Letter to Bloomington City Council regarding proposed Solid Waste Facility, Transfer Station

December 3, 2012

To Bloomington City Council Representatives,

The Crescent Bend Neighborhood received a letter from Bethany Stevens of Indiana Recycling Resource, LLC.  The letter states:  “As required by IC 13-15-8 and 329 IAC 10-12-1 (a) – (b), please be advised the agent for the property Owner, has made application to IDEM, on November 7, 2012, for a Solid Waste Facility, Transfer Station permit. The project is known as Indiana Recycling Resource, LLC, DBA Vernal Pike Transfer and Recycling, In Bloomington, Indiana.  A copy of this application, legal description and all development plans pertaining to this proposed development plan are on file and available for examination at the Monroe County Public Library, 303 E. Kirkwood Avenue, IN  47404.”

Upon examination of these IDEM documents, it appears that this transfer station will be located on Vernal Pike on the property of JB Salvage.  Our concerns are:

•  There will not be a public hearing regarding this project as stated by Planning and Engineering.
•  Although there is an existing salvage company at this location, a solid waste transfer station, being significantly different, would perhaps be in violation of the current zoning ordinance.
•  Who will be responsible for removing road trash that blows from uncovered vehicles transporting solid waste to and from the transfer station?
• Why would the City think that it’s appropriate, and go so far as to send a letter of recommendation to IDEM, to send large vehicles, hauling trash, through a core neighborhood which includes two existing school zones (Tri-North and Head Start), narrow streets and few sidewalks?

It is estimated that 4,200 yards or 100 tons of trash will be moved in and out via large trucks and trailers each day.  Therefore this project will undoubtedly require a significant increase in large truck traffic on an infrastructure that at present cannot support multiple trips of this vehicle type.  Has there been discussion about infrastructure changes that would immediately be necessary to accommodate this type of traffic?  Large trucks will not be able to enter or exit via Adams Street because of the low train trestle/bridge and railroad crossings.  Similar problems occur at the Bender bridge on W. 11^th Street.  It will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for a large semi-truck to access Monroe Street.  Therefore, if the Vernal Pike/Highway 37 intersection is closed due to the I-69 project, the only way these trucks can exit the transfer station would be on Crescent Road.  Even if W. 17th Street is widened/updated, Crescent Road will remain inadequate which will directly affect the health and safety of local residents.

Please note, there may be potential for the proposed transfer station at this location as long as trucks are able to enter and exit via the existing Vernal Pike and Highway 37 intersection.   However, in the near future, we are very concerned that the City cannot guarantee that INDOT will agree to revise the I-69 plan and protect the integrity of the northwest side by keeping an access to the west and Terre Haute through the Vernal Pike intersection.  We also understand that this will likely not be an interchange; however an access at Vernal Pike would allow these loaded trucks to exit the transfer station more efficiently and with less negative impact to our schools, residences and businesses.

Respectfully,

Crescent Bend Neighborhood Association

Executive Committee Members

November 14, 2012 Quarterly Meeting

CBNA Quarterly Meeting will be held at the Aecom conference room 1800 W. 17th St., Wed. Dec. 14, 2012, 6:30pm.

Special guest will be City Engineer Adrian Reid.  We will be discussing the roundabout and specific plans for land acquisition as well as the Vernal/Crescent intersection and changes that need to be made there.

Come prepared to discuss your thoughts about infrastructure changes that are proposed for W. 17th regarding the Sec. 5, I-69 project.  This could have a major impact on our neighborhood if the project unfolds as proposed.

Growth Policies Plan

The City is in the process of updating the comprehensive plan (Growth Policies Plan).  We'd like to invite you to provide feedback on the draft vision statement that was crafted from the Imagine Bloomington workshops held last spring.

Take a short survey online: http://tinyurl.com/awauwrw Comment, vote, and
participate in discussion on the online forum:
http://imaginebloomington.uservoice.com/

All surveys and comments must be received by Monday, November 12.

For more details, check out our website:
http://bloomington.in.gov/imaginebloomington

Thanks!


Katie Bannon
Zoning and Long Range Planner
City of Bloomington Planning Department
401 N. Morton St., Ste 160
Bloomington, IN 47404
812.349.3423
bannonk@bloomington.in.gov
http://bloomington.in.gov/planning
http://facebook.com/bloomingtonplanning
http://twitter.com/btownplanning



--
Craig Brenner
Special Projects Coordinator
Community & Family Resources
City of Bloomington, IN
812-349-3471

Identity Theft

Please spread the word to your neighbors.  

