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Rose Place Neighborhood Response to City of ROS8vllle Planning Report Regarding Scott Wicklund Request for Conditional Use Permit and Variance at MIDC 1. General Observations: A The city document does not mention that many of the residences, including those on the 3 contiguous properties, are perched on a hill about 10-12 feet above the property line. They overlook into MIDC property. Therefore, in 1976, the City mandated a 15' deep heavily vegetated area (evergreens) on the south boundary of the industry property to provide neighborhood screening. This tree barrier is essential to protect the houses from looking into the industrial backyards, and, due to the elevation difference, is the only kind of screening which is effective. B. Because of the hill, the City's recommendations (Resolution, Item 12) regarding a 5 foot woven fence, do not solve the primary screening problem. C. In April, 1995, the landowner, Duane Albrecht, installed an 8-foot chain link fence at the 15 foot property line. To do so, he pruned the evergreens to an 8 foot height, cleared out the deciduous brush and trees, thus making the U-Hauls and. . stored materials much more visible, both from the residence windows and from the back yards. Residences on the 3 contiguous properties sit well above the top of the 8- foot fence, so even if it were woven with opaque materials, its placement at the 15 foot mark, ( rather than the 40 foot mark), prevents it from providing effective screening. D. For several years, the neighborhood has been requesting that the trees which have fallen due to wind or disease be replaced. It is our understanding that these requests have been relayed to Mr. Albrecht with no response. We feel that Mr. Albrecht has not been at all sensitive to the residential concerns or quality. For example, there have been other instances in which the neighborhood has had to appeal to the City to intervene and check uses which impact on the neighborhood (snow piles which flood backyards, operation of heavy machinery in the middle of the night, etc.) Thus, the neighborhood wants to see any possible variance which would permanently attach to the property very explicit and comprehensive in its protection and expansion of visual barriers. E. The neighborhood has seen one problem after another develop along this residential/industry interface. We are very concerned about the possible deterioration of neighborhood property values in general. We see a need for an immediate, comprehensive look at this whole strip. Over the last 15 years, inconsistent enforcement has resulted in problems which have included: dumping-all sorts of junk, hazardous chemicals stored outdoors, open storage, deterioration of fences on industry property, fires-including one where we were evacuated due to toxic fumes, industrial vibrations strong enough to shake homes & waken residents, use ofMIDC property for dumping of tons ofrefuse-Iaden snow - 1