Day care expansion questioned in Mineola

Mineola village officials closed a public hearing on a proposal to expand a day care center but did not make a decision at a meeting Wednesday night.

Learn and Play, at 80 Herricks Rd., is seeking a special-exception-use permit from the village to move into an adjacent retail space. The center, which has nearly 200 children, anticipates being able to take more than 300 if the expansion goes forward, according to center director Madhu Kumar.

Alan Stein, a Garden City attorney representing Learn and Play, said the expansion would generate 20 new jobs.

But Mayor Scott Strauss and several other trustees expressed concerns about where the parents of the additional children would park. They peppered day care representatives with questions about increased traffic and patrons making illegal left turns out of the parking lot.

Resident Dennis Walsh asked, “Where are all these cars going to go?”

It is not yet known when a decision will be made.