Humane Soc. object Alter rezoning
,
April 19, 2006
Zoning Advisory Committee
City of Dubuque
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001
Dubuque City Hall Clerk
Dubuque City Hall
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, Iowa 5200 I
Re: Dubuque Regional Humane Society's opposition to Dawne O'Meara, Alter
Salvage/Tschiggfrie Excavating Rezoning Request for 190 N. Crescent Ridge
To Whom It May Concern:
The Dubuque Regional Humane Society owns property at i 75 N. Crescent Ridge, Dubuque,
Iowa. At that location, the Dubuque Regional Humane Society operates a nonprofit animal shelter.
Recently, the Board of Directors met and discussed the request by Alter Salvage to rezone the
neighboring property located at 190 N. Crescent Ridge. The Board of Directors has determined that
consistent with its mission statement, which is the humane treatment of animals, it must oppose the
rezoning request. At the request of the Board of Directors, I have been asked by the Dubuque
Regional Humane Society to advise you of their position.
The Dubuque Regional Humane Society has a number of concerns with regard to the impact
that rezoning this land and allowing Alter Salvage to operate its salvage yard in the immediate
vicinity of the animal shelter would have. Specifically, we have concerns that the increased noise
from the salvage yard, caused by the loading and loading of rail cars and the use of heavy equipment,
will disrupt the animals. The dogs are housed inside from 7:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m. everyday. Our
animals come to us under stressful conditions. Our goal is to make them as comfortable as possible
while they wait for their new home. The additional noise will cause anxiety in the animals that the
Dubuque Regional Humane Society cares for, and the natural result of that increased anxiety will
be increased barking. We did consult with Dr. Sue Kapla, an animal behaviorist, to determine what
impact the increased noise from the salvage yard might have on the dogs. Her comments were that
the dogs may get used to the noise after a few weeks. However, the service that the Dubuque
Regional Humane Society provides involves accepting new dogs on a daily basis. Therefore, the
new dogs will always be affected by the noise. When one dog barks, they all bark.
The Dubuque Regional Humane Society experienced a similar problem with additional noise
just last year when Tschiggfrie Excavating was blasting in the vicinity. The dogs responded with
increased barking. That was the first time, in the 14 years that the Dubuque Regional Humane
Society has been at its current location, that it received any complaints from neighbors regarding
barking dogs.
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The land in the immediate vicinity of the proposed Alter Salvage location is a mix of
residential and commercial service zoned properties. Spot zoning this one area to a heavy industrial
is inconsistent with the Dubuque Comprehensive Plan upon which property owners relied in
acquiring property in the affected area. There are other areas in the City zoned specifically for a
business such as Alter Salvage. The Board asks that the City and Alter Salvage to consider its
relocation to one of those locations already zoned consistent with its intended use.
The Dubuque Regional Humane Society is a nonprofit organization. The Board of Directors,
employees and volunteers work hard to provide a service to the community. The Dubuque Humane
Society's relocation to 175 N. Crescent Ridge, approximately 14 years ago, occurred after much
support and effort by the community coming together with a goal of providing a better environment
for these animals in transition. Allowing the neighboring property to be rezoned to heavy industrial
zone and to operate a salvage yard will have an immediate impact on the real estate values in the
surrounding area, including the value of the real estate acquired by the Dubuque Regional Humane
Society. As a nonprofit entity, the Board of Directors ask the City not to impose direct financial
harm on the Humane Society by taking steps which will immediately affect the Humane Society's
property value.
Access to the highway from McDonald Drive and out of the Hobby Lobby store is often
difficult. Concerns were voiced that with the addition of a salvage business using the same access,
it will cause additional difficulties and safety concerns in accessing the highway. Further, the Board
of Directors expect that the traffic on Crescent Ridge would significantly increase with the operation
of a salvage yard in the vicinity. The increase in traffic would likely be open-backed trucks hauling
junk, which would not only, again, increase the noise level in the neighborhood, but also cause safety
concerns.
Please consider our concerns and the direct impact that a decision to authorize Alter Salvage
to operate its salvage business in a residential and commercial service zoned area would have on the
residents that have already invested in building homes and facilities in this area, in particular the
animals. Please request that Alter Salvage choose a location already zoned for heavy industrial.
Sincerely,
~Jit&L
Jane McCall, Executive Director
Dubuque Regional Humane Society
Atfo^-
Tim Krom, President
Dubuque Humane Society Board of Directors
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