KPE to Request Approval of Existing Industrial Uses from Smithtown Zoning

A Kings Park business will make its claim for legalization of its existing uses before Smithtown's Board of Zoning Appeals on Tuesday night. 

Town of Smithtown's Board of Zoning appeals will host public hearings 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Eugene Cannataro Senior Citizen Center on Middle Country Road. 

A public hearing will be held on KPE II LLC, also known as KPE, request for certificate to authorize its existing uses of property at 110 Old Northport Road in Kings Park. 

KPE is a company that operates a pre-cast concrete fabrication and the processing of raw materials for concrete fabrication. It owns approximately 14 acres along Old Northport Road that are currently zoned for Light Industrial. On its property, KPE has an office building, garage, welding shop, metal storage sheds, and several sand and gravel sorting machines. 

The company is seeking permission from Smithtown officials to legalize its business of creating pre-cast concrete products, such as cesspools and drainage pipe. In the appliation for a certificate of existing use, its full business activities are listed as: 

• pre-cast concrete and cesspool fabrication
• concrete manufacturing
• concrete aggregate processing
• office
• outdoor storage
• material stock pile yard
• truck and heavy equipment maintenance with storage facilities
• truck parking
• sand screening
• concrete recycling
• rock crushing
• concrete pre-cast related activities
• concrete crushing

KPE has presented the argument that it is a "pre-existing, non-conforming uses" that has existed at its current location since the 1930s and 1950s, before the Town of Smithtown's current zoning codes prohibited the production  of concrete products in a light industrial zone. 

The pre-cast company is one of several area businesses who have sought either a change of zoning to an appropriate category, or certificate for existing uses from Smithtown Board of Zoning Appeals. Carlson Associate and FB4Realty both have applications for a change of zone from Light Industrial to Heavy Industrial before the board. 

Meanwhile, the Smithtown Town Board members have also hired an outside zoning expert to do an evaluation of the industrial properties in the area under the Lawrence Avenue study to determine what kind of zoning might be appropriate. The final report has yet to be submitted to Smithtown's Planning Department. 

Commack and Kings Park civic organizations have started relaying emails about this company's hearing and are expect to attend.  

Click here to get the complete agenda of Smithtown Board of Zoning Appeals on Nov. 27.