17-75 Special Exception 806 Howard Street

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The Forteners 1006 N.Notre Dame Ave,South Bend,IN 466171 574-387-5987 1 fortenerj @hotmail.com December 5,2017 Carolyn Henry Secretary to the Board Area Board of Zoning Appeals 125 S.Lafayette Boulevard,Suite 100 South Bend, IN 46617 Via email Dear Carolyn, We, Steven&Jennifer Fortener,own and live in the home at 1006 N.Notre Dame Avenue which is located within 300 feet of the property commonly described as 806 Howard Street. We want to express our opposition to the zoning variances sought by Alliance Architects on behalf of Pandora Partners for 806 Howard Street. We respectfully ask that you convey our opposition to the Area Board of Zoning Appeals("ABZA"). While there are many reasons we object to these variances, we will frame our concerns within the legal standards the ABZA must hold true to grant the requested variances as outlined below. We,along with many homeowners in the immediate,area have children who frequent Kelley Park which is adjacent.to 806 Howard Street. The requested parking variances present a risk to the safety and comfort of the many neighborhood children and groups from the Robinson Community Learning Center who enjoy the enhanced park amenities. Allowing for the requested parking variances would significantly increase the number of cars parked on the street reducing visibility for and of pedestrians. As a home that has a consistent view of the traffic on Howard Street we do not see how a parking variance will "calm"traffic in any way. Additionally,allowing this building to potentially monopolize street parking that residents and their guests also need to make use of is certainly an inconvenience. The variance to reduce the number of ADA spaces should be frowned upon as clearly injurious to public health,safety and comfort. Second,to allow a"Dwelling Unit-Upper Level" is outside of the moral character of the neighborhood. Our immediate neighborhood and community has been developed as an area composed of full-time primary residents. We are not aware of any mix-use office and dwelling properties within the area,aside from those on Eddy Street,which were developed for that express intent. Additionally,the development of new non-primary resident apartment units are not compatible with the neighborhood and have been actively opposed by the North East Neighborhood Council,the University of Notre Dame and neighborhood residents. Third,the building is already an out ol'place structure that sticks out like a sore thumb in the neighborhood. To add a third story,making it an even taller,out of place structure will certainly injure and adversely affect the use of and property values in adjacent areas.