Thank you, Commissioners, for letting me have these few moments to address the board as I had hoped to be there in person doing so on my own behalf my health unfortunately has not granted me to do so this evening and I ask that either Maria Hass clerk to the board or Commissioner Jan Griggs read this statement on my behalf.
I am a lifelong native and resident of Cherokee County for 47 of my 49 years. I have been blessed to call this my home, my people, family, and friends and because it is home, I am passionate and protective of it with a very fierce drive, not only for those I love and what we value but for the preservation of our culture, lifestyles and our livelihoods and traditions and values.
I live as a crow flies, approximately 4.19 miles from the Wingate location and 4.79 miles from the Harshaw location at my current resident located in the Martins Creek community since 2016. Prior to that I lived in Ebenezer where I was born and raised. I have also lived in Hiwassee Dam, Davis Creek and the Peachtree Communities. I have served on the Hanging Dog and Hiwassee Dam fire departments and my point being, I am vested in this community.
Although it may seem that some here in this room tonight and for the past several weeks are concerned with this being an issue of native’s verses outsiders, I can assure you all that this is NOT a us versus them and should not be when it comes to the residents of Cherokee County landowners. What this should be considered is a neighbor’s taking care of neighbor’s issue. Residents that have purchased land here are indeed VESTED in this community as your volunteers in fire departments, Rotary, Children’s Programs communities abuse clinics, they are business owners, they are part of your churches, they have children in your schools, and they pay taxes and have a say in this issue that is much like me affecting their everyday life from morning to noon to night, sometimes it is 24/7. On occasion, there is a lull in activity for a few hours and then there are times when it is louder than normal during what some of us have deemed their peak hours which has been occurring after 11 PM to 6 AM.
Decibel readings have ranged from the 60s to well over 150 depending on what time of the day and location and meter being used by individuals and professionals. I have to say that the county can hire whatever professional they want to do the testing and that is great, and I appreciate it. I have a professional with one of the best listening devices available, free of charge, that will testify directly to you what damages that are occurring. That individual is ME!
My ears are the ones hearing this, having to wear earbuds every night to bed connected to a kindle device with some sort of background noise or music going in the background to try to drown out the consistent humming, drumming and vibration that occurs at my home. Will it be the same as what my other counterparts in this complaint may be hearing? NO not necessarily, we may all be hearing something different depending on our location, our elevation, our own hearing capabilities. Geographically we are all in a very unique situation based on the science alone of how sound travels through mass particles, airwaves, the speed, vibrations, echos off of the mountain ranges and reverberation and bounce. I am not an expert engineer or scientist but however I am one of your best expert witnesses to the situation at hand as I am right almost dead center to both of these locations and being directly affected by this.
I am humbly asking that you enact an industrial ordinance specifically targeting ANKR mining, this type of mining, restricting it from operations in the residential areas and cease operations immediately until the complete these requirements to be NEIGHBORLY!
Finally I would like to ask that Cherokee County, NC Commissioners take immediate steps to address a zoning commission to look at surrounding counties and entire state zoning commissions as samples have been sent via email regarding these very types of commissions that can be put into place to ensure that property rights and protections can be done to protect tax payers as well as the rural communities from any such further encroachment from industry/businesses that are not practicing “GOOD NEIGHBOR PRACTICES.”
Thank you for your sincere consideration on this matter.
Shannon Dockery Greathead
- Immediate enclosure of both facilities (not walls) to mitigate the sound impacts on the communities due to the factors mentioned above.
- Meet these modifications within 30 days or be issued citations of $500.00 per day until completion.
- Implementation of a zoning/planning committee for county.
- No more operations of Bitcoin mining/Crypto Mining within Cherokee County, NC. Be permitted without the full approval of all members of the Cherokee County Commissioners or consider the line item #4 below as alternate.
Consider any large manufacturing/industrial facility that comes into the county/city limits that has employment of over 12 employees, be brought before the county taxpayer in the form of a forum type discussion and then ballot/referendum type vote for before consideration of approval of project to be built if no zoning commission is implemented by the commissioners.