HICKSVILLE, NY (TIP): Members of a Long Island Sikh temple believe construction at their place of worship was unfairly stopped by the local government, Newsday reported.
On Feb. 2, the Plainview Town Board stopped construction of the temple after residents complained of parking and congestion problems. Residents argue that the off-street parking plan for the temple does not meet requirements.
About two dozen members of the congregation attended a Plainview board meeting Tuesday to either voice their concerns or show support for those who spoke, according to the report.
“We got blindsided,” Gurmeet Sodhi, 41, a television producer from Northport told Newsday.
“Everything was approved, everything was moving along; why did we stop this?” she told the paper.
John Venditto, Plainview Town Supervisor, told Newsday they are looking for a compromise with the Sikh community.
“There’s a sense in the community that maybe this project is too big,” Venditto said. “There’s concerns about traffic and concerns about parking.”