17-75 Special Exception for 806 Howard St.

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,0-/ q Area Board of Zoning Appeals C/O Ms Carolyn Henry Dear Ms. Henry, Our names are Geraldine Meehan and Cyril O'Regan and we live in, and own,the property at 907 N. Notre Dame Avenue,which is located within 300 feet of 806 Howard Avenue. We are writing to express our opposition to the proposed enlargement and change of use for the Howard Avenue property and our specific opposition to the applications for zoning variances which will be reviewed at the South Bend Area Board of Zoning Appeals on December 6, 2017. Please convey our objections to the Board by providing them with this letter. The reasons for our opposition are as follows and fall within the 4 legal standards of the ABZA: 1. A.The proposed use will not be injurious to the public health, safety, comfort, community, moral standards, convenience or general welfare. The reduction in required parking from 35 to 4 is so excessive that it can only be referred to as an extreme variance from the standard. Without the 31 off-street parking spots, street parking will be the only possibility. Reduced visibility will be a safety concern as will the inevitable concerns about the potential behavior of any number of strangers in a neighborhood where parents currently enjoy their young children playing outside in a space close to 806 Howard Avenue. Parked cars will also reduce the number of parking spots available for guests of ND Avenue residents. Residents in a neighborhood should not have to scramble for parking spots for their visitors. B. The owner's petition says that the added residential use is "compatible with surrounding land uses" This is clearly not the case. There is no mixed use buildings (residential and office) adjacent to 806 Howard Avenue. 2. The proposed use will not injure or adversely affect the use of the adjacent area or property values therein The suggested changes to 806 Howard Avenue will impact the number of people interested in buying houses adjacent to it and by implication will decrease the competitiveness of the home prices. 3. The proposed use will be consistent with the character of the district in which it is located and the land uses authorized therein.