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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 /> going to be good in ten years, twenty years, thirty years. I've worked on the south side, I've <br /> worked in a business for ten years trying to develop the south side and to help it grow and I <br /> want to see it continue to grow. My concerns are that we're kind of cutting it off at the <br /> knees right now, saying we're not going to get any more businesses on Ireland, we're not <br /> going to get any more businesses on Michigan, and that makes me sad because I remember <br /> a time when there wasn't anything there and it has grown and it's wonderful and I love <br /> shopping in my neighborhood. Like many people I'm not a fan of going to Grape Road <br /> because of the crazy traffic and I feel now we're going to create that here on the south side <br /> and shunt people away from our community. And I understand wanting people to stay on <br /> Michigan and to stay on Ireland and not having extra traffic on Fellows; however, if traffic <br /> is eased, then people are more likely to come out. I avoid Grape as much as possible <br /> because of traffic, and if you ask me, personally, where something is on Grape Road, I can't <br /> even tell you. I don't see store fronts because I'm watching all the traffic in front of me. <br /> So, that's just my opinion on the impact of the stores. I think if you ease up the traffic in <br /> the area people are more likely to come to the area and shop. My last point would just be <br /> please, consider the safety for our children. I worry for them every single day. I worry if <br /> they start to go out to the car in the morning before I go out there. They're not allowed to <br /> because it's dangerous. I've always been in support of Option A and I will continue to do <br /> so. Because we want the south side to grow, we want our children to be happy, and we <br /> want our children to stay in South Bend after they are adults and enjoy it like we have. <br /> Thank you very much. <br /> End of public input. <br /> Mr. Varner said this has been a really interesting process. I really appreciate the fact that <br /> folks were willing to get involved. In order to be a participant in government you can't sit <br /> on the sidelines and wait for others to get involved because you find out when that does <br /> happen is that everybody is unhappy. The process has been contentious and perhaps <br /> difficult, time consuming and frustrating, but it appears to me that the process is going to <br /> lead to a solution that is going to satisfy the greatest need. I think there are a couple of <br /> principles that have guided me through this. One of those is I would love a through street. <br /> It's just not a good idea to take increased volumes of traffic and direct them through <br /> existing neighborhoods. Carl Littrell, our former city engineer, has always said that the <br /> wider and smoother you make a street the faster people will drive on it. I think it's <br /> important that we looked at various solutions. Secondly, and probably the higher priority <br /> from my perspective, is while the authority to take property with eminent domain exists, it's <br /> recognized in the statutes, it's been affirmed in the courts, it doesn't always make for good <br /> public policy. <br /> 18 <br />