(Ed note: The following letter was sent to the Board of Trustees of the Manhasset Public Library and is printed here at the writer's request.)

After reading your article, "Library Sees New Possibility," on the front page of the March 8 Manhasset Press, I admire your persistence in looking for new grounds but am extremely concerned about your comment that the Sabena property on Northern Boulevard "won't impact any neighborhood's traffic patterns." Your article indicates that, upon exiting the site, all traffic would have to make a right hand turn toward Community Drive. In order for drivers to return to their homes in Manhasset, it would be necessary for all traffic to follow that right onto Northern Boulevard with a right onto an already congested Bayview Avenue and then onto Plandome Road. This would significantly increase safety and traffic issues throughout our Bayview area as well as Plandome Road.

The library board and the general public should be made aware of several other plans for development that will also severely impact Bayview and Plandome Road. The Bayview Civic Association informed those attending the recent Community Liaison Committee (CLC) forum on Traffic and Safety on Plandome Road of the situation and is outlined below.

* The waterfront property at the head of Manhasset Bay (across from Manhasset Valley Baseball Fields) has been nominated as a target acquisition for the recently approved ELF fund, but that this property may instead be developed into a large industrial public storage facility, with its main entrance to be on Bayview Avenue.

* The school district is planning to purchase the Nassau County Highway Maintenance property on Bayview Avenue (directly across from the above proposed Manhasset Bay public storage facility) and possibly develop it into their new school bus depot.

* The Waldbaum's property at Manhasset Bay has closed and is for sale (and so is the oil company adjacent to it) and it is rumored that Home Depot is interested in the property.

* The Manhasset Center developers are planning to build a super-size supermarket on Northern Boulevard and Plandome Road.

Any of these developments will significantly increase safety and traffic issues throughout Bayview, Bayview Avenue and Plandome Road.

A way to alleviate only some of the Sabena property issues would be to allow a left hand turn onto Northern. This should be a requirement if you do develop on the Sabena property. Yes, this does not alleviate the other significant issues with this property outlined in your article, such as reconstruction costs that equal those of other plans, its lack of pedestrian access, the loss of tax dollars by $262,767, as well as the need to buy out the leases of those already in the Sabena building.

Several months ago, in an effort to help the library to locate a suitable property, I confirmed with the director of operations for the Town of North Hempstead that the town was still entertaining the possibility of selling the TNH Annex building and parking lot which is located on Plandome Road across from Mary Jane Davies Green. I informed Ms. Robertson, director of the library, about its availability and would like to know if this option has been explored.

It seems as though the annex might better suit the needs of the town, as this property is more centrally located than other proposed properties, thereby creating a more even distribution of traffic flow; farther up on Plandome Road, away from the more congested business area and away from most residential properties; more conducive to pedestrian use of the business area (with playground, pizza parlor, shopping, post office, all within walking distance) and within walking distance of many residents' homes and the high school; is Town of North Hempstead property, therefore there should be no reduction in tax revenue as would occur if the Sabena property were used.

If the annex cannot be considered, serious thought must go into any planning or development of our area.

We encourage you to work with the TNH Planning and Development Commission, as they are now aware of the development situation around us. The BCA is hopeful that with the Planning and Development Commission's assistance, the efforts of individual local groups and governments can be unified to create a comprehensive campaign that could help locate an appropriate property for the library as well as create a more safe and efficient use of our roads; encourage environmentally friendly passive park use of our waterfront; increase green space; revitalize our business district and encourage pedestrian use of it; better utilize our municipal parking sites; increase police and code enforcement; improve public awareness.

We are confident that, since you have now been made aware of our concerns, that the library board will agree with our assessment.

Doris Murray, president

Bayview Civic Association