Hello. I’d like to voice opposition and concern regarding Rezoning Petition 2017-159 in Historic Wesley Heights. This petition is not appropriate for our neighborhood, sets an unequivocally bad precedent for further rezoning requests, and puts our small historic district in jeopardy. Historic integrity, home values, and zoning standards are on the line for Charlotte during this unprecedented time of growth. I have listed some of my concerns below. I ask you, as my representative and community partner, to OPPOSE Rezoning Petition 2017-159. OPPOSE Rezoning Petition 2017-159 in Historic Wesley Heights because: 1.) Historic Community Erosion is a real problem. Wesley Heights is already one of the smallest Historic Districts in Charlotte. This rezoning would further erode the district further and establish more pressure for further historic district erosion in Historic Wesley Heights and other limited Historic Districts. Keeping the character of this small community should be a priority for the City of Charlotte. 2.) A redistrict to Multi-Use allows for property boundary reshaping. A redistrict would allow structures to be built closer to the property lines than neighboring historic homes. 3.) Changing the zoning of residential properties into MUDD & B-01 is not in keeping with historic character of the community. These properties are inside of the Historic Boundaries approved by the Wesley Heights Community in 1994. 4.) Bad precedent. Developers will continue to put pressure on this community as the area becomes more and more desirable. Historic Wesley Heights implores the Planning Department, Historic District Commission, Historic Landmarks Commission and City Council to encourage developers to respect historically designated districts. 5.) Why couldn’t other Charlotte residents build condos in their backyards? Petition 2017-159 builds condos not only in the “backyards” of existing historic homes but also builds them against adjoining properties thus destroying their historic context and value. Cities like Austin, TX are running into issues where residents are creating backyard rental units due to lack of zoning restrictions which has created enormous conflict in the city. Would this rezoning create a bad precedent for the City of Charlotte? 6.) Structures on new property line inhibit privacy of neighboring historic homes. 7.) The owner/building group owns several properties in Historic Wesley Heights already (potential future petitions for rezoning). If the council does not oppose this petition request, the owner could then try to rezone other properties within Historic Wesley Heights. Rezone Petition 2017-159 is on property that borders non-Historic District areas. The owner could potentially be testing the waters for future rezoning of other properties thus further eroding the district. 8.) Destroys historic requirements as well as the Historic Neighborhood’s look, feel, charm, and consistency. Adjacent properties will have the historic nature of their property destroyed by this rezoning. This could have major negative impacts to property values of adjacent properties. This effectively nullifies some Historic District Commission requirements that must be adhered to by neighboring residents, such as limitations on the percentage of land that can be developed, etc. Residents who live within these districts must follow strict guidelines and pay fees to make changes or modifications to the structures and landscaping. Changing zoning of properties within the existing historic district is unfair to all of those who have followed the guidelines, invested in their homes, and adhered to the specific rules within the district. The reason we adhere to these rules is to maintain the value and character of our homes. 9.) Increases traffic and parking in an area of Walnut Street already struggling with traffic and parking. Traffic and parking are already a problem on the edges of the Wesley Heights Community due to new businesses, apartments and the bustling W. Morehead Street Corridor and soon to be bustling West Trade Street Corridor. 10.) Enormous Risk to small undeveloped lots within Historic Wesley Heights. Some of our neighbors build new houses. However, they build them within the guidelines of the Historic Commission and so the new home is period appropriate to Wesley Height’s initial boom. A rezoning of the existing historic property could mean future rezone petitions, further degradation of Historic Standards, and continued historic district (and home value) erosion. 11.) Wesley Heights welcomes development, but not at the expense of our charming Historic Neighborhood. There are plenty of other opportunities to develop in Charlotte and even areas outside yet adjacent to our Historic neighborhood without disturbing the protected communities showcasing a different time in the history of our city. 12.) The community wants to retain the Historic character of Historic Wesley Heights with historic single family homes, duplexes and quadraplexes that already exist. We do not want to see residential homes turned into mixed use developments within the historic boundaries of Wesley Heights. It is contradictory to the Historic Designation. 13.) Historic Wesley Heights is galvanized by this issue. Residents in this historic district and our surrounding neighborhood partners are unified in its plea – we do not want rezoning or erosion of the integrity of our historic neighborhood.

In order for public to know what the government decisions are we should know. Also we should have US citizens that are not government employees sitting on some of these committees, and helping the US citizens to have input into each and every subject that is discussed. I for one was on an Ethics committee for a business, and all citizens should have input from private citizens not in the government. A sure way to hold the government accountable to standards they should have to the US citizens.

Australia is refusing to participate in the relocation of refugees. This nation is turning away refugees and forcing them to other countries like the U.S and Canada. If Australia wants to be a part of international economy, than it should also accept the responsibilities as one.

This is a human rights issue. Haitians have suffered enormously for decades. When at least some Haitians can uplift themselves by being in America, I am uplifted too.

The internet is essential for people to communicate, learn and also for entertainment. No company should be able to slow down what people are paying these companies for, that is the same speed for all websites on the internet. We should not be forced to use certain sites or search engines because a particular company owns it! We need to stop this now. We are the people! We need to stop this!

The petition is to request the resignation of FCC Chairman, Ajit Pai, for impeding freedom of speech on the internet. By repealing net neutrality, FCC Chairman Aji Pai has also ignored millions of complaints—Republican, Democrat, or otherwise—to give his former employer Verizon and other major internet service providers the right to close off access to information on the World Wide Web. Pai also ignored the fact that millions of fake public comments corrupted the FCC's public process on net neutrality—including 2 million that were allegedly submitted using the stolen identities of real people. I'm personally outraged that an industry shill like Ajit Pai was allowed to chair the FCC in the first place. I, and millions of other internet users, will be affected by this decision and be placed behind pay walls set up by telecom corporations. This will limit the amount of free information that is accessible to millions of people worldwide. If Pai does not want to improve the lives of American's across the country, then he should resign as chairman.

