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In response to Councilwoman La Berge's questions, Mr. Saisi said he believed five or six homes abutted the rear of the Hall's properties. He added that the Hall had talked about increased tension in the area, and said the people in the immediate neighborhood were not happy about this situation, especially the proposed parking lot. Mr. Saisi said it was obvious the neighborhood did not want this parking lot, and "if it was a neighborly idea or neighborly suggestion that they are trying to offer, this isn't it. If this goes through, a, it is not the answer, and b, it is certainly not going to increase any kind of neighborly relations. I am the friendliest guy, I'll say hi to anybody, but I will not be a happy person, and it will bother me, and I will feel that this was thrust upon me and my neighbors against our will." MIS: CLAIRE/BUCHAN TO UPHOLD THE APPEAL OF THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR'S APPROVAL OF A USE PERMIT THAT WOULD ALLOW A 29 SPACE PARKING LOT FOR A CHURCH LOCATED AT 631-641 IRIS STREET. Mayor Hartnett summarized, "The Use Permit has been granted by staff, the issuance of the Use Permit has been appealed" and Councilman Claire's motion is to uphold the appeal "which means that if the motion is adopted by the majority of the Council the Use Permit would not be issued." Councilman Claire said, "This is a very difficult decision for me. I made up my mind about four seconds ago, not quite... The key, to me at least, were the last words that Mr. Saisi stated. And that is, if as stated by the applicants of the Use Permit, they are really trying to help out the neighborhood, the neighborhood is saying we don't want that help. And it is not a neighborly thing. The applicants can live today the way they have always lived. They have been there since 1950." Councilman Claire said he was on the Planning Commission in 1978 and the Council since 1982 (with one year off before this current term), and October 1995 was the first time this situation surfaced. Councilman Claire said, he had not heard of any real problems in that area until the expansion of the parking lot was proposed. Councilman Claire said, "I have some difficulties putting a parking lot in basically five individuals own back yards. That disturbs me. I do not agree with all the logic I heard tonight... about why we should deny the parking lot, but the key words were... This is not a neighborly thing to do. And if the church is indeed bent on being neighborly then I would suggest if the neighbors don't think it is neighborly, then it must not be neighborly. I would hope that the church does not run into the kinds of incidents we just heard of tonight. But again, it is a tough decision. . .. I want to make one other point, because I was accused of this when I made a motion to deny the development of the Roosevelt Plaza project. I do not make motions based on what is politically right. I make motions on what I think is right. I do not wish to run for City Council again, and so I always go into this with the notion that this is my last tirne up here. So don't think it is done because I can get votes from neighbors. That's not the reason." REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MTNUTE BOOK NO. 55 JUNE 2, 1997 MINUTES pa'Je No. 380 PAGE 24