Store has nothing to offer Umina

I do not approve of the rezoning at Umina Beach for the proposed McDonald's store.

A McDonald's at the proposed location would have disastrous effects on the residents of Umina and negative effects upon visitors to Umina.

The roundabout area at West St and Ocean Beach Rd often becomes a bottleneck.

Placing a McDonald's here would greatly increase traffic to levels that are dangerous and unmanageable. The infrastructure cannot support such a development as McDonald's and would create a traffic hazard that would not be able to be resolved.

There will also be trucks bringing produce and products into McDonald's.

One million dollars in wages does not equate to $1 million being injected into the local economy at Umina.

The employees are free to spend their money where they wish.

It will take money away from businesses currently at Umina, potentially causing the loss of millions from Umina.

Local business owners live locally and spend their money locally.

McDonald's would take its profits elsewhere.

McDonald's won't buy their products locally but will truck everything in.

Holiday makers and visitors who come for seaside village atmosphere will be turned away by the sight of a McDonald's, effectively losing Umina income.

Residents who regularly dine out on West St will be turned away due to the destroyed village atmosphere.

Businesses who wish to create trendy, healthy cafes will be discouraged by the sight of a McDonald's in Umina.

Umina loses its chance to become a trendy beachside village, which could potentially have brought in the greatest income for Umina.

It will create jobs for some teenagers, which is positive, but it will also negatively impact the future of all youth in Umina Beach.

Umina is a beachside village built on sand plains.

Already, there are problems with rubbish washing onto the beaches.

If you walk to the end of the lookout at Ocean Beach and look down, you'll almost always see takeaway food wrappers littering the ground.

If you look at any Sydney area with a McDonald's, you'll almost always see McDonald's litter everywhere.

And McDonald's litter includes lots of plastic and foam products.

Umina is situated on a beach and has a responsibility to protect the beach environment and creatures within that environment.

A McDonald's in Umina would adversely affect the beachside character of Umina, now and into the future.

Rather than a cheap and cheerful short-sighted strategy for Umina, we need a long term vision.

Well thought out tourist attractions such as the proposed Waterwalk at The Entrance and the redesign of the Gosford foreshore are what is needed.

Destroying the unique, natural ocean side attraction of Umina will adversely affect the economy of the area.

Other areas have kept McDonald's out because they know that a McDonald's would negatively impact their economy.

Levels of childhood obesity and Type 2 diabetes are rising at an alarming rate.

The McDonald's would be directly in the path of school children walking to Umina Public school.

Many will be buying McDonald's on the way to and from school.

Children do not make healthy food choices.

A McDonald's in the proposed location would have a long-lasting negative impact on local children that no amount of claimed income injection into Umina could prevent or solve.

It would have a negative impact upon Woy Woy residents and visitors who currently travel to Woy Woy to McDonald's and also visit the local shops, including Deepwater Plaza.

A McDonald's at Umina would negatively impact the income of businesses at Woy Woy

The Peninsula already has a McDonald's and doesn't need another so close.

The McDonald's restaurant chain also has a negative impact upon social equity.

McDonald's is a fast-food chain where people zip in, eat quickly and leave.

In contrast, the West St cafes are an outdoor space where people can meet, greet friends walking past, feel part of their community and feel part of a unique beachside village that is intrinsically Umina and promote a sense of community and well-being.

The McDonald's experience, however, can be found anywhere.

There is nothing unique about McDonald's and nothing that can make it part of the unique Umina village experience.

Online submission, 18 Nov 2011 Anni Taylor, Umina