Town of Babylon planning board closes hearing on North Babylon medical office after groundwater questions

The Town of Babylon Planning Board closed the public hearing and reserved decision on an application by Khalid Enterprises Inc. to demolish an existing one-story building at Poplar Street and Deer Park Avenue in North Babylon and construct a two-story medical office with a 4,437-square-foot footprint.

The application, introduced by attorney Joseph Costantino, drew technical questions from planning staff about a proposed basement and concerns from neighbors about security and screening. The board voted to close the public hearing and hold the decision open while applicants and staff work with the Department of Environmental Control and the project engineer on groundwater and foundation issues.

Joseph Costantino, attorney for the applicant, said the property owner proposes a medical office building to be occupied by Long Island Comprehensive offering internal medicine, podiatry and cardiology. Costantino said the facility would not perform surgery and that a pharmacy on site would be limited to patients, not a public retail pharmacy.

Architect Brian Fisher described the proposed structure as a two-story building with basement, approximately 35 feet in height, on a lot the application lists as about 43,855 square feet. Fisher told the board the building footprint is roughly 4,400 square feet (the application package also lists 4,437 square feet). He said the project provides the 82 parking spaces required by the site plan and designates 17 spaces for employees.

Groundwater and basement depth were the central technical issues raised at the hearing. Planning staff cited a memo from Denise Graziano, Commissioner of Planning, and a Department of Environmental Control (DEC) review that “has deemed that this basement, the location and the height of it, may be problematic,” according to the board record. Staff asked whether the basement floor-to-floor height could be reduced; Fisher said the current plan shows a 9-foot-6-inch basement height and that the project team could study a reduction to roughly 9 feet if DEC and the applicant agree.

Fisher said his engineer reviewed FEMA mapping and test borings: the FEMA map shows groundwater in the area ranging from roughly 12 to 20 feet below grade, while the project’s test boring encountered groundwater at about 13 feet. Fisher said the team used the more conservative test-boring depth as a baseline and described mitigation options including a continuous heavy-duty vapor barrier extending into the wall footing, increasing slab thickness from a typical 4 inches to 6 inches, adding a chemical concrete additive (identified in testimony as Zypex) and installing dewatering pumps or hydrostatic relief drains and water-detection alarms if needed.

The DEC reviewer summarized a submitted test report dated Feb. 15, 2023, and historical groundwater data, saying the proposed basement “is likely to be problematic” and requesting the applicant consider lowering the basement elevation. The board directed the applicant to continue technical coordination with DEC and the project engineer; no final engineering approval or building permit decisions were made at the hearing.

Neighbors raised screening and security concerns. Gail Mascaro of 522 Poplar Street said the existing building has been “a terrible eyesore” and asked for a secure fence and locked gates at night. Khalid Nori, the applicant, said the site will have gates on the north and south exits that will be closed at night and 24/7 security cameras; he said the applicant would work with the board on fence type, adding that a PVC or chain-link fence with vertical slats and landscaping are options. Planning staff confirmed a residential buffer and screening are on the landscape plan and said they will work with the applicant to ensure an attractive solution for neighbors.

Board action: a motion to close the public hearing and reserve decision passed (motion by Daniel Chukan, second by Edward Winn). The board announced the record would remain open for written comments; planning documents are available for inspection in person at the Planning Department in the West Wing of Town Hall between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., by phone at (631) 957-3103, or by email at planningcomments@townofbabylonny.gov.

The board did not vote on project approvals at the hearing and left any final determinations on basement elevation, required engineering mitigations, and final fencing/landscaping to follow-up coordination among the applicant, the project engineer and DEC.