March 23, 2021 at 4:35 p.m.
Residents don't want new neighbor
Letters to the Editor
To the editor:
Where did you grow up? Where do you live now? Hopefully, it’s better than the former. As people we try to better ourselves, our situation, our dwellings. We aren’t dealt the same cards, some good, some bad. Then in this life we have advances — an inheritance, a win of sorts, good health. We also have setbacks — medical problems, death of loved ones, divorce — life goes on.
As a resident of Beacon Heights, I do not want a mining operation within a stone’s throw of my house. Yes, Portland needs industry, but it also needs places for nice housing expansion as well. People want to live close to town, not necessarily in it, close to a highway(s), school, and west Portland is a very good start between Tyson Road and county road 100 South.
Regarding US Aggregates, they bought land wanting to expand their business. They own or operate at least 18 mines in Indiana, which is more than homeowners in Beacon Heights. They have tried to reassure people in Beacon Heights, Sheffer Acres, Oak Street, Rose Drive, Tyson Foods and the school board that their expansion will not harm our properties and health (dust, blasting, wells, property values and the unsightliness of a quarry). We, the residents, are not so sure or convinced. They try to convince us that they’re a good neighbor, going to install berms, nicely mowed, to block the ugly.
Proverbs 24:30-31 mentions thorns and nettles. I look out the front of my house and see brush piles, scrub brush, side ditches in weeds, piles of stone higher than berms, etc. on properties that they now and have owned. Check out the berms now surrounding the current site. Not great. No one lives out there. They aren’t that good of a neighbor in my opinion.
I don’t want a rezone but cannot do much other than lobby the Portland Plan Commission as these members are all appointed. Should the rezone go through, will the city council have the fortitude to make big business comply with respect for the residents this expansion affects?
Respectfully submitted,
Kathleen Clark
Tim Sheffer
Portland
Where did you grow up? Where do you live now? Hopefully, it’s better than the former. As people we try to better ourselves, our situation, our dwellings. We aren’t dealt the same cards, some good, some bad. Then in this life we have advances — an inheritance, a win of sorts, good health. We also have setbacks — medical problems, death of loved ones, divorce — life goes on.
As a resident of Beacon Heights, I do not want a mining operation within a stone’s throw of my house. Yes, Portland needs industry, but it also needs places for nice housing expansion as well. People want to live close to town, not necessarily in it, close to a highway(s), school, and west Portland is a very good start between Tyson Road and county road 100 South.
Regarding US Aggregates, they bought land wanting to expand their business. They own or operate at least 18 mines in Indiana, which is more than homeowners in Beacon Heights. They have tried to reassure people in Beacon Heights, Sheffer Acres, Oak Street, Rose Drive, Tyson Foods and the school board that their expansion will not harm our properties and health (dust, blasting, wells, property values and the unsightliness of a quarry). We, the residents, are not so sure or convinced. They try to convince us that they’re a good neighbor, going to install berms, nicely mowed, to block the ugly.
Proverbs 24:30-31 mentions thorns and nettles. I look out the front of my house and see brush piles, scrub brush, side ditches in weeds, piles of stone higher than berms, etc. on properties that they now and have owned. Check out the berms now surrounding the current site. Not great. No one lives out there. They aren’t that good of a neighbor in my opinion.
I don’t want a rezone but cannot do much other than lobby the Portland Plan Commission as these members are all appointed. Should the rezone go through, will the city council have the fortitude to make big business comply with respect for the residents this expansion affects?
Respectfully submitted,
Kathleen Clark
Tim Sheffer
Portland
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