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"In closing I want to say that if you were to treat this democratically, allowing one vote per household, the proposition would never pass. As our elected representatives I hope that you can hear the voices of the neighbors and ultimately make the right decision to uphold our appeal. Thank you." JoeEllen Williams, 627 Iris Street, adjacent to the Kingdom Hall, said she agreed with Mr. Saisi, and said the proposed parking lot will not solve the parking problem as it will handle only a few more cars. She said more than a wooden fence would be needed to shield the neighbors from the noise of the parking lot, perhaps a concrete sound barrier. Ms. Williams said it wasn't appropriate to build a parking lot next to residences, especially when it would not solve the problem. Clelia Rossi, 642 Iris Street, said her home had been in their family since 1941 when it was a quiet and pleasant neighborhood. Mrs. Rossi said the Kingdom Hall had changed the entire face of the neighborhood. She said over the years there had been a great increase in membership and strongly opposed the Use Permit for a 29 space parking lot and new box culvert. She said this would no way solve the parking problern and will only encourage a larger membership which will cause a greater problem. Mrs. Rossi said the values of the neighborhood properties on Iris, Jefferson, Madison and Hudson "will be depreciated as we know now." Mrs. Rossi said they experienced it firsthand by the depreciation of their adjacent lot. She said increased cars going in and out of the Hall's driveway posed a dangerous situation due to cars from Jefferson and Madison speeding down their small street. She said they have to live with the noise and pollution, which is not true of the Jehovah's Witnesses who return to their homes out of the area. Mrs. Rossi said, "We are sure they wouldn't want to live this way, day after day, and we believe you wouldn't appreciate it either." Mrs. Rossi asked the Council to uphold the appeal submitted by David Saisi on behalf of the entire neighborhood. Louis Rossi, 642 Iris Street, said the church was very active and was in operation every day, and on weekends members were there from early morning to late at night. Mr. Rossi said parking is extremely difficult on that narrow block. He said members of the Redwood Church also use Iris Street to park. He said the problem is similar to a big frog in a small pond. The area is not big enough for this church. Mr. Rossi said, "They are very nice people... but it is too much church in a small area." Craig Finlayson, 628 Iris Street, across the street from the Kingdom Hall, said "it has been two years since the Council showed common sense and logic and denied the permit that was issued.... This year if the Planning Division had done its job and read the minutes of the City Council meeting of two years ago, we the residents of Iris Street would not have had to take valuable time off work and spend our hard earned money just to file an appeal of the Planning Department's ruling.... I feel like I am the victim of a crime, and every two years I have to appear before this Council in order to keep a convicted criminal from being paroled. This proposaL.. is ridiculous. Iris REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTE ROOK NO. 55 JUNE2,1997 MINUTES Page No. 372 PAGE 16