Heated hearing over proposed McDonald's in Greenlawn draws packed crowd; no decision reached
Opponents raised concerns about traffic congestion, emergency vehicle access and the safety of a proposed right-turn-only entrance and exit.
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A proposed McDonald’s on the corner of E. Pulaski Road and Park Avenue drew such a large crowd Thursday night that the Huntington Zoning Board of Appeals cleared its agenda to focus solely on the application.
Before discussions began, board officials announced the meeting would be dedicated entirely to the proposal to replace a long-vacant Citibank with a drive-through McDonald’s, drawing a packed room of residents, many of them opposed to the project.
Opponents raised concerns about traffic congestion, emergency vehicle access and the safety of a proposed right-turn-only entrance and exit.
“What is it going to look like at lunch and dinner?” said Quinn Dell, of Huntington Station. “I worked at McDonald’s when I was 18 years old and I remember saying drive-through wrapped… and having the 18-wheelers come to make their deliveries.”
For nearly two hours, attorneys, engineers and traffic consultants representing the applicant presented their case, while residents frequently pushed back with audible reactions from the crowd.
Denise Schwartz. of East Northport. said the proposed traffic restrictions would not prevent unsafe driving behavior.
“When you have restrictions, some people are going to go out and make that left no matter what,” Schwartz said. “Or they’re going to turn in left when they’re not supposed to because it’s dangerous.”
Board members repeatedly questioned the applicant’s team about traffic impacts, site design and whether comparable McDonald’s locations exist in similar residential areas.
“I can only go off the data that I have,” one applicant representative said in response to questioning.
Not all residents opposed the plan. Some drivers on Park Avenue voiced support from outside the meeting.
“Let them build it!” one person said, while another commented on social media that “everyone complains but the drive-through line is always full.”
The board did not reach a decision Thursday night. The applicant’s team said it would review requests for more localized traffic data as questions remain about the project’s potential impact on the area.
