BETH YOUNG FILE PHOTO | The town Planning Board is considering an application for a convenience store on Cox Lane in Cutchogue.

A proposed 24-hour convenience store on Cox Lane in Cutchogue appeared dead in the water this week after Southold Town Planning Board members said the project would likely find little support from the board.

“There are numerous high hurdles … I think that you’ve got a pretty high mountain to climb with the health department, side yard and parking,” Planning Board chairman Don Wilcenski told applicant Carlos Gonzalez at a work session Monday afternoon. “I don’t want to drag you through the wringer … We visited this site. We noted all the town codes you’re not meeting. We’re not in support of this application at this point. If you could overcome all of them, and I’m not sure you would, it would be a long process.”

Planning Board member Jim Rich was more blunt with his opinion.

“I think the problems are insurmountable,” he said. “The applicant should withdraw and try to find another site.”

Among the hurdles mentioned by town planner Brian Cummings in the planning staff report were the possibility that Mr. Gonzalez would need to abandon the existing cesspool and reconstruct a new septic system to meet new county health department regulations since the depth to groundwater beneath the site is just 8.2 feet.

Mr. Cummings said the town engineer also recommended the installation of dry wells to keep stormwater runoff from the site from running into Cox Lane. The planner added that the parking proposed in the rear of the site was only nine inches from the edge of a residentially zoned parcel.

“There’s no room to provide buffers to neighboring properties,” he said.

Read more about the report in Thursday’s issue of The Suffolk Times.

byoung@timesreview.com