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South Bend Redevelopment Commission <br /> Regular Meeting—October 25, 2012 <br /> 5. OLD BUSINESS (CONT.) <br /> A. South Side Development Area <br /> (1) continued... <br /> Matt Hanover: 4130 S. Fellows. I've previously spoken in support of Option A-1. We <br /> love our neighborhood. Frankly, the best case scenario would be us keeping our home. But <br /> I still have concerns that aren't being addressed by this plan. In previous meetings it's been <br /> stated that our road is at capacity. Now I know there are other roads that handle <br /> significantly more traffic than ours: Miami, I forget some of the other ones he mentioned. <br /> And I appreciate that, but frankly, I bought my house at this traffic level. And I paid for my <br /> house at this traffic level. And I am fearful that my property values are going to diminish <br /> because of any increased traffic. So, this is the plan that you decide to take and I fully <br /> appreciate that. If we had addressed this project from the beginning this way, I think <br /> everyone would probably have been more amenable towards it, but I don't know why we <br /> would wait to see if traffic counts increase significantly---I think any traffic increase is a <br /> problem. If this is the route the Commission decides to take today, then I would suggest we <br /> should automatically install speed bumps, or a stop sign at Walter or a stop sign at <br /> Chippewa. I think that we need to take the steps to slow the traffic down immediately. I <br /> mean we're talking about a couple of speed bumps and a couple of stop signs here. I feel <br /> like we're gambling with my family's safety. My kids play on the street every day. Again, <br /> I appreciate there are other streets that can handle the higher traffic, and I appreciate that <br /> our street may be able to handle more traffic, but that's not the neighborhood I bought into. <br /> That's not the neighborhood that any of these people bought into. So, I feel, if this is the <br /> route we decide to take, which previous to today was unacceptable to a lot of people (this is <br /> essentially not doing anything), we need to take the minimum steps that would have <br /> extremely minimal costs to at least minimize the danger to the public. <br /> Lynn Bishop: 4230 S. Fellows. My husband bought our house in 1999 and I agree with the <br /> Hanovers. When you look at the street now, it is already a fail. We talk about maintaining <br /> the integrity, but the integrity had already been lost. And I understand that other streets can <br /> handle more traffic than what we have; however, I would like a comparison of how big <br /> their front yards are, or how far their front door is from the road, because we have very <br /> miniscule front yards on Fellows. That makes a big difference and it's already at a large <br /> fail. We do not let our three small children play in the yard---they do not play in the front, <br /> they do not ride their bikes, they do not ride their scooters, they don't do that at all because <br /> of the traffic that is already there and the way that it speeds through. We're at the park by <br /> Walter where there's a slight hill and getting the kids out every morning for school is <br /> difficult. It's even worse when it's icy because even if a car is going five or ten miles over <br /> the speed limit they slide right over that hill and into our yard. So, to me the integrity has <br /> been lost. It's not an issue of maintaining, it's already gone. So, also with this, I know you <br /> mentioned with INDOT as saying the number of cars, but we think for a year or so, but it <br /> wouldn't be that, but I'm not looking for a year. I want my children to grow up in a <br /> wonderful town in South Bend like I did. And I want them to want to stay here in South <br /> Bend. So, instead of saying that this will be good for a year or so, I'd like to say what's <br /> 17 <br />