A response to Chip Worrell

In response to Chip Worrell's column in the Times-News, "Let's just let the kids have a place to play," Barbara Coladarci answers:

It is Not About the “Kids”

When listing all the golf courses, Chip Worrell fails to mention that they are private clubs that do not rely on the Henderson county taxpayer. The Highland Golf Course provides the only affordable training venue for the Junior/ Senior High Schools in Henderson County. The area is zoned R20, which prohibits “trailer park, retail store, asphalt plant.”

When he says, "Just let the kids have a place to play," he, like the Commissioners, fails to mention:

1. the 100 fold increase in traffic, on tournament days, serviced by a two-lane country road;
2. there is only one way in and out of the complex;
3. the line of sight is less than 37 feet from the entrance to the railroad track, and presents a safety hazard;
4. approval has not been obtained from NCDOT to cut another entrance and its cost is unknown;
5. the proposed 9 fields are not just for "kids" but also for adult tournaments;
6. high-intensity lights create light pollution, and perpetuate the noise from enthusiastic fans well into the night;
7. the Internet shows that "soccer complexes" are not normally in residential areas;
8. property values within 1/4 and 1/2 mile of a soccer complex decrease by 13-20%;
9. decreased property values mean decreased revenue.