Town of Oyster Bay Board considers proposal for 7-Eleven in East Norwich

A proposed 7-Eleven and gas station with 16 fueling positions has sparked debate in East Norwich, and residents voiced their concerns to the Town of Oyster Bay board at a public hearing on Tuesday. At issue were the potential impacts on traffic, safety and quality of life in the hamlet.

The proposal, presented by representatives of the 6261 Northern Boulevard Corporation, includes the redevelopment of a 1.35-acre lot on Northern Boulevard. The site, which formerly housed a gas station and a pancake house, would be transformed into a 7-Eleven with eight fuel pumps and extensive landscaping.

Judy Simoncic, the attorney for the applicant, emphasizing to the board that the property is in dire need of redevelopment. She highlighted the history of the site, which has seen similar use for more than 60 years.

“This site is crying out for redevelopment,” Simoncic said. “It’s truly in dire need of redevelopment and upgrade, and it’s a prime candidate for that.”

Simoncic noted that the 7-Eleven would consolidate the four previous uses — auto repair, a restaurant, a convenience store and a gas station — into just two with a modern, streamlined facility.

Simoncic was accompanied by Zach Chaplin, a civil engineer from Stonefield Engineering, and others who outlined the project’s benefits. Chaplin emphasized the significant increase in landscaping, with almost half of the site set aside for greenery, including a buffer between the business and neighboring residences.

“We’re creating the buffer that just doesn’t exist today,” Chaplin said, noting that the site is now fully paved and lacks any significant landscaping.

According to the project team, the gas station would comply with all local zoning requirements, and the state Department of Transportation has already approved the proposal, considering its potential impact on traffic. The development would consolidate four curb cuts into two, which the team contends would improve traffic flow and reduce cut-through traffic to nearby streets.

Despite those assurances, residents expressed serious concerns about the proposal, and particularly the impact on traffic and safety. While two who spoke said they supported the project, more than a dozen others argued that the gas station would worsen congestion on Northern Boulevard, a busy four-lane road that connects East Norwich with nearby Jericho and Oyster Bay.

Sally McNeil-Rind criticized the traffic study cited by the representatives of the corporation, which dates from 2020 to 2023. McNeil-Rind and others argued that traffic patterns during the pandemic were not representative of typical conditions, and that a new study should be conducted.

“When were the traffic studies actually made?” she asked the board. “Some of us were told that they were made during Covid, which would make them invalid.”

Others raised concerns about safety, particularly for children who live and play in nearby residential neighborhoods. Several also questioned the need for another gas station in the area.

“We don’t need more traffic, more gas stations and more congestion,” resident Daniela Crocchiola said. “There are already enough places to get gas around here. What about the safety of our kids?”

The potential environmental impact was another point of contention. While the 6261 Northern Boulevard Corporation team assured the board that any contamination from previous uses would be fully remediated in accordance with state and federal guidelines, some attendees were skeptical.

In response, the project’s managing partner, Chris Torken, explained that extensive environmental studies had been conducted, and that any contaminated soil would be excavated and removed.

“We are working with the DEC to ensure that everything is handled properly,” Torken said, referring to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. “We don’t want to inherit any liability from previous uses.”

Despite the reassurances, the mood in the room remained tense, with many residents urging the board to deny the special-use permit required for the gas station.

“This project may benefit 7-Eleven, but it doesn’t benefit East Norwich,” Crocchiola said. “We need to think about the long-term impact on our community.”

At the end of the hearing, Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino acknowledged residents’ concerns, and assured them that the board would carefully review all aspects of the proposal before making a decision. The board did not indicate when that decision would be made.