Prepared Comments Made to
NORTH CANTON CITY COUNCIL
February 4, 2013
Neighborhoods in North Canton are under
assault. Throughout the city, neighborhoods are dealing with foreclosures and
rentals. In my neighborhood, my wife and I have seen the attack on the serenity
of our neighborhood escalate. Early last year, an arsonist torched a rental
property and due to the close proximity of house next door, two homes were
destroyed.
In the last few months, another rental
property, three doors down from my home, was discovered to be a “Meth House.”
Foreclosures that linger in our neighborhoods,
single-family homes that are turned into rentals and multiply up and down streets
destroy neighborhoods and drive families out of their homes. This is how
communities lose good solid law-abiding citizens.
But it is not just the activities that I
have described that drive away the solid citizens who live in our neighborhoods.
There are other more subtle causes.
The proposed expansion of the activities
conducted by the North Canton Little League is an intrusion on the peace and
serenity of a neighborhood that can start the decline of a neighborhood.
In the past, this council has been well
aware of the need to maintain peace and tranquility for homeowners.
Ten years ago, in order to maintain
neighborhoods surrounding Arrowhead Golf Course, City Council saw the need to
spend $4.2 million and purchased Arrowhead Golf Course to insure peace and
tranquility of the surrounding neighborhoods.
A few years later, City Council acted to
ensure that Briar and Weber Streets remained as dead-end streets and were not
opened up when the Sanctuary subdivision was developed. There have been other
streets that have remained dead ends. The residents of Grassmere Street did not
want their street opened up into Monticello. A street in Surrey Hill subdivision
was kept a dead end to maintain peace and tranquility at the request of residents.
In each instance, City Council heard the
concerns of the residents and acted to protect homeowners from unwanted
intrusions in to their neighborhood.
Why is it now that residents surrounding
the East Maple Street Little League Ball Fields are not given the same
protections that have been afforded many other North Canton neighborhoods?
The
fact of the matter is that the neighborhoods surrounding the North Canton
Little League Ball Fields have received little support from the Administration
or City Council in their effort to maintain the serenity of their homes and
yards.
Parking issues in violation of the
current lease have been flagrant for years. I myself have driven down East
Maple Street and phoned in blatant parking violations when games are played. I
do not live adjacent to the ball fields but I have heard from many residents
regarding the intrusive use of loudspeakers during little league games.
All of these intrusions destroy the
peaceful atmosphere nearby residents should be able to enjoy. It does not take
many intrusions such as this to push residents out of their homes and out of North
Canton.
The activities conducted by the North
Canton Little League have exceeded the intent and purpose of the gift made to
the City of North Canton.
It is a little league ball field
intended for North Canton Little Leaguers. It was never envisioned to be
Candlestick Park.
The property is also on the site of a well
field that deserves protection from activities that could harm the underlying
aquifer.
How can the security of the well field
be maintained when numerous structures are built, light poles implanted, and
additional parking installed to accommodate hundreds of automobiles?
What about the Greenspace that is being
obliterated in the process?
I have a problem with the fact that 19
acres of public property have been given to a select group of individuals for
their exclusive use.
Under the terms of the quit-claim deed
gifting the property from the Hoover Company to the City of North Canton, the
property was to be used “…exclusively for a public park and/or any other public
use consistent herewith….”
Leasing the entire 19 acres to
individuals at the exclusion of North Canton residents seemingly violates the
terms of that gift from the Hoover Company.
How many little leaguers who play at the
ball field are actual residents of North Canton?
I urge this council to deny any further
expansion of activities at the North Canton Little League Ball Field and
further urge that the Administration enforce all the terms of the current
lease.
Lastly, I would like to commend the
principals of the North Canton Little League for their efforts in providing
organized sports for our youngsters but it cannot come at the expense of the
peace and serenity of the residents and neighborhoods of North Canton.
Thank
you,
Chuck
Osborne
Resident,
City of North Canton
