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Fair Residents: ‘No’ to Taco Bell
Board of Appeals to rule on Wantagh Avenue plan
Wantagh residents spoke out against a proposal for a new Taco Bell drive-through restaurant at a Town of Hempstead Board of Appeals hearing on Feb. 25. Traffic was their primary concern.
“It’s going to destroy traffic and make for more dangerous pedestrian walking,” said Victor Arena, who attended the hearing with his wife, Jane. They live across the street from 1260 Wantagh Ave., the site of the proposed 2,148-square-foot Taco Bell, which would replace a vacant building that most recently housed a Chase Bank.
The Arenas pointed to the history of accidents at the closest intersection, Wantagh and Flower avenues.
“The area is already congested,” added Paulie Briggs, who lives on the west side of Wantagh Avenue, less than a half-mile south. And Ronnie Caduhada, who lives across the street from the site, said he already has trouble getting out of his driveway during the evening rush hour.
Victor Arena noted that there is already a Wendy’s drive-through on Wantagh Avenue, and its traffic occasionally causes backups. Since a Taco Bell could be expected to do even more drive-through business because of its prices, Arena said, that should be a good indication that the restaurant would cause traffic problems.
But traffic wasn’t the only concern residents raised. Briggs said she was concerned that a Taco Bell would create a lot of food-wrapper trash in the area. Jane Arena noted that even though Wantagh Avenue is a main thoroughfare, it also has lots of homes, is not the place for a restaurant that would be open until 2 a.m. “Any resident of the Town of Hempstead deserves to have some peace and quiet,” she said. “This will just ruin the quality of life.”
Representatives of Taco Bell appeared before the Board of Appeals to seek approvals for the drive-through restaurant, a menu board and a monument sign near the road. Additionally, the chain is seeking a parking variance, because its plan calls for 23 spots, one fewer than required by town code.
“I think we’re going to be a welcome addition,” said attorney John Farrell, who was representing Taco Bell’s owner, Yum Brands. “We’re hoping to get rid of an underutilized building.”
