Planning Board reserves decision on 29-unit Oak Street apartment project in Copiague

The Town of Babylon Planning Board on June 30 held a public hearing on a site-plan application by 471 Oak Street LLC to demolish several existing structures and build a three-story, 29-unit apartment building at a consolidated parcel on the north side of Oak Street in the Downtown Copiague zoning district.

The board reserved its decision at the end of the hearing, keeping the record open for written comments and requiring the applicant to address conditions and comments raised by staff and the board before a final vote.

Nicole Blanda, an attorney with Bizzell, Blanda & Visconti representing 471 Oak Street LLC, told the board the applicant assembled five tax lots for a combined lot area of 33,548.82 square feet and proposes a building footprint of 11,225 square feet with 29 apartments (19 one-bedroom and 10 two-bedroom units), a basement for storage and mechanicals, and 34 parking spaces—matching the town parking requirement. "We consent to the covenants and conditions," Blanda said on the record.

Blanda said the project requires one density variance (the zoning allows 27 units; the applicant requests 29) but meets the parking requirement. The developer agreed to merge the tax lots so…