A free presentation on Identity Theft 

at Monroe County Public Library, 7-9pm, Wednesday., Nov. 28

 

Don’t Be A Victim: Protect Yourself from Scams and Identity Theft

A free consumer protection presentation from the Office of the Indiana Attorney General

Learn More About:

·         Why you still get calls even though you’re signed up for the Do Not Call List

·         The latest scams done through the mail, over the phone, and on the internet

·         Techniques used by fraudsters

·         The importance of protecting your personal information

·         How to check your credit report for free

·         How to freeze your credit to prevent ID theft

Conducted by Outreach Services Specialist: Amanda Meyer, 

Outreach Services Specialist, Office of the Indiana Attorney General

Upcoming important quarterly meeting about I-69

Please plan to join your neighbors on Wed. August 29th, at 6:30pm for an important CBNA quarterly meeting.  We will be hearing from Mary Jo Hamman, consultant to INDOT about proposed plans for Section 5 of Interstate 69.  It is very important that we all attend this meeting so we can be informed and then prepared to present our opinions and requests when needed.  These changes WILL affect our neighborhood.

The meeting will be held at 1800 W. 17th St., Suite A, the Aecom office building.  Contact one of your executive committee members with questions.

Revisions to Title 16 Property Maintenance Code

THE HAND UPDATE

An updated listing of information for Bloomington neighborhood residents!

Good afternoon.  As some of you may know, the City of Bloomington has been considering revisions to Title 16 (commonly referred to as the City's Property Maintenance Code) for some time now.  City staff conducted meetings with representatives of the apartment association, CONA and the BHQA to receive input and suggestions.  After reviewing those comments and suggestions, and after reviewing what staff feels are the needs of the overall community, City staff has prepared a proposal to amend Title 16.  It is the City's assumption that said proposal will be heard by the Bloomington Common Council before the end of this calendar year.

Because City staff is cognizant that these changes will impact a variety of members of the Bloomington community, staff is going to hold at least one, if not two, public forums wherein members of the public may provide the City will comments, feedback and suggestions on its proposal.  The first meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 15, 2012 in the City Council Chambers of City Hall (located at 401 North Morton Street). The meeting will begin at 5:30 following the BHQA meeting.

The purpose of this meeting is to receive feedback from the community.  This will be a listening session and staff does not plan on specifically commenting on any statement or proposal mentioned by a member of the public. However, staff will most certainly try to answer any and all questions posed.  

Upon conclusion of the August 15th meeting staff will review all comments and suggestions made by the public and determine what, if any changes, to its proposal are in the best interests of the community as a whole.  If needed, staff plans to hold a second public meeting after the September BHQA meeting (September 19, 2012) to present the version that will be submitted to the Council for approval.

Please note that any proposal taken before the Bloomington Common Council will be held in a public forum and any and all members of the public may comment on the proposal at said time.

Lisa Abbott
Director of Housing & Neighborhood Development
City of Bloomington

School Board Seats (Districts 2,4,5 & 6) will be decided this year

Four of the seven MCCSC School Board seats (Districts 2, 4, 5, and 6) will be decided this year.  A candidate must reside in the district in which he or she wants to run, but voting is at-large, which means that all voters vote for a candidate in each district.  Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6^th, but early voting starts on Tuesday, Oct. 9^th.  Two organizations (the Indiana Coalition for Public Education and the League of Women Voters) are sponsoring candidate forums on the following dates:

ICPE Forum, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 7pm, Showers City Council Chamber

LWV Forum, Thursday, Sept. 27, 7pm, Ivy Tech

ICPE Forum, Monday, Oct. 15, 7pm, Showers City Council Chamber

These public forums are great opportunities for your concerns to be addressed.  Each forum will have a different format, and as the dates approach I will send more detailed information, including how you can submit questions/issues that the candidates should address.

Only seven people have filed as candidates, but the deadline is not until noon on Friday, Aug. 24^th, so there is still time for you (or your favorite potential candidate) to enter the race.  Only 10 signatures are needed, and I can provide the 2012 Candidate’s Packet to anyone who is interested (also available directly from the Monroe County Clerk Office).

A detailed map of the MCCSC districts is available at:

http://www.bloomingtononline.net/forum/showthread.php/8355-2012-MCCSC-School-Board-Elections

Posting #5 (07-02-2012) has the most detailed map, with major streets labeled.

