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Regarding the June 6 city council meeting, on the agenda was a replat of the 2500 block of West 22nd for Habitat for Humanity. They (Habitat for Humanity) want to create six 50-foot x 132-foot lots to build homes. At this time, there are 12 homes on the street, with no side streets. Three homes are vacant, which leaves nine property owners. Five owners spoke against the replat, as 50-feet is pretty small (lots) for the area, which has large open yards with a variety of houses. The remainder of owners wer down with medical issues or would talk in front of peopl, but their thoughts are the same. The average number of home on one block in town is four. Representatives of HFH spoke, saying how greatly the homes will improve the area, putting small low-income housing on very small lots, and, several times mentioning the property tax dollars that would be generated, over and over. I am not sure what the council heard but as owners, we just wanted to see no more than four average homes per block -- not too much to ask. HFH representatives siad that their homebuyers can't affort to take care of a bigger lawn. Then how do they expect to maintain a house? Things wear out, roofs leak, storm doors break, paint wears out, unless if they have found a way for houses to last forever without repair, how is somebody who can't keep a yard going to maintain an house? The problem of not being able to take care of a little larger yard is a pretty lame reason to put six lookalike home so close together. Look at w. 15th south of Buffalo school. You can't miss it, they all look alike just different colors. Not too long ago, wheh a cell phone company wanted to put up a tower, it was stopped because the property owners didn't want it. We just want the same consideration. We may live in a part of town that nobody visits until this time of year during Nebraskaland Days, but it is still a part of North Platte. I hope that as a community, you will drive by and visualize what it is going to look like and imagine it in your neighborhood. We as fellow citizens need the town's help to stop this. Please call your councilperson, mayor and administrator. Maybe even contact Habitat for Humanity at 534-6251. One last thing. HFH told the council that this is the frist time they had any opposition, but there was a deal on Eugene Ave. a few years back and it was stopped because of home owner objections. Maybe the little guy has a chance. Again, please help. Make a call to City Hall, a councilperson or HFH.
By Mark Goforth, 2601 W. 22nd, North Platte
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