(Editor's Note: The following letter was sent to Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto and the Oyster Bay Town Board. It is being printed here at the civic association's request.)

The Duffy Park Civic Association held its general meeting with more than 40 members on Monday, June 23. One of our main concerns was the current situation with the Oyster Bay Town (TOB) Parking Garage located on the corner of Duffy Avenue and Newbridge Road. Unfortunately it was the same evening as the "Brownfield Meeting" and we were unable to have representation from the town.

After a lengthy discussion, the membership voted to ask for a special meeting with the town board within the next two weeks, before plans are made for the parking garage. A few longtime residents who live in the area were never included in the planning of the first garage; there are now many concerns that need to be addressed that will affect us, the residents. We feel that the concern for the commuters should come second since it is our town and we pay the taxes to live here.

The following is a list of concerns that were brought up at our meeting:

Demolition:

• Homes located directly behind the parking garage will need to be protected. To give an example there is less than a five-foot distance between the homes and the garage, when the fence posts were placed on June 23, the workers continued to throw debris over the fence into the yards of the residents. Our concern is that these yards will need to be protected while demolition is taking place;

• The concern that in order to get this taken care of quickly the demolition and construction will take place after regular work hours as well as on weekends. This is not acceptable to the residents in the area;

• How will the debris and dust be handeled?;

• Will the sidewalks be available for pedestrians during this process? If not, what provisions will be made. Remember there is also construction taking place on the opposite side of Duffy Avenue;

• Will Duffy Avenue be blocked off during this demolition?; and

• The only lighting on that strip of Duffy Avenue is on the parking garage itself, will temporary lighting be put up for safety?

Construction of a new garage:

• Will there be added parking? The congestion on Duffy and Newbridge now is very unsafe during commuter time. Increasing the number of spots will increase the traffic in and around our area. If you have ever tried to drive down Duffy Avenue with the commuters leaving the train station it is like playing a video game trying not to hit someone. Increasing the spaces you will only increase the unsafe conditions for the pedestrians;

• Will an Environmental Impact Study be performed? Back in 1971 when the garage was first built there were no such studies. There is a big safety issue in that area as well as the congestion that it causes;

• How many Hicksville residents benefit from the parking garage? If it is enlarged will it just bring more commuters from out of town? How interesting that a commuter who was interviewed when the garage was closed was from Melville. Why does Hicksville have to be Long Island's parking lot?;

• The exits should be out to Newbridge Road not Duffy Avenue. It would cut down on congestion of people going across traffic to make the left hand turn;

• The lights on the parking garage should not face the homes located on the back of the property (West Marie Street). They do not need to live in day light 24 hours;

• Although the parking restrictions have be reinstated, will extra police be in the area to ticket all the cars that are not following those restrictions?; and

• Will there be more space between the homes located on West Marie Street and the new garage?

Alternative suggestions:

• Opening the Landia Station in Syosset; this would help alleviate congestion coming from the North Shore. With the gas prices so high this would also be a good way to conserve energy by shortening the commuters' trips from the North Shore. It is also good for the environment with less traffic fumes in our area; and

• What about leaving the Duffy Avenue parking lot as a ground lot since it does interfere with the quality of life of the people who live around it, by building the garage on the other side of the train station. This would make it closer to the station, safer for pedestrians not having to cross Duffy Avenue, and it would not back up to private property.

These are some of the many concerns that were brought up by residents in the Duffy Park area. We understand that there are many aspects that go into town planning; we are only asking that the Town of Oyster Bay give the residents a chance to be included in that planning. Remember we have to live with the decisions that are made; the planners and commuters do not.

We look forward to meeting with you.

John Keyer

President, Duffy Park Civic Association, Inc.