The Town Board held a public hearing on a developer27s request to rezone 3082 Jericho Turnpike in East Northport from I-4 (Light Industry) to C-6 (General Business) to allow a proposed Popeye27s restaurant with a drive-through.

The public hearing notice described the proposal as an amendment to the zoning map under chapter 198 of the Town of Huntington code (local law introductory number 12-2025). Rachel Skelfo, Esquire, of Farrell Fritz presented the application materials and said the proposal calls for demolition of the vacant Yokohama restaurant (closed since February 2019) and construction of a restaurant with a drive-through; the site is identified as Suffolk County tax map block 402.15, lot 35.

Engineer David Bittner of Boller Engineering discussed site details, noting setbacks and mitigation measures. Bittner said the plan preserves an existing 6-foot PVC fence at the rear, maintains a 5-foot buffer strip along that fence and proposes plantings on the property line adjacent to the nearby Learning Center. He described how the drive-through lane and menu board would be oriented so the menu board "faces the neighboring parking lot on the east side" rather than directly toward rear residential properties. Bittner also compared drive-through setbacks to nearby uses, saying the Taco Bell drive-through in the vicinity is 134 feet from residential property and that the subject lot measures approximately 191 feet when measured across an intervening lot.

A neighbor, Lisa Payone, who said her home sits directly behind the proposed site and adjacent to a daycare, told the board she strongly opposed the rezoning. Payone described concerns about late-night traffic and idling cars, noise, food odors, increased litter and rodent activity, and potential health effects from exhaust near areas where children play. "We ask that you respectfully decline the application for the zone change of this property," she told the board.

Skelfo provided the board with previous examples of nearby rezoning and existing drive-through uses in the area and said the applicant had mailed notices to property owners within 500 feet and posted signage as required. The hearing concluded with no rebuttal from the applicant and no board action taken on the zoning change during the meeting; the public hearing record was closed for this session.

The town clerk noted affidavits of publication, mailing and posting were on file for the hearing. No vote or resolution on the change of zone was taken at the meeting; the board will consider the application through its normal review process.