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Adjacent property owners say no to development.
Warsaw residents living in the Helser, Timber Ridge and Patterson Place housing additions agree they don't want a Meijer store at 900 Husky Trail.
Timber Ridge residents Kip and Pam Tom have several concerns about Meijer's rezoning request.
Like many residents affected, Tom has "major traffic concerns."
Building a Meijer store in their neighborhood would "do nothing to alleviate the (traffic) problem."
Tom also said he is concerned with the "lack of any buffering between a C3 or C5" zoned area and residentially zoned areas.
Tom said the highest and best use has already been determined: "The best use should stay residential," he said.
Ernie Keller, also a Timber Ridge resident, has several concerns as well.
Keller said the only reason he, Tom and other area residents are opposed to Meijer building at 900 Husky Trail is traffic.
"The additions on the north end of U.S. 30 have changed so much," Keller said. "The traffic increase has been phenomenal."
Bringing Meijer into their neighborhood is "like putting a band-aid on a hemorrhage," he said.
Keller and Tom, along with other volunteers, went door-to-door to neighbors directly affected by Meijer's request. Keller said they petitioned 276 people in five hours. Ninety-seven percent of them signed.
"That's gotta say something," Keller said.
But, Keller said, Meijer is a good "quality store." He just objects to the location they're seeking.
"It's gotta be location, location, location," he reiterated.
"Are we opposed to Meijer?" he asked. "Heavens, no!"
Larry Riley, Timber Ridge, said he is "totally against Meijer being in our neighborhood."
Todd Davis and Bob Friddle, both of Patterson Place, welcome Meijer to Warsaw, but say there are "other areas better for it."
Sara Garcia, Patterson Place, opposes Meijer as well. Garcia is concerned with the "noise level generated by a 24-hour shopping area" and traffic noise from the shipping trucks.
Garcia went so far as to say she and her husband wouldn't have bought their house if they had known a Meijer store would be built there.
Helen Winters said "the property will be over-developed" if Meijer builds at their desired location.
Patterson Place resident Tom Lawrence said he wants to live a "simple life." He believes noise, air pollution and crime will follow Meijer into the neighborhood.
Steve Holbrook, Patterson Place, said residents affected by Meijer's request "wouldn't say it's the highest and best use" for the land. Holbrook said a Meijer store would be "inconsistent and not compatible with the area."
Helser Addition resident Dee Jaynes wants to know why the neighborhood has to "get a Meijer just to get an intersection fixed?"
Jaynes is also concerned with Meijer parking lot lights shining into the back yards of residents' homes, the smell of diesel fuel and noise from trucks shipping products.
Patterson Place resident Larry Buckmaster is also concerned with lighting, and Carol Carpenter, also from Patterson Place, is concerned with increased traffic.
A final decision on the rezoning issue will be made at 7 p.m. Monday in the old courtroom at the Kosciusko County Courthouse.