Please contact me (knoxes@comcast.net) if you would like to know more about the school board, the elections this fall, or the issues facing our public schools.  If you would like to serve on the school board (or have a suggestion for someone who would be an excellent school board member), please also contact me for more information.

Finally, please make sure that you and people whom you know are registered to vote.

Cheers,

Eric Knox

1904 E. Southdowns

Quarterly Business Meeting in August

The next CBNA quarterly meeting will be held in August.  We are planning to have guest speakers who are engineer project manager consultants for INDOT regarding I69.  Be prepared to get informed about future plans for changes to our neighborhood and to ask questions.


 
Here's a link to project plans for the K intersection/roundabout.  The other roundabout that was discussed by the City Council at the same time as the K, is under construction right now, at Sare & Rogers Rd.
http://bloomington.in.gov/media/media/application/pdf/6893.pdf

Mayor's Exellence Award and HAND Team of the Year Award

Sharon Roualet & Carrie Winkel at Blooming Neighborhood Awards & Celebration

                                           

On the heels of another successful Clean-Up Day, May 14^th , Sharon Roualet and Carrie Winkel represented your neighborhood association at the Blooming Neighborhoods Awards and Celebration at the Farmer’s Market yesterday, Saturday, June 2^nd.   Dave Devitt and Jeff Bryan stopped by our table and it was great to be able to gain some insight into struggles and successes of other associations as well.  Vickie Provine led yet another very organized and fruitful celebration.  It was a perfect day weather-wise and was very enjoyable in all respects.

 

CBNA was privileged to receive the Mayor’s Excellence Award as well as the HAND Team of the Year Award.  The Mayor’s Excellence Award included a check for $100….for which we are most thankful.  If you have any great ideas on how best to use our “prize money”, please contact me or any executive committee member.

 

Let’s keep up the good work and continue to support each other and work together to make our neighborhood a better place in which to live.  These awards do not come automatically.  They require a concerted effort from all of you.  We are all busy folks and we all have special interests.  But even a few minutes volunteered toward a common goal is obviously very worthwhile for the community as a whole and for our neighborhood specifically.  It also renders an important benefit of creating lasting friendships and relationships as we learn more about each other and share ideas. 

 

Please try to attend our next quarterly meeting in August (date to be announced).  We are hoping to invite a representative from INDOT that will enlighten us on how I-69 will affect our neighborhood, specifically.  There has also been interest expressed, within the membership, in supporting efforts to request that Vernal Pike access to I-69 & Hwy 37 be maintained.  If you have any thoughts or are interested in obtaining more information regarding this effort please contact Dave Devitt, 333-1579.

 

Lastly, thanks to Sharon, Tim & Bonnie Roualet, Sue Tuohy, Dave Devitt, Yula Ayers and Jean Bauer for making Clean-Up Day a success and for your hard work .  CBNA made around $140 from recycled metal and the street trash was removed from W. 17th to Crescent.   The yard sales were fun, the response to the ads was good, hotdogs were shared and we sold some "treasures".  

Bloomington's EWASTE DAYS

 Important upcoming dates for neighborhoods!

• May 11 & 12, 2012 - Bloomington's EWASTE Days
• June 2, 2012 - Blooming Neighborhood  Awards & Celebration - come celebrate neighborhoods at the Farmers' Market, 9 to noon
  
• June 11, 2012 - Small and Simple Grant applications due
  

SAVE THE DATES: MAY 11 AND 12 ARE BLOOMINGTON’S EWASTE DAYS

Do you have old, unused gadgets like computers, VCRs, televisions, and handheld devices at home or at work? Don’t throw them away. Bring them to Electronic Waste (eWaste) Collection Days, a recycling drive that takes place in the Purple Lot of Memorial Stadium.

• Institutional and Small Business Drop-Off Day: Friday, May 11, 9am-2pm
• Public/Consumer Drop-Off Day: Saturday, May 12, 9am-2pm

     What about unused but useful equipment?

       Donate it!

       Serve IT Re-Usable Equipment Donation

       Friday, May 11, 9am-2pm

       Saturday, May 12, 9am to 2pm 

       Harry Gladstein Fieldhouse parking lot

The events are free, and staff will be on hand to help unload.

Details at:

http://ewaste.indiana.edu 

Please use hot link for complete list of items that can be recycled. 

Susan Coleman Morse
Project Manager - Sustainability/Services
University Information Technology Services
Indiana University
812-855-3760

FREE PRESCHOOL AT FAIRVIEW

Registration for the Fairview Elementary Preschool has begun. This is a FREE preschool. FREE transportation will be provided.

