Politics & Government

Residents Divided at Tres Palms Public Hearing

Next-door neighbors complain over noise, parking; others come out in support of bayside restaurant.

It was akin to the Mason-Dixon line at the Babylon Village public hearing held for proposed changes to operation hours at Tres Palms, the village's only bayside restaurant.

To the left, those against the proposed changes citing increased noise and parking congestion at the restaurant. To the right, those in favor for the restaurant to pick up serving breakfast much like the former Mario's Hi-Hook had done in years past.

Gerard Glass, a Babylon Village lawyer representing the restaurant's owners Danny and Jodi O'Donnell, laid out the plans to the village board for their application to extend their current hours to opening at 8 a.m. for breakfast and closing at 12 a.m.

"It's a dynamic they want to add," Glass explained. "They don't want to come out of the gates charging, it might happen down the road. The family has been through a lot with Sandy at home and here."

"This change," Glass continued. "It will allow them to compete on a platform with other village restaurants."

Opponents to the proposal spoke of loud parties and guests, leaving behind garbage and drinking outdoors. Many of the opponents were next-door neighbors to the restaurant on East Court and Nereid Place.

"I stand against it as we have in the past," said Haydee Trager, of 11 East Court. She said she moved to the village when the restaurant was still family-style Mario's. "Things have changed down there and we've been met with changes to the restaurant. The sounds of roof fans, gravel, parking scarce... this is not what we bought into."

John and Cathy Fallon of 13 Nereid Place said the restaurant and its predecessor, along with being displaced by Hurricane Sandy, have put them through seven years of hell.

"When we do get home, we do not need anymore aggravation," said Cathy through tears. "Here we are trying to rebuild and it's just not fair."

The side of the room in favor of expanded hours at Tres Palms spoke of the O'Donnell's restaurant, both before and after the hurricane destroyed much of the first floor.

"I think it's a great idea," said Laura Schuller, of 118 Lighthouse Road. "We've been going there for a long time and used to go there for breakfast. It's a beautiful restaurant. We live on the water and we want to see it."

Next-door neighbor Elsee, who has lived at 15 East Court for the last 10 years, said the restaurant was what attracted her to the home there.

"We’ve had several neighbors on that block, he's the best so far," she told the board. "Who knows who you'll get if you don't have Danny there."

"We all had a hard time with the hurricane, they had a hard time too," said Patricia Duryea, of 572 Fire Island Avenue South. "The two were more than willing to help us as neighbors with meals... we're very lucky to have them."

While arguments for and against were made, the village board did not budge either way and make a quick decision.

"It's a very sensitive topic and we'll have a decision in another couple of weeks," Mayor Ralph Scordino told the crowd.


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