Community Corner

Village Board May Consider New Conklin Street Zoning

The village board meets tonight at 8 p.m.

With a , the Village of Farmingdale Board of Trustees may rezone certain properties in the next several months to accommodate that type of business.

While there is no plan to discuss Conklin Street zoning on the agenda for the Dec. 5 meeting (see the full agenda in the gallery to the right), some village residents are mobilizing to prevent new zoning designations in that area.

"We, the residents, are strongly opposed to new zoning and would like to inform and invite as many residents as possible to come to the meeting and voice their opinions," said resident Cristine Defelice, who lives in the area that would be affected. "Having restaurants where they aren't needed brings a variety of problems including noise and garbage pollution, not to mention rodents, potential chronic smells as well as drunk and disorderly conduct right in our own backyards."

Find out what's happening in Farmingdalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Some residents expressed concern at the October board meeting, saying that Conklin Street is too residential for restaurants to open in the vacant bank properties. Mayor Starkie was sympathetic to the concerns, suggesting an impromptu visit to the restaurant group's other eateries.

“Let’s take a road trip and visit Tellers unannounced,” he said. “Let’s see how they clean up and where they put their dumpster.”

Find out what's happening in Farmingdalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

This debate comes as the village and as the board recently to allow apartments to be built over stores.

"We have to show the Mayor and the board that while they are trying to boost the Village's economy, they should not be able to do it at the expense of the citizens and our quality of life," Defelice said.

Do you want restaurants to be able to open on Conklin Street? Tell us in the comments.


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