Northport hears feedback on restaurant use

Northport Village is continuing to wrangle with proposed legislation that would add to the permitted uses in its marine business district, which includes the Whale's Tale restaurant, as officials attempt to tailor the regulations to fit the desires of both nearby residents and the businesses in the district.

A public hearing on the proposal began in December and was taken up again at Tuesday's meeting.

The proposed changes would legalize restaurant uses in the marine business district, which currently encompasses only the Britannia Yachting Center, in which the Whale's Tale restaurant is located.

In addition to requiring special permission to have restaurant uses, the village is also proposing to limit the size of restaurants allowed in the district, require a master parking plan, limit outdoor dining, and allow indoor music only until 9 p.m. on weekends and holiday eves, and 8 p.m. on other days.

Village officials said they will continue to alter the proposal after residents on Tuesday expressed concerns about enforcement and the size of restaurants that would be allowed in the district. The board will continue the public hearing at its Jan. 17 meeting.

Milland Drive resident Andrew Aberham expressed approval of the effort.

"It's a giant leap from where we were last summer," Aberham said at the meeting.

Also on Tuesday, the village board adopted its 2012-13 budget. The $13.5 million budget includes a tax-rate increase of 4.22 percent, necessitated partly by declining assessments.

The property tax levy is rising 3.67 percent. That figure adheres to the 2 percent state tax cap which, after exemptions and other factors, amounts to a 3.67 percent cap for Northport.