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HomeMy WebLinkAboutChris Verkerk1 Chris Johnson From:Chris Verkerk <chris_verkerk@msn.com> Sent:Monday, July 16, 2018 10:48 AM To:City Clerk Cc:Anne Little Roberts; Genesis Milam; Joe Borton; Treg Bernt; Luke Cavener; Ty Palmer; mayortammy; Mike Murgoitio Subject:Public Hearing Continued from June 19, 2018 for Timber Creek Recycling (H-2018-0042) by Michael Murgoitio located at 7965 S. Locust Grove Rd. Attachments:Timber Creek Recycling testimony.docx Dear Meridian City Clerk’s Office, City Council, and Madam Mayor, Please see the attached letter in support/favor of the proposed land use and project for Timber Creek Recycling (H-2018-0042). Also please attach the letter for the record of public testimony in regards to the above Public Hearing. Thank You & Regards, Chris Verkerk 208-891-0867 chris_Verkerk@msn.com Sent from Windows Mail Christopher Verkerk 2465 E. Springwood Dr. Meridian, ID 83642 208-891-0867 Chris_verkerk@msn.com July 16th, 2018 Meridian City Council & Madam Mayor City Of Meridian 33 E. Broadway Ave Meridian, ID 83646 Ref: Public Hearing Continued from June 19, 2018 for Timber Creek Recycling (H-2018- 0042) by Michael Murgoitio located at 7965 S. Locust Grove Rd. Dear Meridian City Council & Madam Mayor: First thank you for the opportunity to comment on the proposed land use changes in our city. Secondly, I am not able to attend the July 17th, 2018 public hearing due to work. Please accept my written testimony for the above referenced record of public testimony. I am writing today in favor of the proposed land use change and project presented by Mr. Michael Murgoitio. I have known Mike for a short time and have visited his operation at the above referenced address. I have spent a few hours discussing his vision and operation and I am a firm supporter in his efforts to get a recycling program for the City of Meridian in operation. Personally I have been seeking local resources for compost and soil amendments. These products are difficult to find, have an increased cost due to transport and come from unknown sources. I have used recycled leaf debris from Timber Creek Recycling this year for flower bed mulch and garden use, which has been a great product. Unfortunately, I’ve asked him for rich compost to aid in soil amendment and natural fertilizer for my ½ acre garden, and currently these products are unavailable from local sources. Our garden provides us with fresh produce for my friends and family. We also offer our produce at the Meridian Main Street Market and to our local Meridian Food Bank. If this project was approved we would have a local source for recycled organic material from Meridian that would be composted for rich fertilizer, soil amendment and mulch for our urban farm, thus bringing fresh organic produce to the citizens of Meridian. I’ve also worked with the Meridian Community Garden located at Kleiner Park and still help the garden with soil amendments and composting. Mike has committed to assisting with compost deliveries and assisting with soil testing and amendments at this garden as well. This community Meridian City Council & Madam Mayor July 16th, 2018 Page 2 garden has provided our local food banks with more than 6,000 lbs of fresh produce annually! This is an amazing resource for our community that would only further benefit from a composting facility located here in Meridian. I believe that with regular compost application at the garden the produce yields would greatly increase thus supplying our community pantries and food banks with even more fresh produce. And with consideration of expanding our Community Gardens in Meridian the need for a compost product will only increase. Timber Creek Recycling’s composting program can also help reduce our Parks operation cost by using organic compost for grass fertilizer rather than the chemical fertilizer applications used currently. I use compost on my lawn rather than bagged chemical fertilizer products and believe compost to be superior to aid in lawn care and fertilizing. Lastly, I’d like to point out the ecological impact that the facility and project would have on our community. By providing a local resource for composting our landfill would benefit greatly, we would reduce carbon emissions and traffic impact by transporting these loads locally, and the end user would benefit from the end product just like the City of Boise has done with their garden recycling program. Once again, thank you for allowing my public testimony on this particular land use and project. If you have any questions about my testimony or would like to discuss the matter in more depth, please give me a call at 208-891-0867 or by email at chris_verkerk@msn.com Respectfully, Christopher Verkerk