Trucking Station Proposed for Jericho Turnpike

A Smithtown business owner will seek the town's permission to construct a trucking station on Jericho Turnpike near the Smithtown-Commack border. 

Prisco Realty will bring a proposal to build a contractor showroom and trucking station at 927 Jericho Turnpike before the Smithtown Board of Zoning Appeals at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The property owner is seeking a special exception to build a trucking station in addition to seven zoning variances. 

The property currently has a one-story office building rented by Reliable Tree Service to store trucks, equipment and materials needed for its tree service business. The owner is hoping to redevelop the site as a trucking station with some motor vehicle sales. 

The application, dated April 29, reads, "applicant proposed to develop the site for his trucking station purpose for the best possible development of the site." 

The Jericho Turnpike site is 46,889 square feet and currently zoned for wholesale industrial use. The proposed plans calls for 10 parking spaces for trucks, where trucks can be parked or temporarily stored, and would have  4,376 square feet of outdoor storage near the roadway to display vehicles and equipment. 

In addition, Prisco Realty proposed to have 20,286-square-feet of outdoor storage along the back of the lot. 

The plan requires 7 variances from the BZA:  to reduce the minimum front yard landscaping from 8 percent to 2 percent, increase outdoor storage from 3 times the size of the building to 20 times the size of the building, reduce the setback of outdoor storage in the back yard from 50 feet to 10 feet, reduce outdoor storage and display setback of vehicles in front of property from 25 feet to 6 feet, permit outdoor storage that is not on the same property lot as the main use, and to permit environmentally sensitive land to be altered. 

Residents or business owners who wish to speak on the issue can be heard 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Eugene Cannataro Senior Citizen Center, 420 East Main Street, Smithtown.