Mezza Notte wants to extend hours

GUILDERLAND — A flower-shop-turned-restaurant is looking to modify its operation after a year in business and the neighbors are still opposed.

Two years ago, when Connie Ware proposed opening an upscale Italian restaurant in the building at 2026 Western Ave. that had been Phebe’s Florist & Gifts, neighbors in the largely residential neighborhood just off of Route 20 spoke against it.  When the plans were approved, the restaurant, Mezza Notte, was to be open six days a week in the evenings, but Ware was before the zoning board of appeals last Wednesday, with a lawyer in tow, asking permission to serve on Sundays and stay open later on some nights.

A handful of neighbors were there, as they were two years ago, to ask that the board deny Ware’s request.

Victor Caponera, Ware’s lawyer, began addressing the board by saying that his client was willing to withdraw her request for some additional seating, after the board’s chairman, Peter Barber, had read a letter from the town’s planner, Jan Weston.  She expressed concern about regulating the seating as it was proposed to be amended.  Ware agreed to keep the inside seating to 52, although she had initially proposed increasing the total to 60, but held to her proposal for adding patio seating, which would total 18.  That number of seats wouldn’t require additional parking, Barber said.

Parking at the restaurant was one of the primary concerns raised by residents of the nearby neighborhood.  They say that not only has the traffic on their small suburban roads increased, but restaurant patrons often park in front of their homes.  Louis Gagliardi, who leases his adjacent parking lot to Ware for use as restaurant parking in the evening, told the board that the lot’s space was adequate.  Neighbors, however, said that overflow parking still ends up on their streets.

The basic consensus among the neighbors was that the way the restaurant has been run is unsatisfactory — they cited the traffic, some smells, and general disturbance as the main issues. 

“That’s the only day I have that’s private,” said Phyllis Roads of Sundays, after she noted the various disturbances she has throughout the week.  “Now they’re going to take that away from me, too.”

Earlier, Caponera had noted to the board that, when Ware made her initial proposal two years ago, she was not represented by a zoning lawyer.  Had he been representing her, he would have requested Sunday hours, Caponera said.

The board continued the public hearing until May 21.

Other business

In other business, the board:

— Voted unanimously to grant a variance that would allow Daniel Tarullo to build a front porch at 9 Woodridge Court;

— Voted unanimously to deny Lawrence DiNovo’s request to house a family in his in-law apartment at 3064 Spawn Rd.;  the family had lost its home, he said.  Only relations are allowed to live in in-law apartments, said Barber, before suggesting that DiNovo approach the town board for permission to house the family;

— Voted unanimously to approve a sign for Marissa’s Place at 5 Karner Rd.; and

— Voted unanimously to approve a Belltone sign for 1728 Western Ave.