Hearing on Hempstead Costco gas plan

A Costco Wholesale Corp. plan to bring discount gas to Long Island will be the subject of a public hearing in Hempstead on Sept. 19.

Costco, which sells discount gas to members only, wants a parking variance so it can add the gas station — the first of its kind on Long Island — to its store at Rockaway Turnpike and Nassau Expressway.

Hempstead Town’s board of appeals is considering the request, and a public hearing scheduled to be held yesterday was postponed.

A group of residents that includes several owners of nearby gas stations has opposed the plan. Some have said the Costco station would worsen already snarled traffic, while others said the chain’s lower prices would put other stations out of business.

Costco representatives have said the opponents’ concerns are unsupported.

Costco wants to install three 30,000-gallon storage tanks and 22 pumps. The chain plans to take 163 of its 822 parking spaces to make room for the station. The town normally requires 775 spaces for a store the size of Costco. The Sept. 19 public hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m.