This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Land Owner Wants Dunkin' Donuts in Residential Neighberhood

Right now there is deliberation over the permission to construct a Dunkin' Donuts on the corner of Eagle Rock and Livingston Ave in Roseland. This will come to be directly in the back yard of my parents house. My brother has a very severe non-verbal autism spectrum disorder, o.c.d, and epilepsy. Despite these conditions he is completely able bodied and loves being a big kid and playing in the back yard where he is in his own world. If the land owner is granted permission to violate several ordinances and Dunkin' Donuts moves in to our very tight residential neighberhood much if not all of my brother's ability to be in his space will be taken away. The Dunkin' Donuts will pose a serious health and safety risk for my family and most importantly my brother.He  has no control over food anxieties and the constant smell, the visual stimuli of having a very recognizable business directly outside his bedroom window, and the potential food litter into our  backyard will be very threatening to his safety as it would only be a matter of tine until his anxieties get the better of him and drive him to eat whatever litter there may be or worse off lead him to break through the fence and run into the busy street and parking lot. My parents are already fearing that this will lead them to have to sell the house and move. And a change in routine is extremely devastating to individuals with autism. I beg for you to take the time and understand the negative impact a Dunkin' Donuts or any other fast-food restaurant would have on our family and the rest of the residents on our block. The ordinances were set in place to safeguard the better interests of the town and the people whom live in it. 

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?