Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting – June 25, 2026
Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting – June 25, 2026
This meeting of the Town of Huntington Zoning Board of Appeals covered 11 public hearings and additional business items. The board granted most requests for variances and special use permits, with the exception of one application (Wildlife Center of Long Island) where the hearing was closed and decision reserved. All other items were approved unanimously, often with conditions.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 23682 – Wildlife Center of Long Island: Paul Deluginski and Regina Deluginski (business owners in the same shopping center) spoke in support of the proposed animal rescue hospital, noting its value to the community. Megan Meehan, a resident on Shawnee Street directly behind the property, opposed the center, stating that her family submitted four letters of opposition. Another resident, Mary, raised health concerns about disposal of deceased animals. The applicant’s attorney, James Margolin, clarified that dead animals are frozen and removed off-site, not placed in dumpsters.
- For all other public hearings, no members of the public spoke. Letters of support were received for several applications (e.g., from neighbors at 31 Sherman Street, 5 Henhawk Lane, etc.).
Discussion Items
- 23707 – 33 Sherman Street, Huntington: Request to legalize a converted carport (now garage and den) with front yard, side yard, and combined side yard variances. The board noted a letter of support from the adjacent neighbor and granted the application.
- 23693 – 4 Jason Court, Dix Hills: Request to legalize retaining walls too close to property lines to enable repair and pool certificate of occupancy. Granted.
- 23676 – 6 Greg Lane, East Northport: Request to legalize a second-floor addition, front portico, and rear deck (already built) with front and rear yard variances. Granted.
- 23713 – 10 Henhawk Lane, Huntington: Request for side yard and combined side yard relief to construct a garage addition. Neighbor support letters provided. Granted.
- 23695 – 515 Caledonia Road, Dix Hills: Request to legalize an existing retaining wall, front deck, and pool deck. Owner purchased property with these structures. Granted.
- 23706 – 118 Van Buren Drive, Centerport: Request to demolish an existing non-conforming detached garage and construct a new one slightly relocated on a through lot. Granted.
- 23671 – 19 Keeler Street, Huntington: Request to legalize an unheated workshop within a detached garage. Board conditioned grant on no habitation, plumbing, or heat. Granted.
- 23664 – 66 North Creek Road, Northport: Request to replace an 81-year-old detached garage on the same footprint. Granted.
- 23601 – 194 Dix Hills Road, Huntington Station: Request to legalize an expanded detached garage with workshop and a side yard variance (5.16 ft where 10 ft required). The board initially noted the application only publicized the side yard variance, but the applicant produced a revised notice that also included the workshop. After verifying proper publication, the board granted both relief items with usual conditions.
- 23682 – Wildlife Center of Long Island, 90A Washington Drive, Centerport: Applicant sought a Special Use Permit for an animal rescue hospital, parking relief to use the municipal lot across the street, and relief for having more than one principal building. Experts testified on traffic, parking, and real estate impacts. The public offered both support and opposition. The board closed the hearing and reserved decision.
- 23720 – Spagnoli Road, Melville (Amazon Delivery Station): Applicant sought (1) a Special Use Permit for overnight parking/storage of commercial vehicles, (2) an interpretation that fleet maintenance is an accessory use, and (3) a variance for a pylon sign. Experts presented site plans, traffic analysis, and operational details. No public opposition. The board granted all three requests with conditions (including runoff mitigation during construction and coordination with planning department to reduce goose-attracting areas).
Key Outcomes
- Grants (all unanimous): Items 23707, 23693, 23676, 23713, 23695, 23706, 23671, 23664, 23601, 23720. Each was approved by motion with a second; no opposed votes recorded.
- Decision Reserved: Item 23682 (Wildlife Center of Long Island).
- Other Business:
- 23517: Board determined that a reduction in porch dimensions (from 5x10 to 3x10 with interior wall adjustment) did not require a return to the board; attorney to be notified.
- 23518 – 7 Kingsley Road, Huntington: Following multiple inspections confirming removal of habitable features in sheds, the board granted the application to legalize two sheds and a fence atop a retaining wall, with usual conditions.
- 23703 – Jericho Turnpike car wash: The board granted the Special Use Permit, interpretation, and parking relief after reserving decision from the June 11 hearing; included a negative declaration under SEQRA.
Meeting Transcript
Okay. Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the zoning board of appeals for the town of Huntington for the meeting of June twenty-fifth, twenty twenty-six. Please rise for the pledge to our flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag. Please be seated. Um made one small correction, and if no one has any additions, deletions or corrections to make on it, I'll entertain a motion to accept the minutes. I'll make that motion. Mr. McGrath on the motion. Any opposed? Minutes are accepted. Uh Dawn, are all the appropriate postings and publications done? Uh, with affidavit formed to give us jurisdiction for the hearings tonight. Yes, sir. Okay. The order for the hearings tonight will be number order. First, two three seven oh seven, thirty-three Sherman Street, Huntington. Two three six nine three for Jason Court and Dix Hills. Two three six seven six six Greg Lane and East Northport two three seven one three. Uh ten Hen Hawk Lane, Huntington. Two three, six nine five, five fifteen, Caledonia Road, Dix Hills, two three seven oh six, one eighteen Van Buren Drive in Centerport. Two three six seven one, nineteen Keeler Street, Huntington Station. Two three, six, six five. Uh sixty-six North Creek Road. It's out in Eton's neck. Two three six oh one, one ninety-four Dixoles Road, Huntington Station, two, three, six, eight, two. Oh, ninety-four Washington Drive. That's it. That's the owner. Okay. And finally, 23720. That is 31 acres on Spagnoli Road. Okay, well, the applicant or the representative of the applicant for 23707-33 Sherman Street, please address the board. Good evening, Judge Ayur, members of the board. Mary Ellen Curtis, 22 North Creek Road, Northport, New York. The owner comes before the board this evening asking for good for forgiveness and permission to legalize existing conditions at 33 Sherman Street in Huntington, located in our seven zone. The home was originally constructed constructed in 1959 because the original building permit was never complete. A replacement permit was issued in 1962. Unfortunately, that permit was never finalized, and a certificate of occupancy was never issued. Following her divorce, she began reviewing the status of the property to ensure everything was in proper order. During the process, she discovered the outlining issues. Rather than uh leave them, she decided to resolve them. Um she appears before this board to uh obtain the necessary variances in the approvals for the property so it can be brought into compliance. The structure in question was originally construction constructed as a carport. At some point over the years, it was enclosed and converted into what is now an attached garage in the front porch, front portion, and is used for storage while the rear portion was converted into a den. To legalize this uh existing conditions, the property requires relief for the existing setback to maintain 13 foot nine by 21 foot deep structure, a front yard of 22.75 where 25 is required, a side yard of four feet five inches where seven feet is required, with a total side yard setback of twelve feet 45.45 where 15 is required. In addition, there is an existing 14 by 14 deck located behind the garage. The deck is approximately one foot three inches in height. While the homeowner has not been advised that a variance is necessary for the deck, she respectfully asks the board to acknowledge it as part of the application, so the entire existing conditions of the property is before the board. The intent is to ensure that the existing improvements are disclosed and to avoid any future questions regarding the deck.
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