John Morrison, who lives behind the Old Westbury Road Taco Bell, presented the petition requesting the board deny permit renewal unless operating hours end at 10 p.m. instead of 2 a.m.

“We’re not against Taco Bell operating at that location, we just think it should be closed at 10 p.m.,” Morrison said, adding that he and his sons eat at the restaurant but object to late-night operations.

Mayor Peter Cavallaro criticized Taco Bell’s decade-long permit compliance failures during the February 5 meeting.

“You’re supposed to have operational procedures in place to ensure compliance, but over a span of 10 years you have failed,” Cavallaro told company representatives. “It doesn’t matter if you responded right away, you’re not supposed to let these violations happen. You’re going to have to do a much better job or that permit will not be in effect.”

Taco Bell corporate facilities manager Bill Lawson outlined new policies implemented after last month’s heated meeting, including mandatory property walks every few hours by managers who must log cleanliness inspections. The company posted noise reduction signs and rescheduled delivery trucks to business hours only.

“We want our neighbors to be happy,” Lawson said. “As soon as these issues were brought to our attention, we immediately instituted new policies for site maintenance and noise reduction.”

Resident complaints center on noise from late-night customers, litter, inadequate fencing, and safety concerns. Kathleen Smith cited “noise pollution from revving cars and music” among resident concerns.

Longtime resident Toni Smiles emphasized neighborhood preservation over business closure.

“All we’re here for is to preserve the safety and integrity of our neighborhood, not to put people out of business,” Smiles said. “We’re third- and fourth-generation Westbury residents. Businesses come and go, but we’re still here.”

The issue will be revisited at next month’s meeting, where trustees will make their permit decision. Legal counsel Matthew J. Ingber represented the company alongside Lawson, both thanking residents for raising concerns.

The conflict remains unresolved as both sides presented their case regarding the franchise location’s late-night operations.