I hope everyone has had a peaceful holiday season and is ready for the new year ahead. The year starts off with a hearing on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Costco. Originally scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 13, the meeting was postponed since Costco did not deliver the study to the town until a day or two before the originally scheduled meeting date. This postponement allowed representatives of the Hicksville Community Council, Jericho Gardens, Westbury Hills, Duffy Park, Midland, NorthWest and the Hicksville Gardens Civic Association to meet on Dec. 5 and 28 and discuss how we will approach this issue as a coalition of united civics.

All in attendance agreed that Joel Berse, newly elected president of the NorthWest Civic Association, will take the lead and present the community's concerns regarding the traffic issues such a development introduces.

The applicants, Costco Wholesale Corporation and Westbury Realty, are seeking a special use permit to construct a 148,666-square foot Costco Wholesale store on a 12.8-acre vacant lot in an "LI" Light Industrial District located at the southwest intersection of West John Street and Charlotte Street. The town board denied the application in May 2003. The applicant has appealed the decision and the preparation of an environmental impact statement is part of the appeal process. The hearing will be held in the Hearing Room of Town Hall North, 54 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay, beginning at 7 p.m. on Jan. 9.

I ask that we all make an effort to support the community surrounding this development by attending this meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 9.

Thank you for your time.

Henry Goessmann

President, Hicksville Gardens Civic Association

Trustee, Hicksville Community Council