Not So Quick: Clarkstown School Board Wants to Check Out Plan for Convenience Store Near School

Plans for a new convenience store and gas station at the Bardonia Mall on Route 304 could hinge on an easement agreement with the Clarkstown Central School District, which is taking a close look at the project.

At Thursday's school board meeting, Superintendent Margaret Keller-Cogan said the proposed development was sent to the district for its consideration. The access in question goes to Bardonia Elementary School off the mall's northeast corner.

"It (the store) would use the road that currently our buses and families drive down," Keller-Cogan said.

Frank Stefanelli, the district's director of facilities and operations, said the Town of Clarkstown approached the district about entertaining an agreement to allow the use of the road. He said a couple of buildings would be torn down to accommodate a Quick Chek convenience store and gas pumping island.

"They are going to do a complete renovation," Stefanelli said.

Quick Chek is a New Jersey-based chain of convenience stores and gas stations. It operates over 120 stores in New Jersey and southern New York, according to its Web site.

Stefanelli said the developer would probably have to appear in front of the town's zoning and planning boards, but "the first step is looking to see if the school district is willing to give them access to the road."

The draft plans include reducing the number of entry points to the mall, which makes the use of the school's road important to the development.

Keller-Cogan said the district has been in discussions with the developer.

"We have asked them for significant givebacks to the district," she said.

Board President Phillip DeGaetano said he was just hearing about the proposal, but would like to hear from the people who live in Bardonia.

"I could vote for it, but I don't live there," he said.

Several school board members expressed concern about a developer using the school's access road and they wanted to see different options.

DeGaetano said a special meeting will be scheduled in the future at Bardonia Elementary School to guage the public's opinions on the proposal.