Town rejects proposed Costco in Hicksville

Oyster Bay Town officials yesterday rejected a proposed Costco wholesale store in Hicksville, just as they did in 2003 when the project first went before the board.

The proposed Costco at 555 W. John St. near Wantagh State Parkway would only add to congestion and dangerous traffic conditions that already exist in the area, Town Supervisor John Venditto said.

"The traffic volume is very high and the incidence of accidents is also very great," he said. "This one [decision] was pretty cut and dry."

The town board voted 6-0, with Councilman Anthony Macognone absent, to deny Costco Wholesale Corp. a special-use permit for a facility that would have measured 152,551 square feet, including parking lots.

After Oyster Bay first rejected the proposal in 2003, a State Supreme Court judge reversed the decision later that year, saying the town didn't give enough weight to testimony by Costco's traffic experts. An appellate division of the State Supreme Court in October directed Oyster Bay to complete a final environmental impact statement for the project.

Board members yesterday voted 6-0 to accept the environmental study, even as they refused to issue a special-use permit.

Residents commended Costco for taking some steps to address community concerns -- such as increasing the number of plantings in its plan -- but noted the company couldn't remedy traffic concerns.

"Their life depends on traffic," Hicksville resident Greg Yatsyzhyn said of Costco stores. "They want traffic."

A representative of Issaquah, Wash.-based Costco said the company does not comment on stores that have not received permits.

Costco's local counsel, Certilman Balin, which has offices in East Meadow, did not return calls for comment.