From: Jody Ransom Sent: Monday, February 06, 2017 10:59 AM To: Karen Edwards Cc: Michael Behrendt Subject: letter for Public Hearing on 2/8/17 re: Young Drive re-development 16 Bayview Road Durham, NH 03824 February 6, 2017 Dear Members of the Durham Planning Board, I am writing to express my concerns regarding the proposed re-development of Young Drive since I will be unable to attend the public hearing on Feb 8. While in theory I would support the idea of a senior housing use for this land, the scope and density of the current proposal is out of proportion for the area. The Young Drive area, which is located directly behind our home on Bayview Road, is sparsely populated by homes which are in character with the rural nature of Durham. It is a particularly beautiful area at the gateway of our town, bordering on Beard’s Creek, and the proposed development would forever change that rural nature. The proposed buildings are four stories high, with 160 units proposed, which would create an eyesore similar to the development on Mill Road that occurred recently. Once a property such as this is developed, there is no going back to the rural qualities that attracted me and others to choose our homes in this area of Durham. I would like to reiterate my concerns related to the effects of the proposed development on the aesthetics, quality of life, and the environment in our neighborhood and surrounding neighborhoods: the height and number of buildings are of too large a scale compared to the surrounding landscape; the overall density of the project will lead to increased traffic and noise pollution in the area; the lights from buildings and parking lots will negatively impact our view of our night sky and the peacefulness of our homes; removal of trees and brush in order to construct the buildings and parking lots will effect the rural quality of the area; the construction will impact the wetland buffers bordering on Beard’s Creek. In addition, the revised proposal alludes to the possible future re-opening of the road between Young Drive and Bayview Road. This presents safety concerns, as Bayview Road is a family neighborhood with young children, and part of the culture of the street has always been that the residents place great value on creating a neighborhood where our children can ride their bikes and play basketball or street hockey in safety. I am strongly opposed to re-opening the road, even as a possibility in the future, as it will forever change the character and safety of our neighborhood. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely yours, Jody Ransom