Office of Borough President James P. Molinaro
Staten Island, New York
Borough President Molinaro Opposes Variance for Dunkin’ Donuts in Eltingville
Tells BSA That Traffic Safety Should Be a Determining Factor Guiding Approval
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Borough President James P. Molinaro has written to Meenakshi Srinivasan, Chair of the New York City Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA), to voice his opposition to the proposed modification of a service station and convenience store at the busy corner of Richmond Avenue and Amboy Road in Eltingville.
Molinaro has also asked the City Department of Transportation to study the intersection to determine if a 17.4-foot widening line along the Amboy Road frontage of the property will help the overall design and geometry of the intersection.
The owners of the service station at 3881 Richmond Avenue propose to demolish the auto repair shop at the site, retain the gas pumps, and erect a two-story building at a different location on the property that would house a Dunkin’ Donuts.
On Tuesday, Community Board 3 unanimously opposed the application, contending that the new building is too large for the property and insufficient parking is being provided.
Molinaro agreed with the CB3’s objections, and, in a letter to BSA Chair Srinivasan, wrote, “The issues of public safety, ingress and egress restrictions, off-street parking, traffic congestion, vehicular circulation and future expansion of Amboy Road should be the determining factor guiding the approval of any modifications made to the existing variance.
“As I said in my State of the Borough address, the near-sighted practice of not developing mapped streets to their full width has severely impeded vehicular circulation and precluded direct access to main thoroughfares,” Molinaro continued. “The long-term effect of this type of planning has drivers ‘wandering’ along public streets looking for a ‘faster way’ to traverse the Island. This ideology also puts the safety of neighborhood children playing in front of their homes at risk.
“At a time when inappropriate and haphazard development is the focus of a Mayoral Task Force, it seems that the basis for this proposal should reflect a high standard of site and building design that also meets all the parking requirements of the Zoning Resolution and real-world demands that will be placed on the Eltingville community after it is approved,” Molinaro concluded.
January 28, 2005