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Home My WebLink AboutA9 October 28, 2014 4619 Twain St, Ames, IA 50014. To: City of Ames Zoning Board of Adjustment Re: Public Hearing on Application for a Special Home Occupation Permit to Allow Reptile Breeding and Sales Business at 4630 Twain Street Dear Sir/Madam, I am not available to attend the meeting on October 28, 2015 but would like to express my opinion by this letter. We strongly oppose the idea of having a reptiles breeding business which include dangerous and poisonous snakes in a family oriented neighborhood. We are not at all comfortable with snakes and especially my wife naturally has a fear of snakes. She will not be comfortable having a snake breeding facility very close to her home. We are aware of recent instances that escaping pet snakes have caused death in US and Canada. We are home owners not tenants and therefore we cannot easily change where we live if we cannot safely live in our own house. Reptiles may escape and enter other houses through vents and open garage doors and may harm people in the surrounding community. Twain Street has only duplexes on both sides of the street and because of that the neighborhood is densely populated. After the new Edward elementary school in the neighborhood, Twain street has several new families with small children. Although the letter was sent to people who live only 200 yards from #1430 Twain Street there are many children who live on Dickinson street, Webster street,Twain circle etc. who walk in front of this house at 4630 Twain St, since there is a short cut (side walk) to the school in-between two houses on Poe avenue. During breeding and while transporting there is always a possibility that they might escape and if they harm or cause fear to anyone of the neighbors or the children walk in front of this location, the city might be responsible for that if they have given permission for snake breeding facility in a densely populated neighborhood with many small children around. Given these concerns, we would appreciate that a permit not be granted to allow reptile breeding and selling at 4630, Twain St. These types of operations should be located in commercial districts or very rural areas where there are no residential units nearby. Sincerely, Manilal William Vijitha K. Silva 4619,Twain St.