has scheduled a special public hearing for Thursday, Sept. 7, to consider the Taubman Co.'s request for a special use permit. The meeting will begin at noon in the hearing room of Oyster Bay Town Hall East, 54 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay and continue until approximately 4 p.m. It will reconvene at 6 p.m. in the auditorium of Syosset High School on South Woods Road. The town board is prepared to stay until all parties have had an opportunity to present their cases. The public hearing will be the final stage of the application process before the town board votes on the developer's proposal.