Letters to the Editor 07-18-2001
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Prehistoric Decision - No Bar Here - Pet Control - Animal Welfare
Prehistoric Decision
Editor, Times-Union:I am fortunate to live on Lake Tippecanoe, a beautiful prehistoric lake. After reading of the July 10th BZA's denial of Roy and Barb Hamer's request for a restaurant on the lake ... I think the zoning board has one thing in common with the lake ... it, too, is prehistoric!
Prehistoric, as it applies to the lake, is defined as "of or relating to the period before written records." A second, or colloquial definition for prehistoric is "utterly out of date," which is the definition that applies to the BZA.
Tillie LaSalle
Leesburg
No Bar Here
Editor, Times-Union:When people's "dreams" make the quality of life less for other people, then maybe "dreams" aren't all they're cracked up to be. I am writing in response to the News Views column of "Things that Bug" Gary Gerard, which appeared in the July 14 Times-Union. In this column, he slammed myself and my neighbors for remonstrating against the Pie-Eyed Petey's petition to the Zoning Board for a "restaurant."
First of all, it has been operating as a marina all summer long. There are no "weeds growing up." It is mowed every week, boats come and go during the day and the gates are closed by about 6 p.m. It is very unobtrusive in our lives!
Now change the scene I have just described. As you describe it, "a hip little Key West-style restaurant with live entertainment." What you neglected to mention is that their lawyer made it very clear in the Zoning Board meeting that the owners were planning on getting an alcohol permit with this "restaurant." This description now sounds much more like a bar to me than a restaurant. In the BZA meeting, it was stated that they would be open until approximately 10 p.m. on weeknights and midnight on weekends.
Now that we have established the bar that Pie-Eyed Petey's is proposing, let's go back to our neighborhood. For the record, I didn't "hire an attorney and complain that I didn't want a nice little restaurant in my neighborhood" as you state in your column. I went to the courthouse myself and sat in the meeting from 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. so that I could protest a bar going in next to my house.
My bedroom window is 70 feet from the property we are talking about. How would you like live entertainment and yelling drunks 70 feet from your bedroom window when you are trying to sleep? I also have children, as do many of the neighbors on my street. My children go to bed before 10 p.m. on weeknights and before midnight on weekends. They probably would have trouble sleeping with live entertainment and people drinking and carrying on at the "outside tables" proposed. And I'm sure this bar will not close down on Aug. 21, when my children start school the next day so that they can get a good night's sleep and remain the honors students that they have been at their schools.
So, Mr. Gerard, let Pie-Eyed Petey's put their "dream" bar or "cool little restaurant," whichever you prefer, in your backyard! I will continue to live next to a marina which I hope the new owners will not let become a "rotting marina," but will continue to run as the quality marina which has served Tippecanoe Lake for many years.
Judy Chiddister
Leesburg
Note: Pie-Eyed Petey's is welcome to locate in my backyard.
Gary Gerard
Managing Editor.
Pet Control
Editor, Times-Union:I have owned pets in the past and I have always thought that it was the pet owner's responsibility to maintain control over their pet at all times. Leashes should be used when the pet is off the owner's property. Pets should be kept in the house or a fenced-in yard. I do not think that others should be held responsible for an accident that the pet owner had total control over.
Kerry Dohner
Warsaw
via e-mail
Animal Welfare
Editor, Times-Union:I am responding to the letter on 7-16-01. Who is the Animal Welfare League? Is it the shelter or the board of directors? Does anyone remember the burning of the dogs last summer? Happened about this time of year. You have mentioned that the AWL wish people would adopt the animals more. What ever happened to the two employees that were on the two major television stations, that showed how much they were involved with giving these animals good care and finding them good homes? Were they put out to pasture also? What are they doing this year with the overpopulation of the animals? Are they burning the animals again, or have they found another way to dispose of them in such a kind and thoughtful way? Thank you for reading this.
