Drive-thru deferred · A fence, finally · Three hearings set · A face-lift for the Hollow
The Town Board sent 7 Brew's coffee-stand concept back to idle for two weeks on May 27, unconvinced its Transit Road entrance and surrounding blacktop could swallow an opening-day rush; renewed Lemon Auto Detailing's permit on Sheridan Drive, now tied to a 230-foot wood privacy fence the neighbors waited months for; set three public hearings for June 24 — two in-law apartments on Conner Road and Bank Street, plus Stephen Development's bid to host food trucks at four Main Street sites; granted architectural approval for the Park Slope facade rehab in the Hollow; and signed off on $883,273 in bills. Councilman Daniel Michnik[*] recused himself from both Stephen Development items.
The most-discussed item on the docket never got a vote on its merits. 7 Brew — an Arkansas-born drive-thru coffee chain — came for a preliminary conceptual review of a roughly 510-square-foot stand with a dual drive-thru lane and a separate cooler, tucked into the Transitown Plaza at 4301 Transit Road. What it got was an hour of skepticism and a motion to table.
The board's worry was singular and persistent: traffic. Councilman Peter DiCostanzo[*] kept returning to the chain's busy Maple Road location in Amherst, where opening crowds spilled toward the road, and told the applicants he wasn't sold on a mitigation plan that leans on employees with cones directing cars. The north entrance off Transit drew the sharpest scrutiny — more than one member predicted a bottleneck there and floated closing it entirely. The applicants countered with data showing traffic actually drops at new stands once a nearby one opens, and a layout they say stacks nearly 60 cars on site, but the room wasn't moved.
Before any referral to the Planning Board, members also asked for the addresses of existing stores so they could see one in person, a full list of variances, and a more detailed site drawing showing curbing and landscaping rather than a "sea of blacktop." The motion to table passed 5–0; the applicants are expected back June 10.
A "table" is a pause, not a rejection: the board simply held the item for more information, and 7 Brew can return June 10. This was also only a conceptual review — the first look. A formal referral would hand the Planning Board an environmental (SEQR) review and site-plan work, but because drive-thrus require a special exception use permit, that approval stays with the Town Board even after the Planning Board weighs in. Two variances are already on the table: the 510 sq ft building is under the Major Arterial zone's 1,000 sq ft minimum, and the stand sits about 123 feet from Transit's center line where 135 is required. The applicants' engineer called both modest; the state DOT will get its own say during environmental review.
Lemon Auto Detailing, at 8145 Sheridan Drive, won renewal of its temporary conditional permit for automotive detailing in the Restricted Business zone — but only after a months-long dispute with the neighbor to the east finally resolved into a fence. Following an April hearing that extended the permit just three months and sent the applicant to the Planning Board's executive committee, the board adopted the committee's terms: a six-foot wood privacy fence running roughly 230 feet along the east property line, from the front of the Lemon Auto building to the rear of the rearmost Rock Ledge professional-park building, installed within three months, with vegetation preserved and no vehicles parked to the north, south or east of it. The owner pressed once more for vinyl over wood; the board held firm — "It's a wood fence. Period." The renewal carried 5–0 on a roll call.
The board scheduled a trio of back-to-back hearings for its June 24 meeting. At 10:15 a.m., Karthigan Thavanesan[*] seeks a special exception use permit for a roughly 691 sq ft attached in-law unit — described as housing elderly parents — as part of new home construction at 6571 Conner Road in the Agricultural Rural Residential zone; one variance for roof-ridge height over 35 feet is flagged. At 10:20 a.m., John and Frances Melinda Nowak ask to legalize and deed-restrict an existing secondary unit at 4995 Bank Street, a fire-damaged home now being rehabbed; the early-2000s addition, it turns out, never had a kitchen on record. At 10:25 a.m., Stephen Development requests temporary conditional permits to park food trucks — one at a time, noon to 9:30 p.m. — at 8825, 9500, 9735 and 10440 Main Street. The board noted the late dates are a function of the legal notice window, not a sign of expected controversy.
The board granted architectural approval for a facade rehabilitation of the commercial building at 10440 Main Street, now branded Park Slope, in the Hollow Traditional Neighborhood District — the board's call because the TND gives it authority over architectural style. The plan stains and paints the brick, adds entry overhangs, strips the old awnings, introduces gooseneck lighting for future (separately reviewed) wall signage and architectural facade lighting, and brings an adjacent structure into matching colors. Approval came with the board's standard eight conditions, including dark-sky-compliant lighting, high-quality durable materials, no murals or signage without separate review, and perpetual maintenance. Members called it "a terrific upgrade," and the conversation drifted, as Hollow conversations do, into the neighborhood's thin lineup of diners and a forthcoming cafe in the old Vibe space.
