2009-09-04 TCOHfire - Laserfiche WebLink

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ditch. I think it’s time for a new home. However, where we put that home is I think the thing we’re here in contention for. And I’m worried because the same Fire Department that saved my life might also be in a position of endangering my grandson’s life. Whether knowingly or unknowingly, whether the law of 1996 still applies, it’s just useless rhetoric if the first person shows up with some kind of brain tumor and thereafter a pattern starts forming. Nobody on this Commission, nobody in this County would like to say, well, we did it because the law was there. I think you have the chance as Commissioners, as planners, and Fire Department to put this in a safer place for people, innocent people, the residents who have really no power to say where this thing is going to be placed except through a meeting like this, the recipients who are impacted by whatever action you folks take. So to me I think from the ground view what has happened in the recent past in bringing this project to this point is that this is something that has moved very quickly and not with the knowledge or the necessary, the whole hearted approval of the community. We come to this point because there was a planning done by a consulting agent some place. And the first notice that I think the residents got was through a newspaper article, and then the letter from the consulting agency, and also the letter from the Chief. So all of this has kind of tumbled into their laps very quickly.The sequence of events is something that is astounding, because anybody who is concerned about the health and safety of their own family in their primary residence I think is probably shocked. Maybe some of them don’t know what the impact may or may not be, but they will be the recipients of any negative effects that you put up with this tower or any other equipment. So the ground view is that this thing is coming at you too fast, before you have a chance to really look at the information or studies that have taken place and digest what is going to happen. I would ask this Commission to stop and take a better look at this before you make that decision to say we’re going to put this tower here regardless of what else is outside of the 1996 Telecommunications Act. I think the responsibility of the government is to help the people and to protect the people. This is the only thing we have, the glue that holds this society together; and it is the responsibility of commissions or departments to help the people and also to protect the people. So in dealing with this fire department complex, you’re talking about an industrial complex, business building or headquarters, training facility, garage, fire station and the like. There are things that will be stored on that property. I mean, we don’t know the effects of, gasoline, oil, equipment, fire suppressant chemicals. We don’t know what’s going to be there. And I don’t think the Fire Department can really state on paper now exactly what’s going to be there and what the harmful effects might be to the ground or the people around there. So my daughter-in-law has already mentioned the devaluation of the property, the loss of privacy and so forth, so I won’t go over those things again. But I would like to say and ask the Fire Department and any Planning Commissioners who have any influence in this area to include the residents in the planning process. Because when you read it in the paper it’s kind of like a surprise already, it’s shock. Nobody likes to find out that there’s going to be a new factory right next door and you just paid almost a million dollars for a new home. Now they’re building or built their home over there. The other neighbors down the street who will be directly back to back, directly back to back with this fire complex, I don’t know what their feelings are, but I’d certainly hate to have a chain-linked fence and looking at somebody’s garage in the background. 12 EXHIBIT A