Monday, January 03, 2011

SW Dream Team condemns "nay-sayers", backs Miller Trans. in zoning case

Miller Transportation is going before the Louisville Metro Planning Commission Thursday to seek a zoning change for "about 10 acres - much of it wooded" at the corner of Outer Loop and Afterglow Drive. [CJ]

The company is seeking to build a maintenance garage, an office building and 229 parking spaces, 121 for buses.

Residents of the Candlelight neighborhood have shown resistance to the plan, citing noise, fumes and drainage concerns, but another group is coming to the defense of Miller Transportation.

The Southwest Dream Team sent out the following, vaguely-worded message about the situation last week:




We have had a request for support come across our 'wire' to reach out in support of a significant supporter of the Southwest Dream Team, Miller Transportation. Miller has provided transport services for our group to Fort Knox, on our Southwest 'Tour of Jewels' and even provided an exciting 'Move that Bus!' moment at the unveiling of our I-264 banner. Now, they have asked for our help.
The attorney for Miller Transportation has asked that they secure letters of support from the local business community in time for a hearing on January 6th (next week). The letters should reflect the economic importance we believe, that Miller Transportation plays in the Louisville community.
We need to protect current jobs, not to mention the many jobs that will be brought to South/Southwest Louisville with their pending expansion. We need to stand firmly with Miller Transportation and not allow one small group of neighboring naysayer’s to inhibit this wonderful opportunity for the Louisville economic landscape. If denied, Miller Transportation will be forced to consider other options which may lead them outside of Louisville. We can not allow this to happen!
All email and letter correspondence should to be sent to the attorney at the following email address: chashburner@wyattfirm.com. Email and letters should be addressed to: The Louisville Metro Planning Commission; Chief Rich Carlson, chair- c/o Cliff Ashburner, attorney.
Please forward this request to other area business owners asking for their immediate response!
Obviously, the folks at Miller Transportation have been there for us. Let’s show them that the SWDT is ready to support them!
Thank you for your time and continued support of the efforts of the SWDT and area businesses!
If you live in or around the neighborhood in question, I would like to hear your thoughts on the proposed expansion.  I would also like to hear your stories on what it is like to fight Miller Transportation, the Planning Commission and the Southwest Chamber of Commerce (SW Dream Team) simultaneously.

The hearing is Thursday at 1pm, 514 W. Liberty St.

4 comments:

  1. Southwest Dream Team couldn't put together anything better than that I guess. I don't hold much faith in their so called dedication to the Dixie corridor. They've let it pretty much continue down the same path and if you think that Greg Fischer is going to change that, you're sadly mistaken.

    Part of the reason why the SW gets a bad rap is the lack of education and discipline in that area. The SW Dream Team talks a good game but when one of them runs a temp service that provides cheap labor to the employers of the area, that says a lot. So making a few extra bucks off the locals desperate for whatever low wage job they can get in the Louisville area. That's not a recipe for economic success, its a recipe for failure of the community. Low wage jobs aren't an economic panacea and won't really uplift a community. Look at all of the ghettos from coast to coast that have tons of low wage jobs. SW Louisville is no exception. Not to expect Greg Fischer to do anything about it either. After all, Jerry Abramson and the Democratic machine has had the opportunity to repair the loss of industry and businesses and they forgot about the rest of the people. Its time for the people to start asking the correct questions about why they are losing their standard of living both to the leaders and the so called business community. Including these people who are the proud owners of pimp services or errr temp services.

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  2. I agree with everything Joe said. All of it.

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  3. I grew up on Candleglow, my mom still lives there. The bus depot was never a bad neighbor, but it didn't encroach into the neighborhood, either. If they get their rezoning the front left half of Afterglow will be taken up with a parking lot. I have to wonder, will it be lit all night like their current one? It'll be as bright as daylight all night long.

    The wooded area looks scrappy and unkempt, but a parking lot full of buses would be ten times worse. And my already-low opinion of the SW Dream Team is reinforced by their attitude. They're saying that people like my mother, and her neighbors, don't count, that their opinions about THEIR neighborhood do not matter. It's only their homes, after all, who cares what a bunch of working-class people with small homes think, when a big noisy business can cough up some extra tax revenue. Nevermind what it'll do to the quality of life in Candlelight subdivision, or the property values there.

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  4. That's an insightful comment, thanks.

    My opinion of the Dream Team has changed as time has gone on. What little resident involvement there was has declined significantly and the group is now totally consumed with business interests. The first commenter really had some interesting points about the group from the beginning.

    I don't know what the answer is. I just know I fear for the future because I have seen the past. Nothing changes.

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