IS IT TRUE: November 18, 2010
IS IT TRUE that the final hearing for US Incubator to have a chance at constructing three windmills for its “Peace Monument Windmill Projectâ€, is TODAY at 4:30 PM in the Civic Center in Room 301?….that this saga has been going on for over half a year now?….that the Evansville Board of Zoning Appeals has been hopelessly deadlocked on the decision on just how a windmill can be allowed to be constructed within the City of Evansville?…that these particular windmills are residential and do not create high levels of noise?…that they are proposed to be within an Enterprise Zone near the Lloyd Expressway?….that it would be quite difficult to intentionally make this location louder or more blighted looking?….that the City of Evansville is well equipped legally to approve cellular towers by the score, billboards in the hundreds, satellite dishes on every building strong enough to support them, …..that wind energy is one of the projected leading job creators of the next decade?….that not having policies that are well enough defined to even grant a citizen of Evansville the permission to install residential windmills sends the message that the City of Evansville is not interested in the jobs of the future?…that as long as regressive policies like this continue to rule the day in Evansville that the “brain drain†will continue along with the decline of populations and wages?
IS IT TRUE the Front Door Pride program and Tom Barnett are out to get their hands on another $1.5 Million? ….that the proposal to borrow $2 Million will go to the Evansville City Council for consideration next Monday?….that $1.5M is slated to go to Front Door Pride?…that what we will be getting for $1.5 Million IF APPROVED is 3 houses in Goosetown and an undefined set of incentives to get artists to move to Goosetown and set up shop?….that nearly every gallery that has come to town and settled in a retail space in Goosetown has gone out of business?…that half of the Front Door Pride homes that are listed at half the construction cost still sit unsold after two years?….that the problem is not the houses or even the art, the problem is the crime and the schools?…that Goosetown will work only when Goosetown is safe, clean, free of the smell of sewers, and the school system that serves the area has acceptable performance?…that throwing $2 Million, $10 Million, or even $127.5 Million at an area where crime, cleanliness, basic infrastructure, and the schools are unacceptable will not solve this problem in a sustainable way? ….that spending $100,000 plus on an exotic “green†alley won’t solve it either?
IS IT TRUE that the City of Louisville just opened their new Arena, now known as Yum! Center with an 88-73 win over defending NCAA Runner –Up Butler Bulldogs?….that the Yum Center has over 22,000 seats for basketball and every seat for every University of Louisville game is sold out for the first year?…that Yum Brands paid $13.5M for a 10 year deal for naming rights to the Louisville Arena?….that the City County Observer’s Louisville based Mole tells us that nearly every door, suite, popcorn stand, and locker room in the building has a paying sponsors name associated with it?….that Mole #L1 predicts that well over $100 Million in naming rights have been sold in the Louisville Arena?….that the campaign to sell these naming rights had a staff working for over a year prior to the ribbon cutting to secure these deals?
IS IT TRUE that the Evansville Arena with its 11,000 seat capacity and $127 Million price tag is across the board about half of the Yum Center in every category?….that given that ratio that the marquee naming opportunities for the Evansville Arena should be expected to scale accordingly?….that would mean that there are over $50 Million in naming opportunities that can be identified in the new Evansville Arena? … that a search of the Evansville Arena website makes no mention of naming rights opportunities?…..that with the potential for around $50 Million of naming rights opportunities to be sold that a concerted effort to sell sponsorships with a chairperson and a committee or even a paid professional team should be underway?….that the only reference in an archive search is that project manager John Kish is quoted in “hoping†that someone will buy the naming rights to the Evansville Arena?….that the City County Observer as one of the fastest growing internet traffic sites in Evansville has not been approached or been told of any naming rights programs that exist?….that the CCO would not know who to call to name so much as a floor tile?….that the naming rights efforts today remind us of the Executive Inn replacement efforts of 2007?
Isn’t it true that the windmill issue hangs on the height of the towers in relationship to their proximity to adjacent residences, which raises safety issues rather than noise issues? Isn’t it true that the same code restriction that is prohibiting the windmill towers is the restriction that also prohibits cellphone towers next to residences if the tower would exceed the prescribed heights? Of course, isn’t it also true that BZA allows about 98% of the variance requests that come before the board?
Not really. There is a rule in place that basically requires that a person must have 10 acres to have a tower. Windmills are treated as though they are TV towers by the City of Evansville. These windmills are not even as tall as a power pole. The real problem is that we have horse and buggy laws in an auto society. Evansville needs to catch up to the real world. The things you cite are concerns that were brought up by a warehouse owner 400 feet away but the real problem is having no guidelines and even less vision.
Thanks, I’ll check the facts and report back later.
Okay, when dealing with or writing about zoning issues, it’s important to deal with the facts rather than unsubstantiated assumptions. So, here’s the facts:
It’s a fact that the zoning restrictions applied to the application by Mr. Peterlin for 3 windmills are the same zoning restrictions applied to cell tower installations because there are no other restrictions or allowances in the zoning code applicable specifically to windmills.
It’s a fact that Mr. Peterlin’s application does not include a site plan including data provided by a licensed land surveyor certifying the location of the proposed windmill towers in relationship to the closest adjacent or nearby residential structures. And it’s a fact that the zoning code requires such certified survey data to accompany the application.
It’s a fact that the application shows Mr. Peterlin intends installing 3 windmill towers, 2 of them 40 feet tall and a 3rd tower 60 feet tall; while it appears from information provided by the applicant that the 60 foot tall tower will be about 50 feet from the closest residential dwelling.
It’s a fact that Mr. Peterlin has appeared before the City Council and the County Commissioners apparently with the intent of persuading a change of code restrictions to allow windmill towers located in closer proximity to dwellings than is allowed for cell towers.
But it’s also a fact that the allowances proposed by Mr. Peterlin, if incorporated into the zoning code, still would not allow specifically what Mr. Peterlin appears to be requesting as the locations for the 3 windmill towers at the location subject of his application.
It’s also a fact that the Board of Zoning Appeals meeting for this afternoon has been cancelled for lack of quorum.
Lastly, as I stated at the top, when dealing with or writing about zoning issues, one should deal in facts and not assumptions (or unfounded allegations) principly because otherwise one comes off as a NIMBY (not in my back yard) or a reverse NIMBY (he’sd a buddy of mine so he can put it anywhere he wants). Just sayin’ …
One of the problems with an Arts District in Evansville was there was no research into the number of people who have money to buy original art.
Too many think what they can buy at the Marriott a couple times a year is real art, and don’t know it is produced on an assembly line of low income painters in China. Even stores like Ethan Allen sell prints in expensive frames, not original art.
Putting the “Arts District” as far away from 3 borders of the county, in an area one seldom goes, other than to conduct business at the Civic Center, isn’t too bright either.
An “Arts District” will never work in Evansville unless we have a steady stream of tourist dollars and/or our economy improves to the point we have extra money to spend.
Wrong place, wrong economy and wrong to keep kicking a dead horse and trying to revive it with more dollars.
Well, with the Locals refering to the Arena as “The John”, the association of business and a percieved “toilet” for Taxpayer dollars hardly lends itself to a positive image for any business or company.
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