Residents Voice Opposition to Western Beef Sign

A number of West Hempstead residents attended Wednesday’s board of zoning appeals hearing to state their opposition to an "ugly" orange Western Beef sign at 103-129 Woodfield Road. 

The main concerns with the sign are its size, appearance and location on Woodfield Road. Residents have said the orange sign does not fit in with the rest of the area, making Woodfield Road look commercial, and have requested that the company make the sign smaller. 

A number of residents attended the hearing Wednesday, including Rosalie Norton of the West Hempstead Civic Association, and Naomi Speiser, a resident who lives nearby on Oakford Street. Speiser said she can see the sign from her front lawn.

"We were trying to get the board to be sympathetic and adjust the signage," Speiser said. "They seem sympathetic but I don’t know how much they can actually do."

Related: Western Beef Taking Over Vacancy in West Hempstead

In addition to the front sign at this location, the company also seeks a variance to install one double-faced illuminated sign attached to a proposed detached pylon structure outside 611 Woodfield Road.  

"It looks like they are successfully going to reduce the signage of the pylong sign," Speiser said. "But the main thing we’re trying to fight is the front sign, how ugly it is. That’s the main issue."

Board of Zoning Appeals board members said they will visit the site and talk a walk down from Westminster Road down to Woodfield Road, as well as Oakford Street, Speiser said. 

"They seem sympathetic to us, but again I don’t know how much they can legally do to force a corporation to change a trademark sign," she said. "But if they can make them change the size of the sign, that would be a good compromise."

A local determination on the case is expected to be made within three weeks by the Nassau County Planning Commission.