Mineola board approves Black Sheep Ale House beer garden

Rebecca Klar
The Mineola village board approved a request last Wednesday for a beer garden that Vincent Minutella, owner of Black Sheep Ale House, first made in March. (Photo by Rebecca Klar)

The Mineola village board approved a local bar’s request to open an outdoor beer garden on Wednesday in a 4-1 vote.

The Black Sheep Ale House, located at 78 Second St., requested the outdoor expansion in December and returned with revised plans in March after issues were raised by residents and the board.

The bar is located in the manufacturing district and surrounded by commercial lots, but is also adjacent to the residential Roslyn Road.

Residents had said the beer garden would increase noise levels and affect the village’s quality of life.

As one Roslyn Road resident, Terence Hale, put it – it’s a great idea but not in his backyard.

The revised plans included “literally five levels of sound abatement” from the garden to the bar’s closest neighbor, owner Vincent Minutella said in March.

The area will be enclosed with multiple levels of fencing and newly planted trees, according to plans presented in March.

All but Trustee Paul Pereira voted in favor of Minutella’s request.

During the meeting the board also approved a request by Amanda Gandolfo, a Huntington resident, to create a fitness studio in the village.

This will be the sixth Fit Body Bootcamp studio location on Long Island.

The gym will be located at 135 Mineola Blvd.

The fitness studio centers around high intensity interval training and will use the open space for classes.

During the meeting the board also unanimously approved a proposal to increase water rates, based on a recommendation by D&B Engineers and Architects.

The changing water rates are necessary as the water fund needs to be self-sufficient, Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss said.

Money from the general fund cannot be allocated for the water fund and vice versa, Strauss said.

For the average residential user, with a current water bill of $202.40, water rates would increase by about $11.29 per year, according to D&B.

For an average commercial user, with a current bill of $1,791.20, water rates would increase by about $190.92.

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