Mineola trustees say decision on 110 Willis development unlikely next week after resident raises traffic, tree and infrastructure concerns

An ongoing hearing on a proposed residential-and-retail project at 110 Willis Avenue remained open after public comment and board discussion at the Board of Trustees' first meeting in October. A resident urged trustees to delay approval until additional studies and community concerns are addressed.

Resident Michael Kaufmann asked what the benefit to the village would be and raised traffic, tree and climate concerns, saying, "What is the benefit to the town of this building there?" Kaufmann also asked why the lot could not be converted to a park and said he feared overdevelopment and tree loss.

Mayor (unnamed) and members of the board responded with project context and procedural updates. The mayor said the board has held two hearings — a preliminary hearing in July and a second hearing in September — and that the hearing is still open. He said the developer has reduced the building by one story and cut the number of units since the July session. He added that additional materials remain outstanding: "There are still information that we need for our water study, our sewer study, and certain legal things that Mr. Givens is still dealing with their attorneys," and concluded, "I can tell you that it is highly unlikely that a decision will be made next Wednesday."

Trustees and staff described steps the applicant has taken and the village's requirements. The mayor said the applicant engaged an engineering firm (VHB) to prepare an environmental-impact package that the board described as a Type 1 review covering traffic, water and sewer, noise and other issues. He said the developers have proposed ground-floor retail uses (the applicant has mentioned an ice-cream shop, cafe and a rooftop restaurant in presentations) and that the project includes more than 200 parking spaces in current plans.

Trustee Clark and others framed the development as part of downtown revitalization, arguing it would remove an idle property, expand the tax base and bring residents who are likely to patronize local businesses. The mayor and trustees emphasized that residential use can produce different traffic patterns than medical or other commercial uses: "If the Sears building had been converted to residents, those people are not coming and going every 15 minutes for doctor's appointments," the mayor said, arguing that some commercial uses can generate more frequent trips.

Kaufmann and other speakers pressed the board on tree removals tied to street reconstruction, the trade-offs between adding housing and preserving the village's suburban character, and climate-resilient building measures such as solar and geothermal systems. The mayor and trustees said the village participates in Tree City USA and that, when streets are rebuilt, engineers survey and decide which trees can remain; they also said the village replaces trees it removes and includes tree‑planting in other planned projects (for example, Second Street plantings tied to New York Forward funding).

The board reiterated that the matter is not scheduled for final approval imminently. "That project is not being approved next week," the mayor said. Residents were encouraged to attend the scheduled continuation of hearings and to make record statements at hearings handled by a stenographer so remarks become part of the official record.

No formal vote on the 110 Willis application was recorded at the meeting; trustees said additional technical analyses and legal matters must be completed before the board can render a decision.