04-28-08 Common Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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REGULAR MEETING APRIL 28, 2008 Ms. Sandy Van DeVeire, 52605 Lynnewood, South Bend, Indiana, advised that the current infrastructure cannot handle the increase of traffic in the neighborhood that this proposed development like Mr. Cooreman is proposing to build. Traffic has already increased with the development of Cross Creek and from Darden Road. Traffic is turning off of Lilac Road onto Mays and then onto Lynnwood Avenue to avoid the stop light at Cleveland and Lilac Roads. There is a residential speed limit zoned 20 mph on Mays Avenue and the only one in that residential area. The library is a welcomed addition to this family oriented neighborhood. However, there will be added traffic with this new branch. The proposed development by Mr. Cooreman will overload the area with more traffic than can be handled by the current infrastructure. There are numerous children in the neighborhood that use bus service to get to and from their daily school activities. On one day alone there were six buses picking up and dropping off children on Lynnwood Avenue. Ms. Van DeVeire urged the Council to vote against this rezoning. Mr. Charles Van DeVeire, 52605 Lynnewood, South Bend, Indiana, the commercial zoning that sits next to Lake City Bank has sat there empty for $12.75 a square foot for over two (2) years, not a big demand. He questioned that Mr. Cooreman has owned this property for quite some time and has claimed that he has been unable to sell it to anyone; maybe the property was priced too high to begin with. Mr. Alan Seidler, 52885 Shellbark, South Bend, Indiana, stated that he is approximately one hundred (100) yards away from the proposed development. Mr. Seidler stated that the reason that zoning laws are put into place is to protect residential areas from businesses and manufacturing. He encouraged everyone present here tonight to envision their own home with a restaurant right next door, in your back yard or even just down the street. Mr. Seidler stated that a soft buffer would be better suited for this location such as businesses that go out to their customers rather than bring customers in, like a real estate office. Ms. Barbara Sweeney, 52939 Lilac Road, South Bend, Indiana, stated that she lives directly next door to Lake City Bank. She stated that she has problems with trash being thrown from their patrons, light pollution from the parking lot lights that illuminate her back and front yard all during the night, and especially the traffic. She stated that she has a six (6) year old daughter that rides the school bus and with the added traffic from the bank it makes it impossible for her to let her daughter stand alone and wait for the bus or even when being dropped off, there has to be someone there to help her cross the street. She stated that she worries about her safety everyday. She urged the Council to vote against this rezoning. Mr. James Blye, 52577 Lilac Road, South Bend, Indiana, stated that there are many empty restaurants and businesses along the 933 N in Roseland. Mr. Blye stated that if this development goes through and with the economy as bad as it is, what if no one wants to lease space in this strip retail center. He fears that the developer will lease to cigarette shops and other unwanted businesses. He stated that he does not see this proposed development as a good thing and urged the Council to vote no. Ms. Lisa Romano, 52776 Lynnwood, South Bend, Indiana, stated that she is speaking on behalf of her father, who is not feeling well this evening. Ms. Romano stated that her father’s property is right next door to this proposed development. The neighbors in this area are very concerned with the rezoning from Office Buffer to Community Business; this will negatively affect everyone in the neighborhood. The traffic generated from the new library, the lifestyle center and the beauty shop will create major issues with wildlife, noise, litter, odor and crime. Ms. Romano stated that her father’s property value will decrease and therefore, he should be compensated for that. She stated that they don’t have a problem with bringing more jobs into the area, especially in the northwest area, but not at the expense of the neighbors at Cleveland and Lynnewood. She urged the Council to reject this rezoning. 13