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EcoRadio KC
EcoRadio KC is a magazine show, including live segments, prerecorded stories, and interviews. The weekly explores our interdependence with the rest of the world, showing the connections between the ways we choose to live and the health of the whole community of life.
Susan Huntoon of Save Our Neighborhoods explains the groups efforts to prevent a landfill from replacing a wilderness area in Independence and QueenMa Nuta Beqsu Moses Amen-Ra (aka) Adenike Amen-Ra talks about the Academy for Cultural Arts and STEMM.
On July 24, Save Our Neighborhoods, a citizens group, filed “Intent to Circulate a Referendum Petition” to the City Clerk regarding Ordinance 18468. This ordinance rezones a 44 acre urban forest and section of waterway in Independence into an industrial district. The City Charter provides for citizens to petition for the rezoning to be referred to the voters to uphold or overturn.
Save Our Neighborhoods will be circulating a petition, door to door, over the next several weeks seeking signatures to put the rezoning on the ballot. We hope the citizens of Independence will help preserve the forest, wildlife habitat, Rock Creek water quality, and the health, safety and general welfare of Independence neighborhoods.
“There is so much more than the neighborhoods of Independence at stake here” said Susan Huntoon a member of Save Our Neighborhoods. Huntoon goes on to say
“It is a matter of wildlife/ecosystem preservation, quality of life and livability for Independence citizens “
Susan Huntoon explains the developer seeking the zone change owns a Demolition and Excavation Company. He has made many representations that he will be a “good neighbor”, as he prepares to bulldoze the forest and bring in construction waste to dump in low or sloping areas. He testified to his virtue as significant evidence to persuade the Zoning and Planning Commission and City Council to rezone our riparian forest.
The facts are that absolutely nothing binds him to fulfill his stated plans. There is no contract or ways to legally force an out of town Demolition and Excavation Company owner to honor his words. All we know for a fact is the City Council, with the exception of Tom Van Camp, voted to rezone an urban forest sitting on a slope next to a stream running through historically residential neighborhoods into an industrial district.
The group realizes, as Lynn Youngblood stated in her analysis (Examiner July 11, 2015) “Once the wild is gone, it won’t come back”, that the destruction of the forest will be final and the habitat will be destroyed, thereby exposing Rock Creek and the neighborhoods to the real possibility of contamination, lower property values, impacted quality of life and ecosystem harm.
Our goal is to get 4000 signatures of Independence voters before August 20, 2015, the deadline for filing the petition per the City Charter. Those who want to help can contact Susan Huntoon at
Academy of Cultural Arts and STEMM Education
Amen Ankh Communications Network Online Radio by Amen Ankh Communications
