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<br />Session 1565, Minutes <br />March 16, 1992 <br /> <br />regated fran the rest of the neighbortlood, whidl will certainly affect their <br />property values negatively. She read fran Planning Director Goldman's Febru- <br />ary 18 letter whidl outlined the prablens inherent in the proposed construc- <br />tion in regard to parki.n], transitional yards, laIDscapin;J am other items. <br /> <br />Page 6 <br /> <br />Mr. Tam Garfinkel, 8029 Delmar, said he am his wife were ~ to the pro- <br />posed synagogue since it will be a non-residential use in a residential area. <br />He urrlerstood there was legal precedent that asserted the city could not re- <br />fuse a dlurch or synagogue, :but the precedent was a synagogue on a site many <br />times larger than this one, am he could not l.ll"rlerstarn how it applied in <br />this situation. He felt the City's zoni.rg Code should be strictly enforced. <br /> <br />Mr. Mark Drazen, 8211 Gannon, said he felt the proposed synagogue would have <br />a beneficial effect not only on this neighbo:rhood, :but all of University City. <br />He said many families lOClVed to University City because of Young Israel, and <br />they are very haR'Y' with that dloice and want to stay here. <br /> <br />Mr. Richard Hagedorn, 8034 Gannon, said he loves livin;J in University City, <br />but is very concen1Erl about the value of his house if the proposed synagogue <br />is built. In addition, he had doubts about the structure itself-design, <br />layout, setbacks, parki.n], etc. --as pointed out in Mr. Goldman's letter. He <br />said the zonin;J Code should be enforced, especially setbacks am plantin;Js. <br /> <br />Mr. Mark Wiseman, 8038 Gannon, questioned the need for i.ncreasin;J the density <br />of Orthodox facilities in this area, notin;J there were at least four within a <br />1.5 square mile area. He said the relocation was for prestige, but Young Is- <br />rael has not shown social responsibility to its current neighbors, nor is its <br />property well kept. He said that over the years members have located their <br />homes at a conscious distance fran the synagogue rather than integrate a pre- <br />dominantly African-American neighbo:rhood, and while followin;J their own laws <br />to the letter, apparently expect the City to make exceptions to the zonin;J <br />Code to ac::cc:moodate this proposal. <br /> <br />Mr. Ewald Winker, Jr., 8115 Delmar, lives three doors west of the proposed <br />synagogue site, am as a long-time City resident am enployee, he felt all <br />were treated equally when it came to City services. He asked Council not to <br />let fear of a lawsuit or political ramifications influence its decision on <br />what is fair, adding that 10 or 12 families would be severely hurt if this <br />synagogue is built in the middle of a residential area. He was shocked, he <br />said, when the Plan Camnission did not aocept Mr. Goldman's reconmerx3ations. <br /> <br />Mr. Russ Roberts, 717 Radcliffe, said the proposed location of Young Israel <br />is closer to his home than the old one, am other members have lOClVed away <br />from the current synagogue since neart>y houses are very small. He said he <br />was saddened by the anger am fears expressed by earlier speakers whidl he <br />thought were unfoun:led, and in fact, he believed the area would benefit ec0- <br />nomically if the synagogue is allowed. <br /> <br />Mr. Schoomer said nothi.rg can be done legally to prevent Young Israel from <br />usin;J the property in question for a synagogue since that issue was already <br />decided by the courts. '!he next step is to firrl ways of protectin;J neighbors <br />who may be inpacted by the proposal. He believed councilmembers felt the <br />conditions suggested by the Planning Director to the City Manager should be <br />