We are writing to urge all residents of the Plainview-Old Bethpage community to attend the town board hearing at Town Hall, 54 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay on Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. regarding a proposed Kentucky Fried Chicken establishment in Plainview.

We are concerned over the logic and safety of the applicant's request for a "Special Use Permit" to operate a "fast food restaurant with a drive-thru pick-up window" on the corner of Manetto Hill Road and Old Country Road. The intersection and its impact on the safety of students attending Mattlin Middle School, POBJFK High School and the Mid-Island Y will suffer greatly from the proposed use.

Currently, the intersection is hazardous, overly congested and the site of frequent accidents. Even without the addition of this operation, with general growth in the community and concerns over other development, the intersection is stressed to the limit. The proposal calls for an entrance/exit driveway only two-car lengths from the intersection that will cause traffic to stack up even further, making entering and exiting the adjacent community an impossibility. With limited sight visibility due to an abutting two-story office building and curbside parking along Old Country Road, vehicular and pedestrian safety entering or exiting the site on Old Country Road will be further compromised. The high volume nature of this type of operation will also impact the entrance/exit locations on Manetto Hill Road, which is frequently backed up with traffic waiting to proceed onto Washington Avenue, which is the access to the middle school, high school and Mid-Island Y.

The safety of our children, friends and neighbors is of paramount concern. Therefore, we hope many residents will come to Town Hall on Jan. 18 to view the site plans, learn more about this application and voice your concerns.

If you are unable to attend, you can send a letter to the Town of Oyster Bay, Town Supervisor John Venditto, Town Hall, 54 Audrey Avenue, Oyster Bay, NY 11771 or send us an e-mail to ccpobcl@aol.com and we will forward you a preprinted letter.

Community activism is critical to guide our elected officials in making the right decisions. Please stay informed and involved. If you would like to reach us, please feel free to send us an e-mail at ccpobc1 or drop a note at Concerned Citizens of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Community Inc., 998-C Old Country Road, PMB 143, Plainview, NY 11803. We always welcome hearing from you.

Carol Meschkow

President

Concerned Citizens of the

Plainview-Old Bethpage Community, Inc.