Week in Review: Proposed Sonic Dominates News Cycle

A proposal to bring a Sonic restaurant is being met with opposition by the Nesconset Taxpayers Association, a local civic.

"This is a poor location for a drive-in service," said Seth Weinberg, member of the group. "It's on a residential street that already has a fair amount of traffic and at an intersection with a fair amount of traffic. It will border homes, increase the noise and air pollution."

Weinberg said he speaks for the whole group in opposing the Sonic plan.

Smithtown's Zoning Board of Appeals is set to hold a public hearing on the Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Eugene A. Cannataro Senior Citizen Center.

More than 250 Nesconset residents showed their opposition to proposed plans to build a Sonic on the corner of Middle County Road and Alexander Avenue on Tuesday night. on proposed Sonic plans to express concerns the site location would generate heavy traffic, noise, smell and litter in their neighborhood. 

The proposed 4.5 acre site, shared with Ragazzi Italian Restaurant, is currently heavily wooded. Serota Smithtown LLC has promised a maintain a 57-foot wide buffer of trees and vegetation between Sonic and the neighboring residents to the south, off Dover Hill Drive, if given prermission to building. The proposed plans also include planting of additional 6-foot, 7-foot tall evergreen trees.

Among a crowd of outraged Nesconset residents, Sonic franchiser owner took to the podium in efforts to alleviate local concerns and fears. 

Spencer Hart, of Harrison, New York, took an opportunity to address local residents at the Smithtown Board of Zoning Appeals' on Tuesday night. Hart spoke directly to more than 200 gathered residents, as the owner of Sonic franchises on Long Island, alongside with his wife, who run it together as a family business.

Nesconset residents’ opposition to plans to bring a Sonic restaurant to the area quickly turned into outrage as residents felt their complaints fell on deaf ears at Tuesday night's town meeting.

Residents packed the Eugene A. Cannataro Senior Citizen Center to capacity Tuesday night as the Smithtown Board of Zoning Appeals held a public hearing on the project, proposed for the corner of Middle Country Road and Alexander Avenue.

Town of Smithtown residents have an opportunity to share their thoughts on whether Nesconset should become the second town on Long Island to have a Sonic restaurant. 

Smithtown Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on on the corner of Middle Country Road and Alexander Avenue, near Smith Haven Mall, at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Eugene A. Cannataro Senior Citizen Center. 

A Smithtown motorcyclist is in critical condition after an accident on Daly Road Thursday afternoon. Suffolk County police said a 911 call was received reporting a motorcyclist accident on Daly Road near Commack at 12:50 p.m. Thursday.

Stephen Peragine, 54, was driving a 2000 Harley-Davidson motorcyle southeast on Daly Road in Commack, 200 feet north of Blacksmith Lane, when he lost control of the bike and crashed into a tree on the opposite side of the roadway.

Smithtown resident and former Stony Brook University swimming and diving coach Dave Alexander died Thursday after a long battle against cancer. He was 62 years old.

The final retiree of the Smithtown Central School District announced during Tuesday's Board of Education meeting belonged to a familiar prominent face at the meetings and of the district – Superintendent Edward Ehmann.

The meeting was the last of Ehmann's 38-year career in the district, which began as a custodial worker when he was 16-years-old.