Agenda - Council - 03/08/2022 - Laserfiche WebLink

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March 8, 2022 City of Ramsey City Council Dear Sirs and Madams, This letter is in support of a "no"vote on the proposal to change the zoning from low density to zoning needed for building a PACT school for the parcel of land which was donated for the purpose of building a church on said land. The environmental impact group found that it is not a viable option to build a high school on this land and I concur with them. Replacing large trees with small immature trees does not offset the large footprint of removing mature trees; it will take many decades before the new trees are mature. I believe there are also issues with drainage and water pollution for the nearby residents as well as an increase in traffic not supported by infrastructure. I believe the council would be wise to adopt their findings and astonished and dismayed if they voted against these findings.That to me would reek of a "done deal"and "this is just for show and due diligence"aspect to this situation which is most unfortunate. This tract of land is zoned for low density use;a high school is the antithesis of low density. High schools bring not only buses but teenagers driving cars, additional vehicles for faculty and staff,visitors, and vendors. Building a stadium would bring noise and light pollution, and an even larger increase in traffic. Parking would be problematic at best. The point about it being close to the elementary school is specious at best and wanting a high school in a residential area because of safety concerns is laughable.Safe for who? It does not matter one whit if the elementary and high school are in proximity except for the few who are attending there. It has no bearing on the rest of Ramsey residents.The presence of a high school with teenagers will change a safe,quiet residential area into a noisy, polluted,and perhaps dangerous area. High school students are not known for their mature attitudes and well-thought-out decision-making capabilities.You can expect bad behavior,speeding,and crime to follow unless you are wearing rose-colored glasses and living in 1955. 1 taught young adults for 40 years and although I loved it and them; I don't have any delusions about their levels of maturity and thoughtfulness. Frankly, putting a high school in a residential area is a poorly thought-out short-sighted idea. One wonders if the council has researched this area with an eye toward the next 50- 75 years and the impact that education trends,the aging of America, population growth and diversity trends,etc. have on community development. I like the idea of a church built on that land and perhaps some sort of community center. For example,an indoor walking area,gyms, spot for gathering,and community theater.Or add onto the existing park, making it a state-of-the-art facility. I find it more than interesting that communication about this proposal was not given wider audience and longer time between meeting notices.This reflects poorly on those who don't understand the residents of Ramsey who work, have children, are ill or physically challenged,or out of town etc. Most people cannot just rearrange their schedule at the drop of a hat without significant planning involved. I believe elected officials should be held accountable for their actions and/or inactions,transparency or underhandedness, communication skills or arrogance, be leaders for all community residents,and voted in to or out of office when necessary. I would assume that the council members would function at the highest level of ethics and responsibility and recuse themselves from voting whether a perceived or true conflict of interest exists. Thank you for your time and the opportunity to weigh in on this proposal. Dr. Linda J. Bowers Professor Emeritus