To: John Marks, Mayor, Andrew Gillum, Commissioner, Nancy Miller, Commissioner, Mark Mustian, Commissioner, and Gil Ziffer, Commissioner
Protect Our Midtown Neighborhood
Please protect the integrity and safety of the Midtown neighborhood by opposing any zoning or land use change of the residential parcels along Thomasville Road between 8th and 9th Avenues.
High traffic and speeding are already a major problem and risk for Midtown Neighborhood residents, patrons of the existing business along Thomasville, and commuters who use the local streets in our neighborhood. Nearly 300 traffic accidents and incidents occur EVERY YEAR in and around our neighborhood.
I support the recommendation by City staff that the Commission (1) should not amend the Comprehensive Plan to allow commercial zoning or land use in the area and (2) should certify the existing use (as a hair salon/barber shop) as a previously established land use conformity (PELUC).
Why is this important?
The City Commission is being asked to convert a section of our neighborhood from residential to commercial zoning. Traffic and speeding off of Thomasville Road are already a problem, and allowing commercial uses beyond what already exists would make matters worse. The commissioners have an opportunity to allow existing businesses to keep thriving, while protecting our families from increased traffic and speeding.
Commissioners Miller and Mustian are meeting with City staff on November 30, 2011 at 9am (at City Hall, Room 4F), so
1) please sign the petition,
2) call the commissioners at 891-8181 to reiterate your concerns (because nothing beats a real live person calling), and
3) attend the meeting if you can - we need a strong showing of support for the staff recommendation to keep our neighborhood residential!
For more information, visit www.midtown-neighbors.org.