Dear Council Members: Once again the owner of the 76 station on Willow Road is applying for a license to sell liquor between midnight and 6am. I objected last year and I still strenuously object.
This station may seem to be on a busy, through-street but it is in the middle of the Willows neighborhood. It is surrounded by residential homes - bought by people who did not expect the near-by station to become a magnet for people who want to buy liquor after midnight. Buying liquor after midnight leads to bad public behavior, noise, even crime — such as “nuisance” fireworks — which we are all now battling to reduce here. Liquor is the :false courage” that gives otherwise sober people the impetus to to things that hurt the community, themselves, and, perhaps even their loved ones.
Please leave our neighborhood in peace. I live on the outer edges of the Willows but selling liquor at this station would affect everyone in the area.
Also, It is just plain wrong to have liquor sold at all so near the VA where there is a drug and alcohol addiction treatment program that is the only hope of veterans to get rid of their addictions. Putting liquor across the street at all hours is like making someone go on a diet while living 24 hours a day in a candy store — or a chocolate factory.
I am TOTALLY AGAINST letting this station sell liquor. Please protect us and refuse to grant this permit.
Sincerely, Susan Bryan, 222 Blackburn Avenue, Menlo Park
