I have been a resident of Boston for over 30 years, because I believe in Boston and the South End. I understand that urban living is enriched by a diversity of cultures, businesses and views. However, rather than experiencing the benefits of business diversity, our neighborhood is experiencing the impact of what is evolving into a” food court” on the north side of Tremont Street adjacent to West Brookline street. West Brookline Street is a wonderful place to live, and we are already coexisting with a number of food establishments. However, adding one more will be the tipping point that changes a vibrant neighborhood into an unreasonable environment.

Four of the six existing businesses on the north side of Tremont Street between 639 to 667 (five buildings on each side of West Brookline Street) are food related. The high density of food establishments has a negative impact on quality of life in our neighborhood as it relates to trash, excessive noise; vermin; cooking exhaust fumes; cigarette smoking, violation of residential parking; and early morning deliveries with double parking of large delivery trucks. I understand this is part of living in the city, but there is a limit to what one neighborhood should be expected to deal with. It is not reasonable for our neighborhood to be expected to deal with the stress associated with introducing another food related business into an already saturated environment.

My neighbors and I on W. Brookline Street are 100% set against having Dunkin Donuts on our corner. The noise, rats, cockroaches, trash issues, double parking and delivery trucks are of major concern to us. We'll be at the meeting and look forward to expressing our views.

This neighboorhood does not need another dunkin donuts. It is unreasonable and would be unfair to expect this neighboorhood to bear the negative impact of another food establishment, especially a large take-out chain like dunkin donuts. We have more food establishments than any other block on Tremont Street, one more would be intolerable. The 655-659 Tremont location is two very large strorefronts and it is unimaginable that a dunkin donuts would go in there. That corner needs to be an anchor for that block with a business that would attract other small businesses to this neighborhood and create a robust business community that would attract people from all over the city. That is what we are all working towards. The local character of the South end is what we all cherish and why we live here and a dunkin donuts would be very large step backwards for all of us who live here.

No more Dunkin' Donuts in the South End! Local businesses by local owners, please. Thanks to the South End Business Association, neighborhood groups and Washington Gateway for working with South End residents to insure no more chain stores in the South End -- especially one such as Dunkin' Donuts which brings all sorts of negative attributes to the neighborhood. The neighbors are right to fight this strongly -- but the South End should make sure it's not just pushed to another nearby block.

I live in this building and agree with all of the points above. This part of the South End especially needs thoughtful development- not just a quick fix to a vacant storefront. The neighborhood cannot absorb the quality of life and safety issues it would create, not to mention the impact on property values. We all live in the South End because we love the character and diversity. To preserve that, we need to support the kind of support local, independent businesses that are the foundation of the neighborhood-- not franchise stores.