Presented to the Town Board Special Hearing for Law #3 of 2001, the Knapp rezone by Frank Hogg on 6/25/2001

1.         Farmland Protection provides protection for farmers from developers. The only pressure on Paul Knapp is now gone. Plus, we have ample laws to protect farmers who want it. For example the 'Right to Farm' law.

2.         This rezone law would not allow an ethical honorable appraiser, who values his reputation, to increase the value of the land because it really isn't commercial due to the sunset clause. (See the Mako letter.)

3.         Inflating the value of the land will take away funds from other farmers who want to join the program such as Ann Henderson and her husband, who asked to join the program just two weeks ago.

4.         This law, if enacted, will generate an immediate lawsuit, which will cost the taxpayers of Preble.

5.         This law authored by Don Armstrong, who is the same lawyer that screwed up the ZBA law 2 or 3 times, may be challenged in court in an attempt to overturn the sunset clause. This would cost the taxpayers of Preble.

6.         If enacted this law could devalue dozens of properties close to the Knapp's, the same way Paul Knapp's cellular tower devalued property close to it. 5% within 500 feet and 2 1/2% from 500 to 1000 feet. This rezone covers such a large area of Preble dozens of taxpayers would be hurt.

7.         This rezone law is of no benefit to the people of Preble and will end up costing the people of Preble a considerable amount of money.

8.         The town board is charged with looking after the whole town, and would be derelict in its duty if it enacted a law that threatened the whole town for the financial benefit of one well-connected private individual.

9.         The only one who will benefit from this law is Paul Knapp.

10.     There is every reason not to vote for this law and no good reason to vote for it.

11.     The fact that Paul Knapp is the brother of past town supervisor, now deputy town supervisor Peter Knapp will not go unnoticed by the voters.

12.     The caucuses are just a few months away and you would be handing your opponents a powerful tool to defeat you if you vote for this law. While I would welcome the tool I would prefer that you did the right thing for Preble and defeated this law.

Thank You

Frank Hogg