824 E Blackford Ave rezone

A neighbor who shares the alley said both past and current neighborhood association presidents opposed the rezone at APC, urged the council to 'do the right thing,' and noted one APC commissioner's flat 'hell no' vote.

Worried about adding a third household's water load to century-old brick combined sewers, citing the $107 million Bee Sluice consent decree work and prior EPA fines; also questioned basement habitability.

President of the Bellemeade-Bayard Park Neighborhood Association documented that of six past R2-to-R3 rezonings within two blocks over 47 years, four homes were demolished, one sits vacant, and only one still operates as housing — arguing the rezonings haven't added housing.

Argued the rezoning puts the cart before the horse — approving R3 before knowing whether the house is safe — citing no egress from the basement, knob-and-tube wiring risk, a recent fatal house fire that killed three children nearby, and poor property stewardship.

Raised fire-safety concerns about a basement apartment with only a small casement window for escape, urging a proper code-required egress window before anyone lives there.