Planning Board Defers Tire Retread Plant Decision

Special use to permit a tire retreading business at Garvies Point Road remained listed as a reserved decision on Tuesday night's Planning Board meeting agenda.

While a number of residents showed up to protest the New Era Tire application, board members announced that the issue would not be addressed during this meeting, causing several attendees to leave before the meeting started.

It is still unknown when a final decision will be reached, according to planning board member Cynthia Rogers.

"We will address the application in a few weeks," said Rogers.

Glen Cove resident Mayer Mehraban applied for a permit to operate New Era Tire, his retreading business,which would buff out the old treads on tires and put on new ones, at the Garvies Point Road location, sparking local opposition.

Over 80 residents attended the last meeting to protest the proposal, citing dust, noise and noxious odors as potential nuisances if the factory opens.

"There will be a huge protest if it gets passed," said Jim Coniglione, resident and former owner of TireWorks in Glen Cove. "It's something that's not in the best interest of Glen Cove."

Mehraban insists that the business would not be a negative addition to the community, stating that he would use electricity instead of a boiler system and a water-based, environmentally-safe solvent as glue that would not cause the area to smell.

"If you bake a cookie, the kitchen smells like a cookie," Mehraban said. "If you make a tire, it smells like rubber. But if the door is closed, nobody knows what is done in this place."