The Fairview Preschool is open to qualified children who live in Fairiew's attendance area. Children must be four years old by August 1, 2012.  A child does not have to have a sibling already at Fairview to qualify.

The program meets Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 8:35 - 3:50 p.m. and Wednesday from 9:35 - 3:50 p.m.   Before and after school care is available for a fee.

Transportation will be on MCCSC school buses equipped with safety restraints. Preschoolers will ride with other Fairview students.

Call 812-330-7700, extension 50055 a.s.a.p. if you are interested. Please help get the word out by informing your neighbors who may not be on the list-serve. Thank you.

BULKY ITEMS DAY THIS COMING WEEKEND! From article in HT April 9th.

If you can't wait until our May 12th Clean-Up Day, you may take your bulky items to Monroe County Fairgrounds. Friday and Saturday April 13th & 14th, 8am to 4pm.  Enter through Gate 3 off Airport Road.

For more details, check the website: gogreendistrict.com or call 349-2020 during normal business hours.

Accepted items:  park benches, humidifiers, bathtubs, couches, dressers, mattresses, toilets, tables, furniture, large household items, boar/lumber, carpets/flooring and building materials.  Scrap metal recycling items that will be accepted include: microwaves, grills with no tanks, tire rims, stoves, washers, dryers, steel/aluminum, pipe, fence posts and other scrap metal.

DO NOT BRING: chemical containers, fluorescent bulbs, gas cans, household trash, paint cans, televisions, computers, monitors, empty car gas tanks, propane tanks, tires, roofing, household hazardous materials and waste.  OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, ON CLEAN-UP DAY,  CANNOT ACCEPT OR HAUL THESE ITEMS, AS WELL.

If the items are usable, they might find a good home.  During the event, several reuse agencies will be on site to take those items.  However these agencies will not be present the entire time.  The public is urged to drop usable bulky items off at local reuse agencies to make sure they receive them.

Tell your neighbors…….It’s a CBNA quarterly meeting too! COME RAIN OR SHINE

Crescent Bend 

Neighborhood

Spring Clean-up Day & Yard Sales

8:00-2:00 Saturday, May 12^th

^{Pick-up of all item needing to be hauled will end at 1pm.} 

CBNA will raise funds by hauling your old metal to recycle at J.B. Salvage

·        Appliances

·        Aluminum siding and metal doors

·        Rusty stuff

·        Copper pipes, all things copper

Call for volunteer pickup to donate your metal objects 334-3170

You can raise funds for yourself  by having a yard sale at your house or at business park lot at 1800 W. 17^th  on May 12^th.   CBNA will pay for yard sale ad and post signs.  All yard salers should notify Sharon  (stroualet@att.net)  or 334-3170 to get your sale listed on the CBNA YARD SALES list that we’ll hand out to customers at each sale.   CBNA residents who can’t have a yard sale at their homes due to parking problems can set up a table at the business park lot at 1800 W. 17th.  Call or E-mail Sharon to sign up.

Join the Neighborhood Trash Crew:  1-2:00 p.m. or until W17th and Crescent are trash free.  Email Carrie (cgw1018@sbcglobal.net) to volunteer!  All hands on deck!  The more picker-uppers the better.

Used Battery Collection:  Drop off old batteries in bin at the parking lot at 1800 West 17^th St.  or all Sharon 334-3170 (stroualet@att.net) for pickup.

Stop by the tent at 1800 W. 17^th St.

for hot dogs, cold drinks and neighborly chat.

CBNA Quarterly Meeting Feb. 27th

If you didn't make it to the last meeting, we discussed:

Organization and planning for Clean-Up Day that would be happening in May.  There will be a yard sale element this year (2012) as well as road trash removal crew and trucks to pick up metal and items that can be recycled, that might need a pick-up or trailer to move.
 
Need to stay ahead of planning that will be taking place for I-69

Neighborhood Watch - briefly  Shannon Simpson states that Crescent Pointe now has a courtesy officer and that patrols by police have increased as well.

Possibly organizing groups to keep the road trash free throughout the year.

Problems with barking dogs and how to approach and resolve the problem.

Briefly discussed the new Crescent Rd./ Vernal Pike intersection.  Justin Wykoff unable to come to meeting.  Our sign will be placed at this intersection.  We plan to landscape and use our own funds so we will not necessarily be tied to "City recommended" plants and trees.

Retaining 501C status as a tax-free entity and filing paperwork with federal government.

NEXT MEETING WILL BE ON CLEAN-UP DAY MAY 12th.