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The Schostak Brothers
Company, developers of the Wonderland property, recently held three
public meetings to explain their plans for Wonderland Village. Over 500
neighbors attended to ask questions and vent their opposition. At each
of these meetings, I repeatedly heard several concerns: crime, safety,
traffic, property values and hours of operation for the proposed
24-hour Wal-Mart.
These concerns are very
important. The crime issue, however, affects all of us because the costs
for police and fire personnel are borne by all Livonians. Using
the Freedom of Information Act, I was able to request and
research the incidents where police were called out to the existing
Wal-Mart store on Middlebelt at Schoolcraft. Upon paying for the report
from August 1, 2004 to August 1, 2005, I was shocked to see 200
incidents listed on five pages! This seemed exorbitant for a store that
is only open 10 hours per day. I could only imagine Wal-Mart open 24
hours x 7 days.
With a
closer examination
of the police
report, I was able to discount incidents that could happen anywhere such
as citizen-vehicle lockout, abandoned auto and parking complaints. What
remained
were 86 misdemeanors: larceny,
retail fraud, shoplifting, and fraudulent drug prescriptions. It was
more disturbing to see 14 felonies of car theft, marijuana
sale/manufacture, malicious destruction of property, weapon violations,
drug overdose and assault and battery. This is not what we want in our
residential neighborhoods where our children and young people are
present. (A comparison with the Target at Middlebelt and Plymouth could
be viewed on a partial page report. It included
22 misdemeanors and three major crimes: one car theft and two
embezzlements).
We moved to Livonia 26
years ago because it had a sterling reputation. We have a safe city but
we need to keep it safe. I care about the people in our city. Our city
motto is “People First” and we put our families first. The Wonderland
development affects all Livonians but it isn’t putting our people first.
Based on compatibility factors, a 24-hour Wal-Mart clearly does
not belong in this neighborhood.
Wonderland is one of
six “control zones” of the city where a super majority of five votes of
the City Council is required to pass this project. I strongly encourage
the City Council to support our neighborhoods and vote a resounding
“NO!”
Joan Gebhardt
Candidate Livonia City
Council |
