Monclova site wrong for church

8/15/2007

Monclova's zoning board disregarded taxpaying homeowners when it voted 4-1 in favor of Monclova Road Baptist Church's special-use permit to build a new mega-complex - a 2,200-seat church, parking for 800 cars, boarding houses, a day care, preschool and school for grades K-12, baseball and football fields, a pool, and much more. This does not belong in an established neighborhood with a high representation of retirees.

The chosen property, whose purchase price is in excess of $1 million, is owned by a zoning board member. Is anyone surprised the permit passed? It was clear to all in attendance at the meeting that the decision was made well before the public meeting.

Football and baseball games produce a great deal of noise. Trees will not keep the noise contained. People, like myself, who live across the street and in nearby subdivisions will be subjected to the noise. The pastor won't be disturbed by the noise or increased traffic because he lives in Waterville. Church members don't live in this neighborhood, so they won't be disturbed.

A better use for this property is residential. Homeowners pay taxes - the church does not.

Lucas County planning commissioners looked at the location and said "no" to the special-use permit. To paraphrase the Rev. Russ Merrin's television interview, "It's all political. We've just had a taste of Toledo politics. Is it any wonder no one comes to Toledo? We're good neighbors. We're trying to do something good for Toledo."

Please, be the good neighbor you claim you are. Do something for our neighborhood. Choose another site. Many are for sale - away from neighborhoods. You have the resources to do so. The people living here, many of whom are retirees, don't have a choice.

Mary Lou Miner

Monclova Township

Time for change in Monclova coming

In reference to the Monclova Township zoning board meeting on July 24 regarding the special-use permit request by the Monclova Road Baptist Church project at Monclova and Coder Roads, isn't it quite sad to know that it appears the "good ol' boy" system is alive and well in Monclova Township?

Monclova residents are homeowners, business owners, taxpayers, and voters, and it is a very sad day when township officials do not care about the people they should be representing. (There was, however, one member of this board with a conscience, thank you.) With petitions with more than 400 signatures opposing this mega-complex and the church stating it has only a few more actual members (of whom fewer than 40 percent live in Monclova Township), the zoning board passed this special-use permit request for the church.

The day is coming when Monclova Township politics, with its fathers, sons, wives, and property sellers in offices, from the trustees on down, will be coming to an end - things can and will change.

Today it's only a special-use permit on Monclova Road. Tomorrow it could be a complete zoning change in your neighborhood. Wake-up, Monclova Township residents.

T. Miller

Maumee

Trustees should vote no on special permit

I own the horse farm on Monclova Road near Coder Road, next to the land where Monclova Road Baptist Church is planning on developing its mega-church and athletic fields. The Lucas County Plan Commission rejected the church's special-use permit request on June 27. But on July 24, the Monclova zoning commission approved it on a 4-1 vote.

I am greatly pained and deeply troubled by what I have seen in connection with how Monclova Township officials and office staff handle township business. Monclova residents pay high property taxes. Where are our tax dollars going?

Township residents pay the salaries of the township staff and officials. It is their job to act in our best interests when it comes to land-use decisions and zoning matters. We live here. MRBC has other choices. Many of us believe that township officials made their decisions based upon their personal relationships and friendships with the seller of the land, who also sits on the Monclova zoning commission.

Our lawyer presented several reasons to legally reject the special-use permit, yet we were ignored. Ninety-nine percent of our neighborhood is against the development and has stated so with letters, phone calls, and petitions that have been ignored. Now, the only possible way for us to win is for the township trustees to vote no on the special-use request.

All residents who signed our petition are asking all three trustees to vote no. If not, when it's time for re-election, we will campaign against the trustees to make sure that we get someone in office who will work for residents rather than their own friends and associates. We are the residents of Monclova Township and we will be heard.

Sherry White

Monclova Township

Property ownership influenced decision

The Rev. Russ Merrin's recent TV comments were an attempt to convince the public that neither traffic nor noise would increase if the Monclova Road Baptist Church proceeds with their building plans at Coder and Monclova roads. The present Monclova Road church seats 525 with parking for 200-plus vehicles; the proposed church would seat 2,200 and park 800 cars. Four times more people and cars arriving and leaving at the same time equates to four times more traffic and quadrupled noise.

The present 13-acre site includes a ball field, school, and storage shed. The proposed 45-acre site will include church, K-12 school, day care, swimming pool, tennis courts, outdoor amphitheater, caretaker and furlough housing, bonfire area, and multiple sporting fields (including track, softball, baseball, and football) complete with bleachers and concession stand. The pastor previously said he envisioned marching bands on the lighted football field. Mounds of trees cannot stifle such magnified noise levels when athletes, spectators, and entertainers participate. Anyone living within a mile of any school or sporting complex is well aware when activities occur.

Forty-five acres of tax-exempt church land provides no money for Anthony Wayne Schools or the township. Forty-five acres developed into 130 or more houses generates thousands of dollars annually for the schools and township. It was stated the current 13-acre church site would be sold to another tax-exempt church. Monclova Township residents would assume more tax burdens while most of the clergy and congregation drive home to quiet residential areas beyond our township.

Ownership of the property by a zoning board member undoubtedly influenced the Board's 4 to 1 approval. Let's hope the elected trustees will remember by whom they were elected.

Pat Przybylski

Monclova Township

Label food with country of origin

China has made itself a major world leader in exports, from apparel to wood products, and now food such as seafood to the United States. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration can't keep up with screening the food as it arrives. Much of this seafood is raised in China in fish ponds, often polluted with sewage and chemicals. We have seen what food products from China can do to our pets. Now, we humans can test how safe it is.

Manufacturers have to put the county of origin on apparel; why not on packages of food? At least we could then make the decision to not buy seafood from China, even if it would save us a buck. I would think people wanting to do harm to the united States have taken notice. Buying food from a country with a poor quality history is as stupid as President Bush wanting to put companies from the Middle East in charge of our harbors.

I have an idea: Let's put countries in the Middle East in charge of inspecting our food. Let's go all the way in being stupid.

Earl Gilbert

Perrysburg

One of the things that has made the game of baseball so appealing has always been the comparative statistics, kept meticulously for well over a century.

Enter the steroid-enhanced automatons.

What a shame to have to start all over!

Edwin F. Durivage

River Road