HERE COMES TRACTOR SUPPLY

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Last week the Village of Indiantown Planning, Zoning & Appeals Board met to hear the details that were all worked out by staff so they could be rubber stamped and given to the Council. They are set to rush through the approval with necessary formal consideration of legality, with little to no consideration of the PEOPLE affected directly by this. Well, you know what they say, “You have to break a few eggs to make an omelet.”

Guess who the eggs are this time Indianwood?

As the Clerk said “We already have it in the Minutes that way”. (prior to discussion or voting) It was their meeting, not mine. You can’t make this stuff up. It is all there.

The lead staff member, Althea Jackson, even went as far as to script out the motions for approval for the Board members. No sign of the way to make a motion to table it. How convenient. No, no rubber stamp or nose ring there. It is sad that the Village staff thinks so little of the intelligence level of their Boards that they have to script things for them. But I guess that is the case.

Not only that but when you watch the playback of the meeting and listen to the condescending tonality of Althea towards the Board members it is telling.

The Board itself did a half way decent job of pointing out most of all of the fallacy with the plan, that was to be sent forward with minor recommendations from them. Sad really. Especially when the fact of an Indian Burial Mound existing on the property was disclosed it seemed not phase a soul. Even that was not enough for the Board, of your neighbors, to say they thought it should be tabled until there is more time for further discussion. Somehow the platitudes and empty replies of “Expert This” and “Expert That” was enough to sit the self-initiated down and vote against their own judgement.

All but one, Tony Zweiner.

Beyond the news that there are real people buried out there, it was also shown that the diversity and healthy Eco environment that is about to be replaced with 4 acres of asphalt is certain to cause another Eco – imbalance in our Village as well. Just like the slash and burn operation a few weeks back that took out an Eagles nest. Then there is the remaining list of water runoff, lighting issues as well as the noise issues that will affect the residents of Indianwood and the Village as a whole.

Only one Board member voted not to approve the variances that were required to meet the Villages own LDR or building codes. That’s right, the list of special exemptions from the letter of the law (LDR/Code) had to be made to fit the project in.

This project that will displace a whole lot of known wild life, level a burial mound, get rid of over 250 trees, create light pollution and prepare for a phase two build out to cover the entire 35-acre plat one asphalt load at a time.

Not only is it not in keeping with the Village it will promote the big box store urban style pollution that is today’s urban planning. Aren’t we better than this Indiantown?

Besides, what about the existing businesses that already provide for these services? What consideration is being given to your neighbors and fellow community members over the interest of a NASDAQ listed big box profit center with no interest in you or this community beyond your wallet.

For what?

The estimated 5k a year in additional revenue for the Village?

TAM has been asking The Village and Council members for over a year what the activity on the property was about. Especially the 18 oaks along Warfield that will be removed for this concrete nightmare. They knew, they refused to say. Well now we know. We also know and can say that The Village is not even close to being forth coming with information that is averse to their planning. Another Howard Brown creation we suppose.

We did not hear about how they plan to keep transient foot traffic off of the Indianwood Community Property either.

• How tall of a wall will they have to build?
• What kind of a fence will need to be used?
• Are they as worried about your security as they are theirs?
• What types of toxic chemicals and in what quantity will they keep?
• How will a fire affect the residents?

They have openly said the overly bright lights are for Safety. It is so, people do not steal things. People like CRIMINALS that are attracted to Big Box environments. The same Criminals that can walk across the parking lot and now into your streets and homes in Indianwood.

It is OK to say no sometimes and this sure seems like one to us. Just to make clear Indianwood, your neighbors on the PZA except for Tony Zweiner, voted to tell the Council it all looks good to them.

It also meant that they told the Council it is OK to violate the light rules because it is for SAFETY. Well, glad to know you have our safety at heart while you turn a wildlife area into an urban light, sight and noise polluted corner.

What can you do?

Speak Out and Speak Up. Write to your Village Council, e-mail them, call them and show up at meetings and make YOUR VOICE HEARD! There are more of us than there are of them. Stand on common ground with your neighbors for the good of your life style and the future of those still to come.

If not you, then who? If not you, then say hello to the first of several new Urban Neighbor’s you are going to share a property line with. Don’t say nobody told you.

Until next time – Standby