Board approves Arby's application to build

An application for an Arby's restaurant on Sunrise Highway in Bellmore was approved by the Town of Hempstead Board of Zoning Appeals on Aug. 11. The restaurant will be at 409 Sunrise Highway, formerly a Speedy's Muffler.

Thomas Clark, the Arby's franchise owner, was represented by attorney William Bonesso. The case had been adjourned three times before the final hearing on July 29, so that Clark and his team could work with the community and adjust plans to address local concerns. The restaurant, as altered and approved by the board, will have:

•A front yard setback

•A drive-thru window with a menu board

•Off-street parking

•A double-faced illuminated ground sign.

The restaurant's hours will be 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. From Sunday to Wednesday, the drive-thru will operate from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Thursday to Saturday, the drive-thru hours will be from 6 a.m. to midnight.

The application was approved subject to certain conditions, including that the property be landscaped and properly irrigated. The board also required that all lighting on the property not reflect onto local homes. The board also requested that the speaker and communication system used at the drive-thru be maintained at a volume so that sound will not be heard beyond the property lines.

Bonesso said that his client is pleased with the board's decision. As a result of conversations and negotiations with neighbors, "it turned into a very reasonable and positive development project," he said.

Bonesso added that construction drawings must be prepared and submitted to the town's plan examiners, and a permit must also be obtained to demolish the former Speedy's Mufflers on the site. Bonesso said that once the permit is obtained, demolition would begin in the near future.

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