Glen Cove Planning Board OK’s natural grocery’s expansion

The Glen Cove planning board Tuesday night unanimously approved a plan by natural food market Rising Tide to move across Forest Avenue to a site more than three times as large as the existing store.

Resident Gail Waller said she did not oppose the store moving, but she expressed concern that delivery trucks could endanger children arriving at the neighboring Harbor Child Care, and she said the new 11,008-square-foot location is too big. A two-story office building will be demolished to make way for the store, at 41-49 Forest Ave.

Several store patrons supported the plan, with resident Amy Peters saying that “people come from near and far to patronize this store” for its selection of “healthy, wisely sourced” food.

Arnold Goldberg, executive director of Harbor Child Care, said after the meeting he has no safety concerns because trucks would not approach the day care center entrance.

The market opened in 1976 as an 800-square-foot store in Locust Valley and moved to its current 3,000-square-foot location at 42 Forest Ave. in 1983, owner Jerry Farrell said. After a 2013 renovation and an increase in prepared foods, a new deli case and the introduction of meat to the store, sales jumped 70 percent, he said.

“Since that point, we outgrew the space,” he said in an interview. “Our parking lot has 12 spots in it and people are constantly waiting to get in.”

The new location will have 73 parking spots, allow the store to expand its selections in all departments, and add seating and restrooms, Farrell said.