Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Comments Safety Health topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge traffic fixes and warn against backyard chickens as public comments highlight safety and health concerns
Summary
Public commenters raised an urgent safety concern about emergency vehicle access on Tapper Street and a separate resident urged caution about legalizing backyard chickens because of bird-flu risks and Hammond municipal code restrictions.
Speakers during the public-expression portion of the March 10 meeting urged the council to address neighborhood safety and to be cautious about any future discussion of backyard chickens.
Alvin Cheeks, speaking from the 800 block of Merrill, said fire trucks and ambulances cannot reliably reach parts of Tapper Street because of heavy parking on both sides during events and on Sundays. Cheeks said he provided photos to Councilwoman Venez and asked the council to pursue a traffic study and painted curbs or other parking controls to ensure emergency access. "If we have a urgency of emergency in the area, fire trucks cannot make it down Tapper Street," he said, noting that he had shown the situation to Hammond Fire, Hammond Police and FEMA and intended to raise the matter at the Board of Works.
Separately, George Stoya told the council he had sent a letter asking members to recall earlier 2019 consideration of backyard chickens and to note public-health risks amid recent scientific discussion about avian influenza. "The Hammond municipal code is dead set against it," Stoya said, urging caution and reminding the council of materials he supplied about disease spread and prior local deliberations. Stoya said his letter updated a 2019 submission and included a Harvard conference article about bird flu risk.
Other public commenters used the opportunity to thank council members for their service. The council did not take formal action on the Tapper Street request at the March 10 meeting; residents were told to expect follow-up and that staff would coordinate with public-works, police and fire departments on next steps.
