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Neighbors raise concerns as Zoning Board approves outdoor storage for tent‑rental business at 566 Broadway
Summary
The Amityville Zoning Board approved outdoor storage and vehicle parking for a tent‑rental business at 566 Broadway despite neighbor worries about graffiti, fencing, lighting and storm safety; the Board attached conditions including registration/insurance for vehicles and adherence to prior Planning Board stipulations.
Kelly Bennett, speaking for VC Property Group, told the Zoning Board on March 19 that the long‑vacant building at 566 Broadway will be used for storage and staging for Royal Tents, a tent‑rental company. Bennett said materials would be stored on outdoor racks no higher than the building and that the operation is seasonal, typically closed January through March.
Neighbors who spoke at the hearing welcomed reuse of the building but raised concerns about site appearance and safety. Joanne Fisk said from her home she can see the property and asked about buffering and landscaping; Katrina Conway raised questions about lighting, surveillance cameras, the curb cut, a currently vacant area of the lot, past graffiti and whether unsecured materials could blow away during a storm. Rudy B. asked if child safety could be affected by activity near nearby schools.
Board and staff responses
Chair Tracey Cullen and Building Inspector Michael Breitweg said the proposed use is a conforming warehouse‑type operation and that prior Planning Board conditions and an existing site plan apply. Cullen told residents the site would operate as a warehouse, not a showroom, and said "there will be no customers" coming to the site. Breitweg noted prior work on drainage and that some preexisting Planning Board approvals inform the current application.
Conditions and stipulations
The Board approved the special exception 5–0 and attached five stipulations: (1) no fencing may be erected around outdoor‑stored items without separate approval from the appropriate body; (2) applicant must comply with the submitted plans; (3) vehicles must be registered and insured; (4) applicant must comply with all previous Planning Board requirements and stipulations; and (5) applicant must comply with all Village, State and local codes.
What neighbors and readers should know
- Applicant stated staffing typically ranges from two to 12 employees depending on the season and that trucks will be standard commercial box trucks registered to the business. - The Board indicated that details about landscaping, fencing or traffic analysis fall under Planning Board purview or Building Department review; it did not require additional traffic studies at this hearing.
The Board’s approval allows reuse of a vacant building with conditions intended to limit nuisances and formalize permit and insurance requirements; residents may pursue follow‑up with the Planning Board or Building Department if site conditions change.
