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From:TCH To:Ryan Streff Cc:David Grant Subject:Thoughts on Bethel University Project PC#15-009 Date:Sunday, April 19, 2015 9:42:30 AM Mr. Streff, Thank you for requesting feedback on the proposed installation of a building on the site of the Ona Orth Athletic Field at Bethel. FYI, we live on Arden Oaks Drive, just south of the railroad tracks, and SE of the Ona Orth field. Some of my neighborhood's background is necessary first before my comments. Three years ago (May 4, 2012), I wrote Dr. Barnes, Bethel President, and ultimately spoke with his Executive Assistant to the President, Richard Sherry, about nuisance noise issues coming from the Bethel campus. In particular, excessive noise was frequently coming from the baseball field just to the north of our neighborhood. We also were experiencing some infrequent noise coming from the Ona North field. This noise was not of issue during sanctioned ball games, but instead when athletes, etc. were allowed to blast rap music, etc, whenever they were practicing or whatever! There was no university control, to the extent that this noise was so loud that I could hear it inside my home Dr. Sherry and I met and determined that the loudspeakers should be relocated to point back at the spectator stands and not in the direction of the outfield ( and our neighborhood). This seems to have resolved most of the nuisance noise coming from the men's ball field. However, we now are facing more of the same from the Ona Orth field. Again, there appears to be no control over who controls the type and sound level of music emanating from the field. FYI, the loudspeakers also point in the direction of our neighborhood. I spoke with Mr. Randy Bergin, Dr. Sherry's replacement, last summer over this issue. The correct solution of relocating the speakers at Ona Orth has not been done, and the nuisance continues. My problem with concurring with the proposed project is that first I would ask Bethel to once and for all resolve this ongoing nuisance noise issue our neighborhood is experiencing. As you know ( unless it has changed in the past year ) Arden Hills does not have a nuisance noise ordinance. We find that we not only have our days disturbed by the frequent trains passing by, blowing their horns at all hours of the day and night, but also this unwanted noise from the Ona Orth facility. Will the new building change this for the better or worse? Probably not, but I still propose that as a condition for approval, Bethel agrees to finally resolve this nuisance noise issue here, and any other place on campus which affects our neighborhood. We want to be good neighbors to Bethel, and expect the same from them. Respectfully,