Although the Middle Island Civic Association was not permitted to speak on Item 2 of the March 6, 2025 Planning Board Consensus Agenda — consensus agendas do not contain a mechanism for this — Deputy TOB Attorney Beth Reilly amended said item to include provision for the updatable sign panel advertising community events! We look forward to working with the developer and community groups to make this important detail a reality.
MICA has supported this project since 2017 and has attended, spoken at and furnished written conditional support for the ZBA, COZ and Planning Board Hearings.
In each instance, we have asked that a simple, updatable community sign panel be included on the two sided monument sign. In each instance, we received verbal assurances that this would be done. The current plans on the TOB website do not reflect this modification, and the MICA correspondence submitted for the record is not part of the public documents.
This location is an official gateway to the Gordon Heights community and was the site of The Red Rooster, a renowned lounge, restaurant and entertainment venue. Community event signs have been placed on this property for decades, and we do not want to lose the unique opportunity to continue this historic practice as we welcome an important business partner to the Middle Country Road corridor.
As of October1. 2024 it looks like work may finally be starting on the gas station and mini mart long proposed for the southeast corner of Wilson Avenue and Middle Country Road. This was the subject of a TOB Planning Board hearing on Monday, November 8, 2021 at 4pm. MICA has supported this project since it was first introduced to us by Steve Losquadro, attorney for developer/owner Mustafa Akkaya. Mr. Akkaya owns a similar well-maintained and successful business in Oakdale. After reviewing Mr. Losquadro’s presentation, MICA submitted a letter of support for a change of zone application, which the Brookhaven Town Board approved in September 2017. There is only one other gas station on the east-bound, south side of Rt 25 in Middle Island, and it is located well east of the Rt 21 intersection. Throughout the application process, MICA has noted that this location serves as an unofficial gateway to the Gordon Heights community; signs advertising local community events are often posted on this property. For that reason, we have asked that the monument sign for the gas station include some sort of updatable panel, similar to the corner sign at Longwood Public Library, so that future events can still be advertised. We made this request as part of our testimony at the February 2020 Zoning Board of Appeals hearing, and reiterated it in our letter of continued support to the Planning Board in 2021. Immediately prior to the Planning Board Hearing, Mr. Losquadro confirmed that the signage would be so accommodating. MICA included this assurance in testimony favorable to the project. The site plan and associated variance were unanimously approved by the TOB Planning Board, 6-0, at the Nov 8th hearing. The top photo shows a rendering of the proposed monument sign, with ample room for an updatable community notice sign at the bottom.
