Planning board approves Clancy Street Food restaurant in Manorville; Pine Barrens waiver noted

The Town of Brookhaven planning board approved a site plan and special permit for a proposed 3,293‑square‑foot restaurant called Clancy Street Food at the southeast corner of the Long Island Expressway South Service Road and County Road 111 in Manorville.

Planning staff and the applicant said the property is in J Business 2 zoning and lies in the Pine Barrens preservation area. The Pine Barrens Commission granted a core hardship waiver for the property in June 2024, clearing a key regulatory hurdle. The applicant sought a special permit for outdoor seating as accessory to the restaurant; the board approved the special permit and the site plan, subject to staff recommendations.

Applicant attorney Yulia Viola said the project proposes 48 seats total (22 indoor and 26 outdoor), two access points (right‑in/right‑out onto County Road 111 and access to the south service road), and exterior materials in natural earth tones. She told the board the identity of the tenant had not yet been secured. Don Hoehn of planning noted engineering comments remained and would be included in conditions of approval.

A motion to accept a negative environmental declaration and a motion to approve the site plan with staff recommendations numbered 1 through 8 and special permit 85‑4 30 d passed; the transcript records "motion carries" for both votes but does not show a roll‑call tally.

Why it matters: The project converts a vacant parcel to a sit‑down restaurant in a Pine Barrens preservation area; the commission’s hardship waiver was a central regulatory step and the board conditioned approval on outstanding engineering comments.

What happens next: The applicant will satisfy conditions listed in staff recommendations and proceed toward building permits and tenant selection.