In the consent and reports portion, the board accepted a May 18 quote from MTE Equipment for a Pro-Turn 672 Kawasaki mower under the Sourcewell contract, not to exceed $15,897.96; appointed the 2026 swimming-pool staff — 12 part-time seasonal lifeguards and one clerk; appointed a part-time parks security officer at $20/hour; and transferred $7,000 within the 2026 general fund from contingency to consulting services. It also approved a special-event permit for the "Red, White and Brews" veterans fundraiser at the Main Park Pavilion on June 20 (food trucks to be licensed under Chapter 147), cleared the Legion Hall and Clubhouse booking calendar, and approved the May 21 bills. One councilman noted that of 11 single-family permits in April, six were for homes valued over $1 million — "which is crazy to me," he said.
Votes were by voice unless a roll call is noted. The five-member board: Supervisor Patrick Casilio[*] and Councilmen Bob Altieri[*], Peter DiCostanzo, Daniel Michnik and Paul Shear. Councilman Michnik was recused from Items 15 and 16 (Stephen Development).
Minutes of the May 13, 2026 work session and regular meeting approved.
Supervisor's report: transfer $7,000 within the 2026 general fund budget from contingency to consulting services.
Appoint a part-time parks security officer at $20/hour effective June 8, subject to pre-employment requirements.
Accept the May 18 MTE Equipment quote for a Pro-Turn 672 Kawasaki 1000 mower under the Sourcewell contract, not to exceed $15,897.96.
Appoint 12 part-time seasonal lifeguards ($19.5075/hr, start June 1) and one part-time seasonal clerk ($18.3609/hr, start June 8), on the pool director's recommendation, subject to pre-employment requirements.
Youth Bureau YMCA fitness class, Fridays this summer, 10–11 a.m. at the Town Park band shelter.
Permit for a veterans fundraiser, Saturday June 20, 5–10 p.m., Clarence Main Park Pavilion (10405 Main Street), subject to a certificate of insurance naming the town and to food trucks being licensed under Chapter 147.
Renewal of the temporary conditional permit for automotive detailing in the Restricted Business zone for three months, conditioned on a six-foot wood privacy fence (~230 ft) along the east property line within three months, no vehicles north/south/east of the fence, orderly arrangement to the west, and all prior conditions remaining in force.
Motion to table the conceptual review for two weeks. The board sought existing-store addresses, a full variance list, a detailed site drawing with curbing/landscaping, and reconsideration of the north Transit Road entrance before any referral to the Planning Board. Expected back June 10.
Set a public hearing on Karthigan Thavanesan's request for a special exception use permit for a ~691 sq ft attached secondary living unit at 6571 Conner Road, Agricultural Rural Residential zone (one roof-height variance noted).
Set a public hearing on John & Frances Melinda Nowak's request to allow (and deed-restrict) an existing attached secondary living unit at 4995 Bank Street, Residential Single-Family zone, following 2025 fire-damage rehab.
Set a public hearing on temporary conditional permits for food-truck parking and operation (one truck per site at a time, noon–9:30 p.m.) at 8825 Main (TND), 9500 Main (Commercial), 9735 Main (Commercial) and 10440 Main (Hollow TND).
Architectural approval of a facade rehabilitation for the Park Slope building in the Hollow TND (stained/painted brick, entry overhangs, awning removal, gooseneck and facade lighting, matching adjacent structure), with the board's standard eight conditions.
Approved the Legion Hall and Clubhouse use applications as listed (six bookings spanning June through November).
Total bill pay of $883,273.37: General $637,961.47; Highway $133,966.22; Drainage $42,165.00; Lighting $792.75; Sewer $282.63; Capital $68,105.30.
This brief covers the 10:00 a.m. public session only. The board's 8:30 a.m. work session — which included a Joseph Daham request for an in-law unit on Kenfield Road — is not livestreamed and was not captured; substantive discussion of broadcast items may have begun there. Names heard in the audio were reconciled against the published May 27 agenda: the spellings of Councilmen Altieri, DiCostanzo, Michnik and Shear, and of applicant Karthigan Thavanesan, follow that agenda. Applicant-side names heard only in the audio — the 7 Brew team, the Lemon Auto owner and property owner, and the Conner Road/Bank Street applicants — are transcribed as best understood and should be verified before any are quoted by name. [*] marks a proper noun corrected from a likely transcription error; confirm against the Town Clerk's minutes. Dollar figures, dates and times should be verified against the official record.