Merrick Preserve Gets Boost From Town

The Norman J. Levy Preserve is formerly a landfill, but transformed by the Town of Hempstead into a beautiful eco-friendly park where the grass is cut by Nigerian dwarf goats and guinea hens keep pesky ticks at bay.

Now, the town has introduced it's latest green initiative – solar powered jitneys, which are electrical transports used to ferry guests about the park's 51 expansive acres.

Town Supervisor Kate Murray spoke with Merrick Patch about the preserve earlier this week.

Lawrence Costco Plan Sees Opposition

A handful of people and attorneys representing Five Towns merchants and residents and Rockaway Turnpike gas stations voiced opposition to Costco’s request to add a 22-pump gas station to its warehouse store in North Lawrence.

Opponents’ request on Wednesday to adjourn the chain’s variance request at the Town of Hempstead Board of Zoning Appeals was granted, and a new hearing date was set on Aug. 1 at 2 p.m.

Costco brought its plan to convert 163 of the Lawrence store’s 822 parking spaces into a gas station in March. To do this, the company needs a parking variance from the BZA because the amount of spaces would not meet the required town minimum. It also needs a permit from the Town of Hempstead Board to install three 30,000-gallon storage tanks at the southwest corner of Rockaway Turnpike and Nassau Expressway.

Click the headline to read more on the story. Stephen Bronner contributed to this report.