"If I'd only known...

Below is letter to Editor of the Alden Advertiser, written by Jim P Bicheler (reprinted with his permission). This was printed in the May 24 edition. Great letter Jim! We hope that more of you stand up and protect your land, your family, your life.

"Dear Editor,
I attended a number of planning board and town board sessions. The developer and his paid expert continually state that all of the water in that area flows to the northwest and then off to Cayuga Creek. It is quite obvious that there is water flowing downhill from that field to the East into my backyard, which, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, is designated as a wetlands area. The developer also claims that his plans maintain a 100 foot buffer from any wetlands. Their plans allow for a 100 foot buffer to the West, but it seems that they missed the fact that there are wetlands to the east also.

I understand that 97% of the water that recharges the Alden village aquifer that feeds the village wells comes from vertical seepage down through the soil. How would you like some parking lot runoff in your soup?

I have lived in Alden all but four years of my life. I chose to return to Alden and build my home here because of the peaceful small town nature. Would I have built a house on the Sandridge Rd property if I knew that the zoning was commercial behind it? Hell, no.

Commercial development along Broadway is fine with me. It is already zoned for that. It seemed like there was some thought put into rezoning the Martin farm frontage. It stops at 500 feet to the north of Broadway approximately aligns with the rear of the existing commercial businesses in the area and leaves the existing farmland to the rear of the adjacent residential areas- utterly brilliant!

To rezone for the purpose of allowing a mega store to be built in just plain wrong. I moved back here after living in 3 major metropolitan areas knowing full well that if I wanted to go to a major department store that I would have to get in my car and drive all of 10 miles to get there. I would like to have the tax benefits associated with a very large retailer in writing and give me a written guarantee that my tax bills will be reduced by ???? a year.

-James P Bicheler