Dear neighbors, 

This petition will be sent to city officials, if you are opposed to the rezoning of lot located at the intersection of 1604 & Rocket Lane,please sign. 

Thank you. 

We are writing to express our strong opposition to the rezoning request for the lot located at the intersection of 1604 & Rocket Lane from B-3 Commercial to I-1 Light Industrial District.  According to documents filed with the city, Quannah Partners LLC plans to build an Industrial Park (Warehouses) next to the Miramar Community. Choosing this lot to build warehouses is neither appropriate nor desirable.  Instead, it is irresponsible and a complete disregard for the wellbeing of Miramar residents, especially the most vulnerable ones: children and the elderly.

First, diesel trucks are well- known for emitting high levels of nitrogen oxide, fine particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide.  These harmful substances are known to cause adverse health effects to include cancer, preterm birth, low birth weight, heart disease, stroke, dementia, and childhood asthma.  Due to our community being surrounded by Judson ISD schools, a children’s home and shelter facility, and a military school district, childhood asthma will become the number one diagnosis among children that attend these facilities or live in the surrounding areas.  As such, if city officials approve this rezoning, we should not be surprised when the following issues increase: number of asthma cases in children, missed school days, medical bills, and loss of productivity by caregivers.  By approving this request, you will predispose all these children to asthma and will change their lives forever.

Second, the placement of warehouses next to our community will lead to excessive truck traffic.  The truck traffic will worsen the already congested roads, especially during morning and afternoon rush hours.  As a result, safety will be compromised leading to more accidents and deadly crashes, placing a greater strain on our already understaffed City of Converse Police Department.  Furthermore, the excessive truck traffic will damage and erode existing roads.  Which will result in taxpayers paying for such repairs in the later years, instead of using taxpayer funds for projects that could improve our city and community.

Third, the placement of warehouses next to our community will lead to excessive levels of noise due to truck engines idling, loud music, backup beepers, and shouting.  As a comparison, diesel trucks produce at least 80 decibels of noise when compared with a helicopter that produces 100 decibels.  Furthermore, research has shown that excessive noise significantly lowers residential property value.  If this rezoning request is approved, Miramar residents will be left with properties that will sell well below market value.  Additionally, many of our residents have honorably served in the military and have chosen Miramar as their place to retire.  If this rezoning is approved, their forever homes would turn into undesirable houses located next to warehouses with high noise levels and negative healthcare implications.  Surely, our veterans that defended our way of life deserve better. 

We urge you to disapprove the proposed rezoning.  Rezoning will result in negative health implications and will forever negatively alter the character of this area.  As such, the grave impact these warehouses will have to our community out weights the potential promise of corporate tax benefits, increase in jobs and revenue.  Our community cannot be sacrificed in the name of misaligned economic development. 

Thank you for your continued service and support of our community. 

Best regards,