Strip Club's Application Denied Again

Once again, Billy Dean's has had its proposal to open a Las Vegas-style cabaret on Sunrise Highway rejected by the Town of Hempstead's Board of Zoning Appeals.

Billy Dean, the owner and operator of Billy Dean's Showtime Cafe in North Bellmore, had applied to open the cabaret at 3500 Sunrise Highway, at the corner of Sunrise Highway and Oakland Avenue in Wantagh. But the BZA rejected his application for a cabaret license, as well as a parking variance that was requested along with the license.

Residents of Wantagh have been fighting the opening of the club for years.

"This is a victory for our community," Sen. Michael Venditto said in a release. "I have been opposed to this establishment since 2009, when I was counsel to the Town Board in Hempstead, and during my tenure as a Nassau County Legislator. Many residents were vehemently opposed to bringing in a 'Las Vegas-style' club into a residential neighborhood. This type of entertainment in Wantagh would have effectively destroyed the quality of life in this vibrant community."

Billy Dean made headlines over the summer when he filed a defamation lawsuit against Wantagh resident Kevin Milano, claiming that he has been working to stop his new venue from opening and accused him of having ties to organized crime.

The BZA decision was not entirely a loss for the location, though -- the board approved the request to maintain a six-foot high fence along Oakland Avenue.

Photo: Patch