I live on a small, dead-end road that sits behind the Hot Shots Grille’s parking lot. There is one house between mine and the parking lot. When we bought our house, the Taunton Tavern was our restaurant neighbor. They were a good neighbor. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Hot Shots Grille.

My family gets to enjoy their expanded deck without even leaving our home. When it’s hot and our windows are open in the summer, we get to enjoy all the noise. We get to enjoy the sound of fighting in the parking lot from people who have had too much to drink, at all hours. We get to enjoy the sound of breaking bottles. We get to enjoy the sound of motorcycle and car engines begin revved at 2 am. We get to enjoy car headlights that resemble search lights coming through our bedroom windows. My neighbors have even had the pleasure of enjoying the sounds of whatever a backseat can be used for at 2 am.

I know Mr Piccarillo has a business to run and I don’t begrudge him that. But maybe someone could periodically monitor the parking lot, especially when the are closing for the night. My neighbors have been in touch with Mr Piccarillo, the first selectman and Planning & Zoning asking, since the parking lot butts directly up against a residential community, that they put up a fence. Supposedly, they were going to do that last year — no fence yet. I still can’t figure out why, when our road was being paved last fall, the owner of the Hot Shots Grille strung a chain across the top half of the turn around to prevent the town from paving that part. I guess just because he could.

Yes, Mr Piccarillo has a right to run his business and make a living, but as a member of this community doesn’t he also have an obligation to show a little respect and common courtesy to his neighbors?

Sincerely,

Janet M. McKeown

10 Hillcrest Drive, Newtown                                  February 21, 2005