To: Polk City Council Members

From: Concerned Bridgeview Residents

On June 22nd 2020, the City Council voted to approve an updated plan for the construction of a Kwik Star Gas Station and Carwash to be placed immediately next to the Bridgeview development and existing homes. 

Before approval on June 22nd, the plan had called for the gas station to be placed on the southern half of the lot keeping all services outside of the neighborhood. Kwik Star came back to the city with an update plan to place a retention pond and parking lot on the southern half of the property and move the car wash and gas station into the Bridgeview Neighborhood, a few dozen feet from the entrance to Bridgeview.

The Bridgeview Development neighborhood is concerned with various aspects of the planned Kwik Star construction.  While we are supportive of additional businesses being brought into the community, we do not think it should be done at the expense of the health of our children and lower property values for houses near the planned construction.  The current plan is also not the plan that was understood by residents prior to the June 22nd council meeting.  It is understood that because this plot of land was previously zoned as commercial, no efforts were made to directly contact any residents of Bridgeview for their impressions. 

Below, we outline multiple issues that do not appear to be addressed as part of the planning and approval of this project.

Health Issues:

• Benzene – Benzene is a colorless, flammable liquid found in many products such as gasoline and engine exhaust.  It evaporates quickly into the air and sinks into low lying areas. Benzene is a known carcinogen that causes harmful effects on bone marrow and leads to a decrease in red blood cells, excessive bleeding, and immune deficiencies.  The Department of Health and Human Services states that benzene causes cancer in humans and long-term exposure (more than a year) leads to increased cases of leukemia and organ cancers, specifically in children. (CDC.gov, n.d.) 
• A 2019 study of US gas stations showed emissions were sufficiently high to constitute a health concern at a distance of up to 518 feet (Vent pipe emissions from storage tanks at gas stations: Implications for setback distances, 2019).  California used earlier studies to call for a minimum distance of 300 feet between sensitive areas and all new gas stations.
• In the image below (estimated based on site plan).  The purple circle represents 300 feet from the USTs (underground storage tanks).  The green circle represents 500 feet.  This plan places multiple households within elevated carcinogenic levels are puts our health in jeopardy.
• Venting from gas stations release 10x the amount of Benzene than the readings that were used to determine safe minimum distances for long-term exposure. (Rule, Tiberi, & Adria-Mora, 2018) This infers that the previously thought distance of 300 feet is not considered a safe distance for sensitive areas such as schools, parks, hospitals, and residences. 
• Neighborhood Opinion:
• Based on placement of UST (underground storage tanks), vents, and pumps, multiple properties and houses are well with any a 500-foot radius of the planned.  This forces an increased risk of serious health affects on multiple children, adults, and pets within the Bridgeview neighborhood.  Some houses are within a 300-foot radius of these emissions threats. 
• The current layout of Bridgeview lots/detention easements seems well suited for the collection of heavier-than-air benzene gas emission to accumulate in and around our homes.
• We live in a town like Polk City to escape the issues or large cities, including dangerous air quality.  With this current plan, many homes within this neighborhood are being placed in risk for the sake of extra tax dollars for the city.

Noise Issues

• The current plan calls for a car wash to be installed at almost the furthest northern point of this commercial lot.  This is well within the general logical boundaries of the Bridgeview Neighborhood.
• Car washes can produce noise levels that exceed 85 decibels.  This is about the level of a vacuum, and just below that of a lawn mower.  Bridgeview residents can expect the constant hum of a lawn mower emanating from this carwash between the hours of 7:00am and 10:00pm based on current Polk City noise ordinances. This will effectively ruin quiet town living for many families within Bridgeview, especially those within line-of-site of the carwash.  While buffers are planned, these 6-foot vinyl walls will do little to shield the neighborhood from this noise.  Multiple houses will have direct line-of-site to the carwash including vehicles as they exit the carwash bay doors.
• If you have ever spent time near a gas station, you have had the pleasure of enjoying thumping bass and music pouring out of customer’s cars.  Bridgeview residents will be subjected to sporadic blaring music from parked cars with little recourse due to the temporary nature of customers.
•  While delivery trucks unload goods and refill USTs, our mornings will be filled with the groan and emissions of idling trucks.
• Neighborhood Opinion: 
• We brought our families to Polk City to enjoy a quieter lifestyle.  This plan effectively steals that option from the residents of Bridgeview and degrades our quality of life.  It was accepted that this gas station was going to be built far away from the closet corner of Bridgeview well outside the range of industrial like noises and emissions.  This new plan flips that narrative and brings these issues to our backyards and results in a gas station occupying enough land for 3 gas stations.

