By Taylor Fleming
Smithtown Town Officials Disagree Over Zone Change Petition at the Intersection of Route 111 and Route 347
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June 19, 2013 6pmOn Thursday, April 25, 2013, Frank DeRubeis, Smithtown’s Director of Planning issued a memorandum to the Town Supervisor Patrick R. Vecchio and members of the Town Board regarding a Zone Change Petition for lots located adjacent to the intersection of Route 111 and Route 347 and approved by the Board in February. Bolla L.I. Operating Corp. hopes to change the zone on one lot, from a residential, single family lot to a neighborhood business lot and to develop a large filling station with a convenience store on the two adjoining lots.
DeRubeis noted in the memorandum that he did not believe the zoning was necessary as there is an existing filling station and convenience store north of these two lots. His major concern, however, was the implications of the “jug-handle triangle” created at this intersection. “The issue is safety,” said the Director of Planning. He contended that the presence of a “jug-handle” indicates that New York State wanted the least possible amount of traffic movement at this intersection. “With driving,” said DeRubeis, “we [the Planning and Community Development Department] want to simplify. If [driving] is so confusing…accidents will occur.” According to the New York State Department of Transportation, since 2009 eighteen accidents involving one or two cars have occurred within 200 feet of the intersection of Route 111 and Route 347.
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Proposed site of 16 pump filling station and convenience storeDeRubeis believes that the zone change might present a traffic issue and suggested a town sponsored traffic study be undertaken. The developer conducted and presented a traffic study to the town which addressed traffic at the intersection and parking. The traffic study focused heavily on the lack of traffic generation being created by the construction. What the study did not cover was the interruption of the traffic flow, which according to DeRubeis will be significant. Councilman Robert Creighton said he does not believe further traffic studies need to be conducted, but DeRubeis was persistent and said that rather than the traffic density and parking information provided by the builder, “what was important to us was access.”
DeRubeis pointed out that the proposed access to the site, the driveway location, for the filling station is not acceptable according to Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) standards. Reading out loud from “Driveway and Street Intersection Spacing” during the Board meeting on June 18, DeRubeis said, “A driveway or approach connection should not be placed within the length of an acceleration lane.” Therefore, according to DeRubeis, the proposed driveway at this intersection violates ITE standards and should not be considered. He also noted that Bolla Operating Corp. expected to receive 60-70% of its business from traffic already on the road. DeRubeis believed this would be problematic to the area during rush hour times.
Councilmen Ed Weirheim and Thomas McCarthy support the proposal. Supervisor Vecchio remains undecided, stating that the project “revitalizes [the] corner” but “poses accident questions.” Vecchio also noted that while DeRubeis raised concerns, “there has been no opposition” from other members of the community.
On Thursday, June 20, the Town Board with hold a meeting at which the proposal will be discussed and either approved or denied for environmental concerns. If approved, the proposal will then need to gain a series of engineering permits and gain approval from the New York State Department of Transportation.