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Regular City Council Meeting <br /> Monday,June 20,2023 <br /> Page 6 <br /> He also explained there is something in the economy that is called inflation,noting <br /> the project went from$240,000 to$900,000 very quickly and the project is still five <br /> years out. He wondered what is going to happen. He liked the thought from <br /> Councilmember Schroeder to put a cap on this. He also questioned the amount of <br /> traffic that is actually on Victoria, noting on the low end, there are 3.5 cars per <br /> minute twelve hours a day, twenty-four hours a day and he did not see that at all. <br /> He has talked to fifteen of his neighbors and nobody wants this project. This is not <br /> a community project; it is being pushed onto their laps and property is being taken <br /> away. He will be losing twenty-five feet of his front yard which puts him in <br /> jeopardy of a lot of different things. <br /> Mr. Lawrence Jackerman,2825 Victoria Street North <br /> Mr. Jackerman explained he only heard about this project a few months ago. He <br /> wondered if this is still involving the existing right-of-way or does it consist of <br /> considering the taking of private property. He noted he has not received a letter <br /> from the City regarding anything to do with that. He explained if the City planned <br /> on taking his property it will cost a lot of money because he lives in America where <br /> there is a bill of rights where the fifth amendment of the United States Constitution <br /> includes a provision known as the takings clause which states that private property <br /> shall not be taken for public use without just compensation. This clause is intended <br /> to protect citizens from having their property taken by the Government without fair <br /> compensation. The Supreme Court has interpreted this clause to mean that the <br /> Government may take private property for public use only if it provides just <br /> compensation to the owner of the property. He explained he has not heard of any <br /> offer to pay for his front yard, and he did not want to lose any more trees either. <br /> Ms. Kofi Montzka,Victoria Street <br /> Ms. Montzka explained she read through the ninety-eight-page report on this <br /> project and nothing in it talked about the effect on the actual property owners who <br /> live on Victoria Street. She noted there was a petition from 2016 which was a long <br /> time ago and hardly any of the people who signed the petition actually live on <br /> Victoria Street. She noted she has a nineteen-year-old who is in diapers who is like <br /> a two-year-old and this is a safe place for them to live. She told her personal care <br /> attendant about this and the first thing out of her mouth was that her son was going <br /> to run away or get hit by a car because she has a ton of bushes that provide a buffer <br /> to the road. She explained she cannot even bring her son to another person's home <br /> because if there is a sidewalk or if he sees other houses, he walks away to their <br /> homes. She understood she is only one person and cannot ask the Government to <br /> make decisions for her only but she has heard that there will be no provisions for <br /> making things safe again on her property plus it will push up twenty-five feet so <br /> the pathway would be almost up to his bedroom, and it is terrible. She noted this <br /> will practically cut off her neighbors' garage at 3295 Victoria Street. She felt there <br /> has not been much attention paid to the people who actually live on the street. She <br /> would like the Council to have all of the information before voting and know <br /> exactly what the plan is going to be. <br />