NAMPA, ID — The Nampa Planning & Zoning Committee is hearing public comments on a proposed concrete batch plant in eastern Nampa.
- Neighbors are concerned about traffic, dust, and health
- Neighbors have gone door-to-door to raise awareness
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
A plot of land in eastern Nampa at Grays & Victory could soon be the site of a concrete batch plant.
I talked with ten concerned neighbors who hope the proposal is denied.
The grassroots effort, going door-to-door to discuss concerns.
"Neighbors are upset for a number of reasons, maybe one of the primary ones is that batch plants have particulate matter they release into the air into surrounding neighborhoods," said concerned neighbor Leslie Contos.
The group claims the city's public hearing notice billboard went up about ten days before the planning and zoning meeting.
The particular location, sitting on 52 acres of industrial-use land, is directly across the street from a neighborhood and within a mile from three schools.
"There is Columbia High School about 3/4 mile away, there is Park Ridge Elementary about 3/4 mile away, and there is Endeavour Elementary that is probably closer," said resident Patti Quinn.
The site is due south of the Nampa Airport, also the location of the Warhawk Air Museum. One veteran I spoke to is a volunteer at the Warhawk and is concerned about their vintage airplanes.
"And we have some 80-year-old airplanes that fly from WWII. The dust that would be created would be so corrosive to our airplanes, particularly the engines," explained Donald McCown
The planning commission has been receptive to public input.
John Klymshyn lives about a mile from the proposed site and has been in contact with the commission.
"One of the things that is most encouraging is that the specific code sections have been laid out here saying under what conditions the conditional use permit might be denied and one of them was 'it would not adversely impact the intended character and appearance of the general vicinity'. You put in a cement plant less than a mile away from a brand new development, the value of the homes go down," Klymshyn said.
