In regard to Peter McDonnell, president of the Carle Place Civic Association, I would like to respond to his letter "Wants Westbury Manor Application Denied," which appeared in the Oct. 20, 2006 issue of the Westbury Times.

The Westbury Manor has been a fine dining/reception establishment for many years. I feel that it brings a certain class and refinement to our community. I was rather upset that Mr. McDonnell took such an adverse reaction to a simple request to expand parking areas, and the addition of an elevator. I was also incensed to his very condescending reference to the Scottos and his enthusiastic advice to leave Westbury.

To start, is Mr. McDonnell an architect or engineer to decide where an elevator should be placed or where a foyer should be built? If it were he who was asking for a variance wouldn't he want his living room, dining room or bedroom to be placed in the most attractive location possible? The owners of this fine establishment are attempting to do what any normal American business owner would do, create the most attractive and convenient structure possible.

I am sure that more spaces could be built on the current property without interrupting the normal living space of the current Westbury residents. As a frequent patron of the fine establishment in question, I have no worries about waiting the extra five or so minutes it would take to retrieve my vehicle if the lots were expanded and I am sure most of the people that dine there wouldn't be either.

Now on a personal level, why does the author need to be so condescending to the Scotto family? Does Mr. McDonnell have some ill will toward the Scotto family that he needs to be so nasty to them? His reference to the family name exudes venom, along with his recommendation to leave Westbury. It sounds to me that Mr. McDonnell has a cloaked resentment to the Scottos. His words imply a bias that needs to be examined further. The Scottos are a fine Italian-American family working to reap the benefits of the American dream. They have every right to enlarge their business to incorporate more patrons and generate the financial benefits that an enlargement would generate.

In conclusion, how do a few parking spots, an elevator and a foyer affect anyone's daily existence? The Westbury Manor adds a distinction of style and elegance to our small community. Is it wrong to have a fine upscale restaurant within the Westbury boundaries? Our community has grown out of "Mayberry" and is now a full-fledged Long Island community. We need the financial-and name-recognition benefit the Westbury Manor can donate to our fine community. I am all for the variance and hope that less close-minded people such as Mr. McDonnell and his brood can see how importance these additions are.

James R. De Rose