P.F. Chang's horse statues hearing delayed in Smithtown

The Town of Smithtown zoning board on Tuesday postponed a hearing on allowing horse statues at a proposed Smith Haven Mall restaurant.

The hearing on P.F. Chang’s request for a variance to allow the statues was adjourned to Nov. 13 because the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based chain was not adequately represented at the meeting of the Board of Zoning Appeals, board chairwoman Adrienne Giannadeo said.
Smithtown’s zoning laws bar statues when they are part of commercial signage.

The chain, which wants to build its first Suffolk County eatery at the Lake Grove mall, was represented at the meeting by its regional director of development, Andria Pacinelli. But Giannadeo said only a corporate officer — or someone who had power of attorney status to represent P.F. Chang’s — could speak to the board.

“We don’t have that here,” Pacinelli said.

“I need to have an officer here or a power of attorney,” Giannadeo said. “I’m going to have to adjourn it.”

Pacinelli offered to have a P.F. Chang’s representative fax documents permitting her to speak for the company. Giannadeo rejected the idea.

Above: P.F. Chang's in Westbury has hulking statues of Ming warrior horses. The chain is seeking a variance to allow statues outside its proposed restaurant at the Smith Haven Mall. (Dec. 16, 2010)