An Open Letter to Council Member Mike Davis
Noblesville resident Shellie Thomas forwarded us the email she wrote to her District 1 Noblesville Common Council Member Mike Davis about the gravel pit. We received her permission to share it publicly. If you also live in District 1 (northern Noblesville), you can reach Mr. Davis at mdavis@noblesville.in.us
An Open Letter to my Council Member Mike Davis
from Shellie Thomas, guest writer
Mike Davis, Noblesville Common Council Member for District 1 | Photo courtesy of the City of Noblesville.
Mr. Davis,
I am a constituent in your district and I appreciate your willingness to serve the community. I am writing in opposition to the proposed gravel pit near Potter's Bridge.
I am the daughter and granddaughter of entrepreneurs and my husband recently sold a business which had been in the family for over sixty years. I share this to give you some perspective regarding my opposition. I am very pro-business and pro-development and recognize changes must take place so that businesses and communities can thrive.
I also understand that there are boundaries established to protect community members. I am calling on you to exercise the power granted by those of us who voted for you, to protect the community members who have invested time and money to build a life in an area that for obvious reasons, is not zoned for industrial use. I realize there are clever ways to rezone without making it industrial, but that is the essence of what the petition is seeking.
My husband and I would not be significantly impacted by the proposal. Some have commented that sometimes a few have to sacrifice for the benefit of many. In this case, way too much is being asked of the families who live in the area. The level of disruption to their lives is not something I want to see so that EVENTUALLY we can have a park.
From the materials I have read, it appears the real impact goes beyond five years. Even if the timeframe were shortened, I would be in opposition. Noblesville and Hamilton County have sufficient wealth to fund park growth, and I am certain that we have elected talented officials who have the ability to develop a plan that would provide beautiful parks, without asking a group of citizens to sacrifice beyond what is reasonable.
The petition, in my estimation, was ill conceived from the start. It was clear the appropriate research and communications had not taken place before the submission of the first petition. Numerous issues and inconsistencies were noted in the second petition during the plan commission meeting. I was not personally in attendance, but my husband attended the meeting and he shared that the opposition group noted a number of significant problems.
Even if the problems were somehow dealt with, I come to the same place. Why would we ask the area residents to put up with an industrial operation right in their backyards? Why would we take any risk to our drinking water? Why is it OK to ignore the obvious habitat issues for wildlife when a park can become a reality another way?
Mr. Beaver and his family have made many contributions that have benefitted the citizens of Noblesville and he is to be commended. I have read the recent article in the Towne Post which suggests the real reason for the proposal was because Mr. Beaver wants generations of citizens to enjoy a park. I do not make it my business to evaluate one's motives, but sometimes the facts are patently obvious. Mr. Beaver's company stands to profit substantially if his petition is approved. Profit is good. The purpose of business is to make money. This does not have the face of philanthropy. The picture painted by the facts of the situation is one of opportunity for a private enterprise to profit financially, and then after the land is used for that purpose, and area citizens have suffered tremendous impact to their quality of life, the community can have the land. The petition would deserve consideration if it were not in the middle of a densely populated area and did not pose the risks that this proposal brings.
The second petition added town homes and perhaps that is the landing place. The gravel pit/industrial operation could be eliminated and the town homes could perhaps remain. Our politicians have a responsibility to protect the citizens of Noblesville from proposals like this one. I wish Mr. Beaver and his family continued success, but this proposal is out of bounds. Please vote "NO" in the common council when this matter comes before you. And it is time for this issue to be closed. Mr. Beaver is offering a "gift" that the people of Noblesville do not want, and it is time for the issue to be behind us so that profitable discussions about growing our parks can take place.
Sincerely,
Shellie Thomas
Oakbay Subdivision Resident