Politics & Government

Strip Club Owner's Appeal Postponed One Week

Billy Dean's motion in State Supreme Court asking judge to change his original ruling and grant cabaret license for Wantagh property adjourned from July 17 until July 25.

North Bellmore strip club owner Billy Dean’s motion to have a judge’s upholding the Town of Hempstead zoning board’s  for his cabaret application on 3500 Sunrise Highway in Wantagh has been postponed for the second time in two weeks.

The appeal by Dean and his business partner Rori Gordon of Green 2009, Inc. was scheduled for Nassau County Supreme Court Justice Antonio Brandveen’s motion calendar Tuesday morning, but was adjourned until July 25 at 9:30 a.m. The motion was initially on Justice Brandveen’s July 10 calendar and was adjourned to July 17 before Tuesday’s second postponement.

Dean’s new attorney J. Stewart Moore of Central Islip did not return a call seeking comment Tuesday on the reason for the adjournment or the legal strategy behind the motion. Dean was previously utilizing zoning attorney William Cohn of Uniondale for his legal counsel.

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Dean’s suit filed against the Town of Hempstead that Justice Brandveen rejected this past spring argued that the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) should have never revoked its original June 2010 approval for cabaret usage on 3500 Sunrise Highway in Wantagh. The BZA decided last March to schedule a  of Dean’s application due to vocal  that mounted against the development, as well as a belief that not enough people were notified of the original hearing date. The suit also pointed out that the property has had cabaret usage for previously opened bars and restaurants going back to the late 60s.

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The Hempstead BZA’s rejection of Dean’s cabaret application came in the midst of community  that mounted against him because of fears he would operate his Wantagh similar to  in North Bellmore, which is advertised on its website as "Long Island’s No. 1 strip club." A cabaret license would permit Dean to offer live music, dancing and entertainment but no topless or nude performers.

Billy Dean’s website provides a link with information that describes the planned Wantagh venue as one that will offer dinner entertainment with audience participation catering to bachelor, bachelorette and birthday parties. Dean  his planned establishment during a May 18, 2011 zoning board hearing as one that would feature “a Las Vegas style feel” with jugglers, knife throwers and dancers.

Dean, a Commack resident, acquired the 3500 Sunrise Highway property on the corner of Oakland Avenue in 2009 for $950,000. He is also  from the Hempstead Town Board of Appeals on a request to renew his cabaret permit at Billy Dean’s Showtime Café in North Bellmore. 


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