J. Miller
Leesburg
via e-mail
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- Prehistoric Decision - No Bar Here - Pet Control - Animal Welfare
Prehistoric Decision
Editor, Times-Union:I am fortunate to live on Lake Tippecanoe, a beautiful prehistoric lake. After reading of the July 10th BZA's denial of Roy and Barb Hamer's request for a restaurant on the lake ... I think the zoning board has one thing in common with the lake ... it, too, is prehistoric!
Prehistoric, as it applies to the lake, is defined as "of or relating to the period before written records." A second, or colloquial definition for prehistoric is "utterly out of date," which is the definition that applies to the BZA.
Tillie LaSalle
Leesburg
No Bar Here
Editor, Times-Union:When people's "dreams" make the quality of life less for other people, then maybe "dreams" aren't all they're cracked up to be. I am writing in response to the News Views column of "Things that Bug" Gary Gerard, which appeared in the July 14 Times-Union. In this column, he slammed myself and my neighbors for remonstrating against the Pie-Eyed Petey's petition to the Zoning Board for a "restaurant."
First of all, it has been operating as a marina all summer long. There are no "weeds growing up." It is mowed every week, boats come and go during the day and the gates are closed by about 6 p.m. It is very unobtrusive in our lives!
Now change the scene I have just described. As you describe it, "a hip little Key West-style restaurant with live entertainment." What you neglected to mention is that their lawyer made it very clear in the Zoning Board meeting that the owners were planning on getting an alcohol permit with this "restaurant." This description now sounds much more like a bar to me than a restaurant. In the BZA meeting, it was stated that they would be open until approximately 10 p.m. on weeknights and midnight on weekends.
Now that we have established the bar that Pie-Eyed Petey's is proposing, let's go back to our neighborhood. For the record, I didn't "hire an attorney and complain that I didn't want a nice little restaurant in my neighborhood" as you state in your column. I went to the courthouse myself and sat in the meeting from 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. so that I could protest a bar going in next to my house.
My bedroom window is 70 feet from the property we are talking about. How would you like live entertainment and yelling drunks 70 feet from your bedroom window when you are trying to sleep? I also have children, as do many of the neighbors on my street. My children go to bed before 10 p.m. on weeknights and before midnight on weekends. They probably would have trouble sleeping with live entertainment and people drinking and carrying on at the "outside tables" proposed. And I'm sure this bar will not close down on Aug. 21, when my children start school the next day so that they can get a good night's sleep and remain the honors students that they have been at their schools.
So, Mr. Gerard, let Pie-Eyed Petey's put their "dream" bar or "cool little restaurant," whichever you prefer, in your backyard! I will continue to live next to a marina which I hope the new owners will not let become a "rotting marina," but will continue to run as the quality marina which has served Tippecanoe Lake for many years.
Judy Chiddister
Leesburg
Note: Pie-Eyed Petey's is welcome to locate in my backyard.
Gary Gerard
Managing Editor.
Pet Control
Editor, Times-Union:I have owned pets in the past and I have always thought that it was the pet owner's responsibility to maintain control over their pet at all times. Leashes should be used when the pet is off the owner's property. Pets should be kept in the house or a fenced-in yard. I do not think that others should be held responsible for an accident that the pet owner had total control over.
Kerry Dohner
Warsaw
via e-mail
Animal Welfare
Editor, Times-Union:I am responding to the letter on 7-16-01. Who is the Animal Welfare League? Is it the shelter or the board of directors? Does anyone remember the burning of the dogs last summer? Happened about this time of year. You have mentioned that the AWL wish people would adopt the animals more. What ever happened to the two employees that were on the two major television stations, that showed how much they were involved with giving these animals good care and finding them good homes? Were they put out to pasture also? What are they doing this year with the overpopulation of the animals? Are they burning the animals again, or have they found another way to dispose of them in such a kind and thoughtful way? Thank you for reading this.
J. Miller
Leesburg
via e-mail
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