We were reminded Monday evening at Marion City Council meeting of the old adage, “Buyer beware.”

Marsha Findeiss asked the city council to intervene on her behalf with the county and a business owner in the 100 block of North Coble Street where she recently purchased a home.

She complained that there was so much noise and air pollution caused by commercial vehicles that it is affecting her quality of life. There wasn’t much the council could do for her because the land is zoned for commercial use.

Unfortunately, it’s like moving next to an airport and expecting airplanes to land someplace else. Just like an airport, the county shop and privately-owned construction company was there long before Ms. Findeiss purchased the property.

Our homes are our castles and we are entitled to have peace and quiet, but before we buy property, we should make sure it is what we want — location and activity-wise.

My better half and I live in the 100 block of North Freeborn Street, probably one of the busiest streets in town. Traffic races up and down the street, all hours of the night and day. The alley behind our house isn’t much better, as we live a few doors from a convenience store. It is a tremendous fear of mine that either a child is going to be hit by a speeding vehicle or someone is going to lose control and crash into a house.

I know there are many other streets like ours that are more of a racetrack than a street.

However, Ms. Findeiss did make a valid point at Monday’s meeting. What harm would there be for the county and private business owners to erect some sort of barrier — trees or fence — to help shield the view and noise? I thought that was a good idea.

A neighbor of ours built a solid privacy fence along the alley to try to keep a speeding vehicle from driving in his yard and injuring his children.

We have threatened to install a speed bump near our property in an attempt to slow down traffic but we know the city probably wouldn’t appreciate it.

When my better half initially purchased the Freeborn Street property, there wasn’t a convenience store three doors up. The alley was used by those in the neighborhood and, of course, the city.

Times do change. Businesses can’t be expected to move to appease a resident just like speed bumps can’t be installed to slow down nuisance traffic in an alley. But it would be nice if we practiced the good neighbor policy and treated others the way we want to be treated.

— susan berg