Questions about a proposed rental car business’ parking practices led the Mineola Board of Trustees to table a decision on a special-use permit Wednesday night.
Auto Source 1, proposed for 461 Jericho Turnpike, would provide loaner cars to motorists while their vehicles are being repaired.
The owner of the business, Wendell Raphael, received push back from both trustees and local residents concerned about Raphael’s record of previous parking violations and a company website that advertises for tourists visiting the area.
Raphael maintained that his business only loaned cars to consumers whose cars were damaged and as such would not operate his business like a Hertz or Enterprise.
But one resident noted that Auto Source 1 website advertises for tourists visiting the area to rent cars.
“It sounds like if you’re coming from out of state and you’re renting a car, how is it that your car is in the shop?” Mineola resident Matilda Wojis said at Wednesday’s meeting. “It sounds to me as if it’s also a car rental place.”
Raphael said he has received five summonses for parking business vehicles on the street as well as in a municipal parking lot, which Mineola statutes prohibit.
When questioned by the board about the violations, Raphael said that he and his team were unaware that he could not park cars on the street.
“Our architects let us know that we couldn’t do that anymore,” he said.
Wojis, who lives on the street behind Auto Source 1, said she wanted to make sure none of the business’ cars would crowd the neighborhood’s roads.
“As long as our streets are clear and they’re not using it business, more power to them, they can have their car rental place,” Wojis said. “But just don’t clog up our streets and our parking lot.
The board voted to reserve the decision on the permits for a later date.
The trustees also approved a permit Wednesday for a new burger restaurant on Jericho Turnpike.
Metro Capital Holdings LLC, a realty group led by Jonathan Otto and Michael Korff, plan to open the Rex Burger House at 526 Jericho Turnpike.
The restaurant will implement a model similar to what many upscale burger chains, such as Smash Burger and Bobby’s Burger Palace, are using.
The customer would order their food at the counter and then wait for it to be served at a table, thus minimizing the wait time.
Rex Burger Restaurant would not have an operating bar and would be open seven days a week, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
After a brief discussion about employee parking and storage space, the board unanimously approved the special use permit for the new restaurant.
Rock Your Body Fitness was scheduled to make a presentation for the board regarding a permit but owner Mike Salvietti requested a new date to further prepare his presentation.
