(Editor's Note: Nancy and John Haines own a home adjacent to this discussed property.)

We were contacted by Joel Berse, president of the NorthWest Civic Association, that a lease has been signed to reconstruct the residential property that was only recently restored to a beautiful green site now to host a parking area for 350 commuter parking cars. Mr. Berse also advised us a meeting was taking place to plan out the site and he would represent the residents who belonged to the association as to requests they might have.

We would like the community to know the history of this wonderful property and the illegal uses of it for years that the adjacent residents endured and for at two zoning hearings. Throughout the years the town allowed it to be rented illegally to the post office who claimed to have no space. Actually summonses were issued for misuse and the mall would just pay them. Three years ago the rent was raised so high that they opted out of using it and do use their own parking space behind the post office which was always there. At that time the last hearing of the property ended with the town allowing a variance to the mall for additional cars for the new eateries as the lot was never filled anyway and this residential land was banked and an order to tear out the lot and restore it to natural beauty. The community continues to remark how well kept and beautiful it is adding value to our village.

As owners of a home that is right against this property, we have suffered through crime, pollution, noise and neglect. At times the neglect was so bad News12 was contacted. The town turned a blind eye for years to an illegal guard booth that was manned by a man arrested for the murder and dismemberment of New York City women. We constantly complained about this illegal booth to both the mall owners then and the town. We were ignored of our complaints of illegal electric wiring, it being too close to our home and the use of the area for bathroom facilities and the noise. Nothing was done until his arrest and it was brought to everyone's attention through the media. It only then was taken away. Car alarms constantly went off and ran until the battery went dead while we would try to enjoy our yard for entertaining or our own use. It was an embarrassment and annoyance. Kids hung out and we would have all sorts of garbage left behind by them and the people using the lot illegally! This is not the use of residential property.

Most of us with properties adjoining are long-term owners who have been here before this was turned into a parking lot. The Burns Avenue School is also right against what will now be the home of the commuters who cannot use Duffy Avenue Garage. Are our children safe with this kind of illegal arrangement when the property was kept residential for these reasons?

The town in the planning of rebuilding puts parking illegally in a different spot, taking away the beauty and safety of children and other residents and ruining the value of our homes. The Duffy Avenue Civic association does not want this in our community any longer and does not wish it to be rebuilt because of the problems it causes.

Why do we have to host commuters from other communities?

Nancy and John Haines