Center will have negative impact on area

Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2005

It is with great distress that I read about the city of Gaithersburg’s intent to impose a day laborer center off of North Frederick Avenue at the entrance to our historic community (‘‘Unity urged in discussions over day labor center,” Sept. 28 story).

I have been a resident since May 2004. Since that time I have been made aware of the approval process of making even a small change on my property. If I want to cut down a tree, I have to have a public hearing reviewing my request.

How is it that the city can choose a site for the day laborer center that negatively impacts both my safety and property values without any public input? Or, how can it keep secret the sites that were chosen as alternates? What was its criterion for choosing a site that is in the path of students walking to Gaithersburg High School? What were they thinking?

I don’t want to have the entrance to our community littered with 30 to 50 guys who are daily looking for work and the associated contractor truck traffic that is inevitable in this situation.

Put it in an industrial area that does not endanger my home and safety. We suffer enough disrespect in our community with the laborers congregating at Grace Church.

Clark W. Day, Gaithersburg