Negotiations over mulch pile extended

A temporary restraining order to shut down a mulching and wood-chipping operation on Jericho Turnpike in West Hills was extended for a week by a State Supreme Court judge yesterday, Huntington Town officials said.

The owners of the business, Wayne and John Dougal, have agreed to meet with fire marshals and come up with a plan to reduce a 25-foot-high mulch pile that caught fire earlier this week. The two sides must also come up with ways to reduce the pile’s fire hazard and devise an emergency plan.

“We’re hopeful that we can work out a plan for phasing out this pile of mulch and ensuring neighbors’ safety in the meantime,” town spokesman A.J. Carter said.

Big Dougs Enterprises, Indian Head Ranch, located at 1130 W. Jericho Tpke., straddles the Huntington-Oyster Bay border, and has angered neighbors for decades over odor issues. It also has been the center of a dispute with Huntington Town for at least 10 years over various issues.

A developer who wants to build a 55-and-over community on the property has filed a site plan with the town’s planning department and it is under review, town officials said.