01-28-13 Agenda & Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Area Board of Zoning Appeals--December 5, 2012 bank headquarters. Which we all know and we may never change is very traditional and very conservative in their culture. Zoning approved for a Central Business District should allow businesses that compliment each other and serve the major surrounding businesses that are already down here. While we are not criticizing the talents of this very creative entrepreneur we question that this Special Exception will serve and compliment the existing customer base that we already have downtown in the Central Business District. Another concern that we do have is if the Special Exception were approved what other types of complimentary businesses would this attract that would want to share the clientele with a tattoo piercing business? And we all know, and I'm one of them,many of my family members have tattoos and piercings but we all know that there may be other businesses that want to share with this clientele that is not of a corporate culture nature. Perhaps a better place for it to be located might be right next to a university as they are in many other cities. We ask that the Area Board of Zoning Appeals do what is right for the Central Business District of South Bend and not jeopardize the businesses that are already here and their perceptions of downtown and or drive out existing businesses that may be considering locating in downtown South Bend. MR. MARK ROCKWELL: I live 1144 E. Bronson Street, South Bend. I'm a longtime resident of South Bend. I was born and raised 1006 Twyckenham. My parents left South Bend because of two reasons and that was because of IUSB going further into their property lines on, back behind Twyckenham on the other side and in the degradation of downtown South Bend as far as going to different businesses that didn't promote a family culture. I'm not one to say that I'm conservative, liberal, whatever, I don't care but my family left for one reason and that's because of that so I don't want that same thing to happen to future families or to my family. My future fiance and I just moved into South Bend and one of your other amendments on your proposals are is to put a tattoo place next to our neighborhood also. And I'm not speaking to that one but I'm also speaking to the whole of South Bend. What are we trying to promote in South Bend and I think that would only future bring more of those businesses here and I'm not one to say that I'm all for that. My family to Osceola and moved out of all of this because all these things are popping . up like that and just the higher tax rates that coming around. And eventually you're going to lose citizens and the more citizens you lose, and Henry Davis spoke to this saying that we speak to broadening tax bases or whatever. If you lose citizens, that's losing a tax base and I don't think that other people would agree. Other people would agree with me, would feel the same way so. MR. URBANSKI: The public portion is now closed. Mr. Martin would you like to reply to the negative comments? REBUTTAL: MR. MARTIN: In regards to First Source Bank's concerns. Part of what I am is as a result of downtown South Bend. I grew up down here. When I was in high school I had apprenticeship at Alex's Shoe Hospital. What got me into art and what helped me with my art was going to the Griffin Book Store and reading their books,their fantasy books. I used to go to Makielski's when they were open to buy my art supplies. When I come down here I'm very aware of what downtown's image is. And the concerns of me bringing a bad clientele are pretty much have no base. I've already been tattooing for a number of year in South Bend. Most of my clients are police officers,professionals, doctors, fire department. Pretty much if anyone here on 25