Item 1: Ordinances on Infill Compatibility Standards Code Amendments

Home Browse Search

From:Paul Bodin To:HARDING Terri L; In Support of Proposed Infill Standards, S-JW Zone Subject: Monday, November 02, 2009 4:34:13 PM Date: To: Mayor Kitty Piercy and Members of the City Council I urge you to approve the proposed S-JW special area zone. Our family lives in the Jefferson Westside area, across the street from Monroe Park at the corner of Adams and Broadway. We have raised our family at this location since 1990 and have seen the area go through dramatic changes over time. Several years ago, a property across the street from us was sold to a new owner, who built a fourplex of apartments that have access through the rear alley to Adams Street. This building is grossly out of character in both size and architectural design to the homes surrounding it in our neighborhood. Within one year, a young family chose to move out of their home along Adams Street because the views from the upstairs windows in this new fourplex had direct lines of sight into their yard and interior rooms. In addition, the rear garage for this building extends almost directly to the alley border. Our family moved downtown in 1990 to support the idea of urban living, including a choice to bicycle and walk whenever possible to markets and public services. We also support the city's commitment to reasonable urban density to counter sprawl and unnecessary boundary growth. However we also believe that neighborhoods in the downtown core need to have standards that support a sense of shared aesthetics, that encourage pride by renters and owners in maintaining their property, and respect the need for privacy and access. Please approve the proposed S-JW zone to protect our area from the kind of infill described above, and that threaten the health and durability of our neighborhood. We need a positive direction set by the council in the form of responsible infill standards that encourage density and developmen, and that also maintain the longevity of thriving neighborhoods like ours. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. Sincerely yours,