As a Jewish community, it is our responsibility to be the voice of the voiceless. Many of us have family members who were affected by the Holocaust and therefore understand the frustration when major world powers turn a blind eye to ethnic cleansing. It is our duty as a nation of survivors to help the Rohingya being persecuted in Myanmar.

Because Hakim deserves a chance.

Nelson Pinos has been living in a church on the New Haven green since November 30th. He sleeps on a mattress and box spring on the floor in an administrative office on the 2nd level. Family and friends visit when they can. Nelson is very grateful to the church community for welcoming him, but also acknowledges that being separated from his family is like being in jail. Nelson’s family visits whenever they can. Brandon, Nelson's 5-year-old son, keeps asking why his dad can't leave the church. Brandon has been actively working on perfecting the letter "G" while visiting his dad after school - trying to keep up with the kindergarten homework as best he can. He doesn’t understand why the family can’t wake up together on Christmas morning. Kelly, at 15, is thinking she'll have to get a job to help support the family. Nelson is the sole provider for this family of 5, having worked at the same company for 15 years. Kelly's currently a sophomore in high school, so it will be hard to work and maintain her grades. Supporters have set up a fundraising account to help the family through this difficult time (https://www.youcaring.com/search/go?w=nelson%20pinos). Please sign this petition, and join us as we denounce the injustices of this administration against Nelson’s family and all immigrant families! Please help us get Nelson home. Please tell ICE that we value families. Keep Nelson Home! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc2R0EjE7T4 http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Pinos-set-for-deportation-seeks-sanctuary-in-12394791.php https://www.flickr.com/photos/eino_sierpe/albums/72157688117374562

I am starting this petition because Ladarius Jamaal Crenshaw was charged for a murder that he did not commit. As of now, there is no physical evidence that Ladarius Crenshaw is a murderer, only word of mouth. Please sign this petition so that a 22 year old can get home to his 3 year old daughters, family, and music life.

I am starting this petition as a voice for my son. Who was wrongfully convicted. Here is the story On September 23, 2015 my son, Randy Guzman, was sentenced to 35 to life in prison , for Pre Meditated 1st degree murder and attempted murder. On April 13, 2014 Randy along with his girlfriend and two friends were at a local bar in Rancho Cucamonga As they were leaving the bar, there was a younger black homeless man he was 32 years old who approached randys friend was asking for money for a beer The altercation started with the homeless man and friend. A few words were exchanged because the friend didn’t give him no money. Then the homeless man went about his business. 500 feet away was another local pool hall where the real trouble started. The group of 15 white males seen the altercation from across the way and started approaching Randy,s friend who was having the conversation with the homeless guy. As the crowd of males from the other bar arrived to the bar parking lot the homeless man was already gone. These people were clearly looking for trouble. They approached Randy’s friend because they felt the “homeless man needed help”. At this point the homeless man had already walked away from the area. This was two parties that were intoxicated exchanging words as any “BAR RUMBLE”. There was not truth to the story of the crowd helping the homeless man which was stated from other party. It was just a one on one conversation between Randys friend an homeless guy. Stories say a “hero” was the victim, this was a BAR FIGHT, no truth to the newspaper stories. There was no right and wrong here. This was clearly wrong on both parties. As the group from pool hall started engaging with Randy’s friend. Randy, his girlfriend and 1 other friend approached. As I stated above this is 15 people against Randy and friends(3males, 1 female). Back and forth fighting. my son randy got kicked down and knocked his head on the ground. Hi girlfriend helped him up and they all left. End result to this 2 males from pool hall were stabbed. 1 died and 1 lived. The next day my son was arrested with no proof , just bar witness that they seen randy earlier at the bar and seen it was him and friends fighting. Mind you this witness did not state they seen Randy hurt anyone. With no evidence, no videos cameras, no 100% sure witness, no dna, no pre-meditation, yet Randy was convicted to this murder. The police line up was all guys with short hair and no tattoos. And randy has long hair and face tattoos. They needed to put other guys with long hair and face tats. When the police arrived to scene they stated there was around 50 people in parking lot. The man that was stabbed and lived stood on the stand and said he didn’t even know who stabbed him. Every witness who stood up there and spoke stated they weren’t sure. As one witness later on in the trial seem to be schooled by the DA but still never said he was sure Randy Guzman stabbed his friend. Both parties were intoxicated no one was sure who did it. Not once did they let my son go up there and speak on the stand and tell his story. My son wasn’t able to tell his story advised by his attorney. So, this is why Im here to speak for him. It’s never to late. They labeled my son as remorseless human, a danger to society. My son Randy was never in trouble or Violent. My son was a local artist and own a few companies. As you read this you think “yeah yeah every mother is going to say their son wasn’t trouble” but everyone who knew Randy could say the same. He was always giving and helping the community. I have pictures of him with homeless men he would give them shirts. When he was little he always wanted us to give to the homeless and was always taking in homeless dogs too. He sponsored dancing groups for children providing free shirts to the kids. I also have videos of all the kids supporting him. Randy was inspirational to many in our community. He had fans and kids who looked up to him and still do even adults. He gave people hope that they can turn their dreams into reality. My son has a talent and he doesn’t belong being locked up like an animal for something he did not do especially with no proof. This was not pre-meditated, no plots were made against the victims. I will fight and do what I can to help my son get his freedom again. Im not here to bash the other party or anyone, I just want my son home and be able to continue his journey and be home with his son.

I wish to be able to use the internet without the Government being the Gate-keeper of this amazing way to communicate. By having the Gov't take the Net Neutrality away, this also effects Millions of people all over the US and how they communicate or find information.