Zoning board approves parking variance for North Babylon shopping center to add four tenant spaces

The Town of Babylon Zoning Board of Appeals approved a parking variance for Sunset Plaza in North Babylon, allowing the shopping center to reduce required off‑street parking from 1,479 spaces to 1,107 to accommodate four new tenant spaces, the board said.

The variance (application 25170) was requested by attorney Karen Zaroff on behalf of Jirai Sunset Plaza, LLC/First Washington Realty. The board first approved a negative declaration under the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) process and then voted to grant the parking relief after a presentation and a parking‑study review.

Why it matters: the applicant said the variance will let the owner lease restaurant‑ready or specialist retail spaces more quickly and support economic activity at the center without changing its circulation or adding new driveways. The applicant told the board the change is consistent with previous approvals for the plaza and would help market vacant spaces to prospective tenants.

What the applicant presented: Karen Zaroff said the request covers four tenant spaces and cited the shopping center’s earlier zoning history. Josh Herman of Stonefield Engineering presented a parking study based on continuous counts from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on a weekday and a Saturday. Herman said peak utilization was about 51 percent, leaving roughly 540–547 vacant spaces even after the new tenants are added, and concluded that “there would not be any significant traffic impact” from the proposed tenants.

Named prospective tenants described to the board were Link Medical (an outpatient physical‑therapy practice by appointment), Just Salad (a fast‑casual salad/smoothie concept), a satellite catering pickup for Uncle Giuseppe’s marketplace, and a placeholder “ghost restaurant” the owner may lease to a future food service operator. The applicants provided approximate staffing and hours: Link Medical about five employees, Just Salad roughly nine employees with hours about 10:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m.; Uncle Giuseppe’s pick‑up hours were described as about 7 a.m.–7 p.m.; the physical‑therapy use was described as Monday–Saturday, roughly 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Conditions and permits: the board’s discussion and the materials on file indicated the approvals remain subject to building and fire‑marshal permits and inspections. Town planning and environmental control memos were entered into the record; Suffolk County planning issued a local determination. The applicant submitted an updated parking study at the hearing.

Public comment and vote: no members of the public asked to speak on the application. A board member moved to approve a SEQR negative declaration and then to grant the application; both motions carried with all members voting in favor (vote tallies were not specified on the transcript).

What happens next: the plaza may proceed with tenant fit‑outs and leases, subject to any required building and fire marshal approvals and the standard permitting process.