Mission Accomplished
My goal before the local planning board was to get their attention, to let them know our community is stunned and very upset that the County thinks it can dump 350 diesel exhaust-spewing school buses on our neighborhood, atop a toxic landfill no less.
WOW, it worked! How amazing is that? They got it. They imposed conditions before renewing an expired permit for a developer of another property. Technically, that's what I went to address--to speak in opposition to the permit extension. The effect is that the Planning Board opened the door to use that developer's site as an alternative for the bus depot.
This was the first time the Planning Board heard anything about (dumping) a school bus depot atop the landfill, other than a cursory idea floated by some County staffers. In the coming months if they hear my neighborhood's opposition enough maybe the Planning Board, too, say NO to using the landfill for a bus depot.
So, with today's encouraging feedback from local officials, I'm hoping the consternation of my neighbors blossoms into full-fledged activism. When our homeowners' Board gets together in a few days, I'm going to suggest that we start making these kinds of public appearances at every single opportunity---even if we have to stretch the connection to our issue, as I did today.
And now, for my other obsession, training for the Walt Disney World half-marathon, just 3 months away. Every once in a while, the idea sneaks into my head that I can actually do this by January 10. I can see it. There was one of those moments tonight, while hitting mile 3 on the treadmill, the thought occurred, "hey, this isn't so bad..... I can manage this for a couple of hours..." Indeed, I only put 5 miles on the treadmill tonight, but the aim is for a record 7-mile workout later this week. We'll see if a half-marathon seems possible after I finish that task!
Really, it's not a question of making an impressive showing at the half-marathon; they're not giving out any special awards for just beating the minimum-pace car. A few years ago, when I thought I'd really trained well enough to cover (videotape) some teenagers going through an Outward Bound week, I was barely able to keep up with them. It's awful, being in the straggler group. And it's not fair to make my "teammates" (family members, on "Team Tillery") join the straggler group. So over the next 3 months, the resolution is to KEEP GOING, DAMNIT, and build up enough endurance and confidence so I'll help carry THEM through the hard parts!
Tonight, for one brief moment, that vision floated by. You have to see the dream in order to make it happen.
WOW, it worked! How amazing is that? They got it. They imposed conditions before renewing an expired permit for a developer of another property. Technically, that's what I went to address--to speak in opposition to the permit extension. The effect is that the Planning Board opened the door to use that developer's site as an alternative for the bus depot.
This was the first time the Planning Board heard anything about (dumping) a school bus depot atop the landfill, other than a cursory idea floated by some County staffers. In the coming months if they hear my neighborhood's opposition enough maybe the Planning Board, too, say NO to using the landfill for a bus depot.
So, with today's encouraging feedback from local officials, I'm hoping the consternation of my neighbors blossoms into full-fledged activism. When our homeowners' Board gets together in a few days, I'm going to suggest that we start making these kinds of public appearances at every single opportunity---even if we have to stretch the connection to our issue, as I did today.
And now, for my other obsession, training for the Walt Disney World half-marathon, just 3 months away. Every once in a while, the idea sneaks into my head that I can actually do this by January 10. I can see it. There was one of those moments tonight, while hitting mile 3 on the treadmill, the thought occurred, "hey, this isn't so bad..... I can manage this for a couple of hours..." Indeed, I only put 5 miles on the treadmill tonight, but the aim is for a record 7-mile workout later this week. We'll see if a half-marathon seems possible after I finish that task!
Really, it's not a question of making an impressive showing at the half-marathon; they're not giving out any special awards for just beating the minimum-pace car. A few years ago, when I thought I'd really trained well enough to cover (videotape) some teenagers going through an Outward Bound week, I was barely able to keep up with them. It's awful, being in the straggler group. And it's not fair to make my "teammates" (family members, on "Team Tillery") join the straggler group. So over the next 3 months, the resolution is to KEEP GOING, DAMNIT, and build up enough endurance and confidence so I'll help carry THEM through the hard parts!
Tonight, for one brief moment, that vision floated by. You have to see the dream in order to make it happen.