Mayfair Shopping Center Gets Approval For Expansion

With little fanfare Smithtown’s Planning Board voted at its April 17th meeting to approve the request by Levin Management to add a 3,568 sq. ft. addition (restaurant)  to the existing Mayfair Shopping Center.  At the April 3rd public hearing for the expansion about a dozen residents from the surrounding Commack neighborhood spoke unfavorably about the expansion.  The complaints focused mainly on maintenance and traffic.  

On a recent trip to the Mayfair Shopping Center on Tuesday, April 16,  there were indications that the landlord was doing its homework or spring cleaning, the center was a buzz with workers mulching and cleaning the grounds. The area behind the buildings was very clean with a remarkable lone paper cup trolling around the parking lot - remarkable because it was the only item out of place.

The Planning Department signaled that this application was acceptable to them with slight modifications. The ineffective stop sign for traffic entering Verbina Drive will be moved. Due to the sign being located on private property (shopping center parking lot), there apparently was no way to enforce it. The sign will be moved to Town property and will have better enforcement.  This addresses an issue brought up by a resident at the public hearing and apparently Mitch Crowley, director of traffic safety for the town agreed. In a memo sent to Planning Director DeRubeis, Crowley wrote: “The stop sign entering the shopping center at the Verbena entrance is not in  ordinance and appears to be on the shopping center property. However, I will do a resolution to ordinance. I will move the location to Town property. The stop sign will be enforceable 10 days after the approved resolution.”

A second issue of truck access was addressed by changing the configuration of the access route, allowing for better turning range for large trucks.

The Planning Board vote was 4-1 in favor of the application, with Planning Board member James Ehrhardt voting no. Mr. Ehrhardt opposed the expansion due to the proximity to the residents.  Planning Director Frank DeRubeis explained (speaking to Smithtown Matters) that the zoning on this site has been in existence for a very long time, and what  today would be zoned as Shopping Center Business zone, is zoned as Central Business. Shopping Center Business requires larger buffers and set backs.