Lighting Issues

• Between lights from the gas station and ballparks, over half of the nighttime sky will be lit up over Bridgeview and surrounding areas.  Our children play at those ballparks, we see the benefit if those lights.  Massive bug lanterns a couple hundred feet from our backyards will make it impossible to enjoy our summer evenings with our neighbors.
• The houses that border this planned gas station are 2 story houses.  No amount of 6-foot fences will protect those houses from being flooded with artificial light throughout the night.
• Neighborhood Opinion: 
• If Polk City is in need of a 3rd gas station, position it so it is not within a couple hundred feet of existing homes.  As this lot could fit 3 gas stations, placing it as far north as possible is causing the most possible harm to Bridgeview neighborhood.

Property Values

• Homes immediately surrounding the gas station property could see a decrease in their home value of 14-16%.  For some, that may mean an entire year’s salary of equity gone in a single vote by our council. (Guignet, 2012)
• FHA insured mortgages are not available for properties located within 300 feet of underground tanks. (HUD.gov)  This directly limits our ability to sell our homes.
• Neighborhood Opinion: 
• 14-16% is nearly the down payment required for traditional mortgages on the average home in this area.  For many of us, these equates to a large portion of the equity we have built up in our homes.  Coupled with the decrease in available mortgage options for future buyers, we have little option to just move away once this plan is put in place.  We will be stuck with whatever the future holds as more and more buyers choose other locations without the many issues described in this letter.

Environmental Issues

• Potential spills and accidents are uphill of Saylorville Lake.  Without proper precautions, contamination of the Army Corps Federal land and other drainage areas could be contaminated and spill into the main drinking water supply for the central Iowa area.
• Wildlife and public forest areas to the south of Bridge Road may be impacted by chemical spills and drainage issues.
• USTs pose a threat to city drinking water.  The assumption is that the proper precautions are being followed to mitigate against ground and drinking water contamination from USTs
• Neighborhood Opinion: 
• Accidents can happen anywhere, out of all of the issues outlined here; we assume this one had various impact studies performed due to the massive potential for contaminating the main drinking water source for central Iowa.  If an accident does occur, Polk City will suffer a major reputational risk if Saylorville lake were to become contaminated.

Proposal: 

• Temporarily halt construction to re-evaluate the various impacts of the current planned location for the carwash, gas station, gas pumps, and underground storage tanks.
• Review plan to determine if the gas station can be moved closer to Bridge Road.
• Reject plans for a carwash near homes or move the carwash to a location where the constant sound of air driers will not be heard at any residential property in Bridgeview or surrounding homes.
•  Placement of the UST (underground storage tanks) to a location more than 500 feet away from any residential dwelling. 
• Ensure that any future projects in Polk City take into account the residents of Polk City, specifically those that will have negative impacts in their health, property, and happiness.

Thank you for your time in reviewing our concerns.  This letter has been created with the hopes that the City Council will understand the decision that was made and how it impacts the families within the radius of this construction.  We care about our children and neighbors and don’t want to see our health, happiness, and home values degrade from this approval.  We love Polk City and want to continue to encourage our friends and family to join us in this peaceful town.

Thanks,

Bridgeview Neighborhood Residents