Politics & Government

Residents Beg Town: Buffer Homes from Jericho Turnpike Business

Homeowners say a car dealership within 10 feet of their property is too close for comfort.

Residents are crying for Town of Smithtown officials to enforce town code to keep a Jericho Turnpike business out of their backyards. 

Commack and Smithtown residents spoke out against Prisco Reality's proposed plan to expand an existing tree service and auto dealership at 927 Jericho Turnpike as would bring commercial businesses to within 10 feet of their homes and impact their quality of life.

"We understand that we live behind Jericho turnpike and that there will be businesses,  we just want all businesses to follow town code and practice proper environmental controls," said Linda Jablonsky, of Smithtown. 

Prisco Realty seeks the town's permission to make legal a trucking station to store a fleet of vehicles for Reliable Tree Services, who already operates from the site, and build a car showroom with more than 20,000-square-feet of outdoor storage lots for a expanding auto dealership.

To do so, Prisco needs Smithtown Board of Zoning appeals to grant him a special exception for a trucking station and 7 variances, including increasing outdoor storage from 3 times the size of the building to 20 times the size of the building and reducing the setback of outdoor storage in the back yard from 50 feet to 10 feet. 

Arthur Most, a Smithtown homeowner off Amsterdam Road, said he is fearful of Prisco Realty's request to reduce the mandatory buffer between the residential homes and Jericho Turnpike businesses to 50 feet for an auto dealership's storage. 

"The issues that comes from a lack of a buffer at some points during the summer and winter, the reflection of 40 windshields hits directly almost blinds you going around the [street] corner," Most said. "It’s quite frankly a very terrible eyesore. When people come to visit me, they ask ‘Where do you live?’"

Most and other neighbors fear if Prisco Realty has pushed so close without proper permission from the town what the future could bring. 

Town Attorney John Zollo said Prisco Reality purchased the Jericho Turnpike property in 2003 and made several changes. 

"_He went in and cleaned up what was a derelict building, spruced it up and painted it all without town’s approval," Zollo said. 

The town attorney said Prisco Reality's actions included cutting down a natural tree buffer between neighboring residential homes on Amsterdam Road and Jennifer Road. 

Smithtown officials issued several summonses to Prisco Reality, recalled by residents Tuesday night, for improving land without town's permission that got dragged into district court. 

In March 2011, Prisco Reality signed a conditional discharge with the town that they would attempt to get site plan approval for the buildings and developments on the property within 11 months. 

 It has tried to get site plan approval in the past, but had received multiple denials from the Building Department, according to Zollo. 

"He's been thwarted," Zollo said. 

Residents hoped to stop Prisco Reality's plans again, saying in addition to a buffer, it would have environmental impact from the sheer number of trucks and cars. Others alleged Prisco's been illegally creating mulch on the property. 

Victor Trimarco, attorney for Prisco Realty, said the businesses would agree to replant some type of buffer at the town's request and could assure no mulch would be made or stored on the property.

Zoning Board members said they will be seeking an environmental review of the plans and have held the hearing open for public comment. 


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