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REGULAR MEETING February 25, 2019
<br /> Margaret Hicks, 2626 Birch Way, South Bend, IN, stated, My house is located three sixteenths
<br /> (3/16) of a mile away from 2610 East Jefferson. As President of Walnut Grove Mutual Housing
<br /> Association, I would like to share with you who we are. We are a non-profit housing association
<br /> for individuals aged fifty-five (55) and up. Individuals purchased the right to occupy their units.
<br /> We are not a rental property, nor do we receive any federally subsidized funds. Our Board of
<br /> Directors represents our members, and they have voted to oppose this zoning and special
<br /> exemption request. We are concerned about the devaluation of our properties. We are also
<br /> concerned for the safety of our residents,many of whom are in their seventies (70s), eighties (80s)
<br /> and are very frail. We are concerned for the safety of our neighbors, many of whom are children.
<br /> Plus, the safety of our employees. I would hope you reconsider and vote no to this. Yes, this is
<br /> needed in South Bend but not at that corner with all the children. Thank you.
<br /> Mont Annis, 133 North Esther Street, South Bend, IN, stated, Good evening, members of the
<br /> Common Council. Thank you for your time. I really appreciate it after being here all day. My wife
<br /> is the dentist and the owner of the property immediately adjacent to 2610 East Jefferson Boulevard.
<br /> She purchased the property in 2002 and has operated her dental practice for seventeen (17) years
<br /> there. She's invested money, time and she's paid employees. In 2013, she expanded her practice,
<br /> enabling her to hire more dental professionals and serve our community better. She currently has
<br /> eight (8) employees, including myself. I'm the bureaucrat there. I am here in strong opposition to
<br /> this proposed zoning change for the following reasons. Let me stop right there. This is about a
<br /> zoning change, nothing else. Then, they are also asking for a special exemption. I am in strong
<br /> opposition for the following reasons. One(1),the Area Plan Commission of St. Joseph County has
<br /> given this petition an unfavorable recommendation. I was there. It was eight(8)to two(2). Second
<br /> (2nd), allowing a for-profit foreign entity to rezone a commercially taxed property, to MF-One(1)
<br /> residential to operate their for-profit enterprise is inconsistent with the future land-use plan for this
<br /> area. The future land use plan for this area is commercial. I got that tidbit from the staff report.
<br /> Three (3), at the Area Plan Commission's public hearing, the petitioners stated that they plan on
<br /> housing twenty (20) to thirty (30) recovery addicts at the location. We all stressed safety and
<br /> everything. In their rebuttal, they said our concerns about safety are non-existent. The next day, I
<br /> found out there were four(4)registered sex offenders at the address.The same website is operated
<br /> by Sheriff Redman. The next day, when we had some community outreach,they denied they were
<br /> ever there. We reminded them that Sheriff Redman's website had them on there. They did not
<br /> know where they went. This zoning change and special exemption will damage the use and value
<br /> of the adjacent Office Buffer zoned properties, including the mutual housing authority across the
<br /> street. Per code, a special exemption cannot adversely affect the use in adjacent areas or property
<br /> value. It will create future challenges including the recruitment of dentists and other dental
<br /> professionals. Dentists are retiring in South Bend. You commemorated one (1) last month. That
<br /> office sits empty right now. No one (1) is coming. I'm having trouble finding people to come to
<br /> South Bend. They are choosing other communities. This will definitely be an inconvenience to us,
<br /> trying to get dental professionals to come. Recently,a spouse of an opioid addict killed a physician
<br /> in 2017. My fears are real. It happens. It could happen, it may not. These people have been down
<br /> the street from our office and a mile from my home. So, when people say this is NIMBY, not in
<br /> my back yard, it's not NIMBY, not in my back yard, it's not in my back yard, again. How many
<br /> is enough. There are two (2) within a mile of my house. Well, this will actually make two (2)
<br /> within a mile of my house. This request in zoning change is not consistent with the character of
<br /> the district. Office Buffer zone is an intentional and integral part of the Jefferson Boulevard
<br /> corridor. Carving out an MF-One (1) zone in between two (2) Office Buffer properties is
<br /> destroying the district. It is no longer an Office Buffer district. It's a checkmark of MF-One (1)
<br /> and Office Buffer. With that, I thank the Council for your time. I appreciate everything you do. I
<br /> wouldn't want to do it. It's amazing what you people do. Thank you very much for your time.
<br /> Charlotte Sobel, 2601 Cypress Way, South Bend, IN, stated, I live one fourth(1/4)of a mile away
<br /> from this property due north. I am in total opposition to this request for rezoning and special
<br /> exception. I spoke at the Area Plan Commission. I believe when Mont and I both spoke, it opened
<br /> some eyes. Things that were said at that meeting and things that were said at the meeting held last
<br /> week at Walnut Grove with Brandon and Patrick are in direct opposition to things that were said
<br /> to you and promised here tonight. I am saying that you need to understand who these people are.
<br /> I am not meaning Choices Recovery. I am talking about TIA Corporation who put in the petition.
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