Concerned Citizens Petition to the Town of Niagara

Our Concerns – Not listed in any priority:

1. Currently there is only one entrance/exit in the plan, which will be on Colonial Dr. Ext. A possibly of a secondary entrance/exit on Kay Ellen Drive was mentioned for the later phase.
• Concern: A single entrance/exit for the initial phases of the development (or whole development) creates a safety issue for emergency and rescue vehicles, school buses, law enforcement, and residents. If this exit is blocked during an emergency situation, citizen and rescue personnel could be place in life threatening/unsafe situations.

2. Increased traffic volume for 137 new homes will create a traffic backlog in the community with an estimated increase of 274 additional cars going in and out of the Colonial Dr. Ext. and Miller Rd on a daily basis. This does not include construction trucks, garbage trucks, utility vehicles, delivery vehicles, school buses, friends and family, etc.
• Concern: This thoroughfare is located near an elementary school and several parks where children play and bicycle, creating a safety issue for our children. The congestion of traffic and increase in noise and pollution create health issues.

3. This development will have a pond with reservoir. No plan yet for fencing. There will also swales, up to 7 ft., on both sides of Miller Rd. and running along Colonial Dr. Ext. Who is responsible for the maintenance of swales and ditches, and the proper conveyance of drainage flows to a sufficient outlet?
Concerns:
• Who will be responsible for the cost and maintenance of the property surrounding pond and the pond itself? Will the water be standing or flowing?
• If water isn’t free flowing, who will ensure that the stagnant waters do not bring mosquitoes with West Nile Virus or Zika to the community?
• Who is liable for any injuries in or around the pond or ditches?
• What is being done to ensure that children are safe, and will not be hurt playing in or near these areas, as they are not fenced off?

4. Concern: Testing of farm soil has not been done to see if there could be contamination of soil from farm chemicals used (DDT), that once disturbed, could affect our community’s health.

5. Concern: Property values will go down if the proposed plan for the development is approved, based on minimum lot size, small square footage of homes, and design (inner city with 14 ft between homes).