In September 2020, the owner of 1629 Lakewood Ave se, rented out his property to an "open air" auto repair place & t-shirt shop. I checked with zoning and it is not zoned for this. I reported it to zoning in October.  In fact, our city Council Rep. Carla Smith rezoned all of these properties in May 2017 to prevent our neighborhood turning into another tow yard/auto place. 

"Pursuant to 16-O-1625 (Z-17-006) the subject property is currently zoned MRC-1-C (Mixed Residential Commercial -1-Conditional)  which is for Low Density Residential and Commercial uses.  Please be advised:

Automobile repair is not a permitted use in the MRC-1-C zoning district. 
Therefore, we have created a zoning complaint (20CAP-00000730) in the accela data base and will conduct an inspection accordingly for this concern."

Since then, WE have tolerated:

1) Monday 11/23/2020, there was a MURDER at 7:15pm. 10 shots were fired in the parking lot filled with people in cars(15-20 cars/40 people) with one way in/ one way out with stray bullets hitting OUR homes. 

2) On 11/25/2020 the "T-shirt" place was purposely set on fire. An ARSON that could have spread to the next door post office and neighboring homes. Although water damaged, the business is still open.

3) The daily burning of their trash including toxic tires and plastic.  EPA was contacted.

4) Locals paid to dump their trash on vacant lots as they use no trash service

5) Vehicles parked on the sidewalk in an area where seniors and handicapped persons reside.

6) Many vehicles being repaired well into the night with no mufflers. On lot and in street. Leaking oil into the ground leading to our ground. 

7) Car Stereo bass boxes shaking the windows of OUR homes well into the night 

8) Cars speeding up and down the street on test drives with no mufflers.

9) Other activities.............

ALL of this could have been prevented by simply enforcing the code.   Btw: All of these activities were reported to the appropriate city officials. I am also pro business. I love cars and seeing new business thrive. The truth is the owner should never have rented this property for this purpose. There is a time, place and space for this business. But THIS is actually a residential area.

I hope 2021 brings happiness and joy to all.  Unfortunately I know for a fact, no one from the city would tolerate "1" of these things in front of their own home.  Happy New Year.