Subject: RE: Dog Kennel on corner of Willow Springs and Palouse.

I am writing this note simply to inform you, if you aren't aware already, that a "Notice of Application" has been filed for a commercial dog kennel on the Southeast corner of the intersection of Palouse Highway and Willow Springs Rd.   The specific address is 3622 E. Willow Springs Rd.

I'm bringing this to everyone's attention due to the multiple conversations I've had in the last two weeks with about a dozen fellow Willow Springs and Palouse residents.  I've simply yet to have a single person in favor of the construction of what is going to be a very large outbuilding with Dog Kennels used as a commercial enterprise at this proposed location.  Less than a handful of Willow Springs or adjacent Palouse residents were sent the "Notice of Application" that I've attached in this email, simply because their dwelling fell inside the 400' perimeter notification rule.  

Here's are the top 3 and unanimous complaints I share and have heard regarding this commercial dog enterprise at this location:

1)  Noise:  We all have experienced the occasional dog barking off in the distance that is sometimes well over a half mile.  Now imagine that for the 4 homes they are literally a few football fields away from what I've been told are a proposed 40 + kennels in this facility.  Whether this new building is insulated or not, and whether the dogs are kept in at night or not, they still are required to have dog runs by law that allow the dogs access to the outdoors and thus the inevitable barking would naturally ensue. Regardless of whether the location of your particular home will be directly impacted by this noise, I know that myself and a handful of other homes certainly will.  I am truly pained for the 4 other homes that are directly south, north and east of the proposed building site.  All of those families clearly have invested a tremendous amount of time and money to build or remodel beautiful homes and property in what they clearly expected and would appreciate as a "peaceful rural experience".   If they wanted commercial noise they would have stayed in the city for a lot less money.

2)  Devaluation of Property:  My neighbor directly to the west of my home is Gary Emtman and his father Bob Emtman.  They own the property that borders most of the east and south property lines of this potential commercial kennel site and they too are very bothered with the prospects of noise and what will certainly be the depreciation of their land if they ever decided to parcel it into 10 acres pieces for a home of two to be built.  Not to mention the home north of Willow Springs directly across the street and the two homes directly south of the proposed kennels.  I would speculate that their resale value will drop notably.  I've owned and loved dogs for over 20 years, but people, families and their standard of living come before animals particularly when it's a commercial enterprise. 

3)  Traffic Safety:  I'm sure you all have come upon the many accidents that take place right at this very intersection of Willow Springs and Palouse.  As you are aware we are dealing with two blind slopes (the Palouse going north and south; and Willow Springs right as you pass the location of where these kennels will be built).  With the high rates of speed produced from the highway and the disparity of speeds from cars merging and exiting the intersection of Willow Springs and Palouse, I think it's only probable that the incidents of auto accidents will increase. What concerns me as much or more is the number of cyclists and runners that so frequently access this intersection.  Willow Springs is already a very narrow road and just the additional traffic alone, will create the inevitable and what I really foresee as a dangerous ingress / egress issue at this intersection.  I've personally have already helped 3 cyclists and 2 motorists just in the last 3 summers alone from auto related accidents at this intersection.  We clearly can't risk lives in exchange for a commercial entity in this location.

Though I've never met the owners of this proposed commercial kennel site, I'm sure they are wonderful people.  Having said that, I simply have to go with the principle of this situation and the sheer numbers of people that are opposed to it.  I have now spoken with a dozen or more Willow Springs neighbors and I haven't had a single person express their support in favor for these kennels.  For the 3 reasons I describe above, it simply isn't the correct location.  

I appreciate you taking time to read my email.  As you know, it requires numbers to create a voice that is heard by the county.  We need your help to simply call or write Tammy Jones (Senior Planner at Spokane Planning Department) and express the concerns I've described above, if you share those same thoughts.  The number and address are included on page. 3 of the attachments I included.  Please call or write before May 2, 2011 as this is the cut-off date for consideration of such comments.

Thanks for your time and consideration,