Great Neck Estates trustees on Monday continued to question various parts of a conditional-use permit application for a second Shop Delight Glatt Kosher supermarket proposed for construction at the site of a former Rite Aid Pharmacy on Middle Neck Road.
The board voted to continue the hearing at a later date after analyzing issues with noise, odor, parking and traffic concerns posed by village trustees and residents.
Trustees said they would also like to determine what issues involved other government entities that have approval power over the application such as Nassau County and the state health department.
But trustees said the village should act as the lead agency on the application because it is most directly involved with the proposal.
“This board feels that there are major issues that we are not able to fully identify yet and need to be flushed out further,” Village of Great Neck Estates Mayor David Fox said. “Before we do that there are other agencies that might be involved and we want to find out whether or not they see any issues on their side.”
The application for the supermarket, proposed for 154 Middle Neck Road, was first brought before the board of trustees during its December meeting.
It would be the second Shop Delight supermarket to open in Great Neck, joining a smaller location about 10 blocks away on Welwyn Road.
Residents last month questioned the potential impact a second supermarket would have on traffic, sanitation and parking.
Engineers for the applicant, Great Neck Gourmet, Inc., said last month the Welwyn Road store has an average of 89 customers during peak hours, while the proposed location could accommodate up to 125 people during the same time period.
The store currently has a five-year agreement with the Great Neck Parks District that allows shoppers to use the Shoreward Drive parking lot at Welwyn Road across the street from the supermarket at certain times. Under the plan, which was intended to alleviate parking and traffic problems in the area, shoppers leave their keys with attendants from Woodhaven-based Progressive Valet Parking Corp.
At Monday’s meeting, one resident brought up a supermarket that she apparently remembers standing in the same spot many years ago that she recalls doing no harm to the community.
Another resident said that it is common for people to be skeptical about an application for a new business within the village.
“But everyone is complaining that Mill Neck Road is dying,” the resident said. “A New business? A supermarket? What could be better?”
