My wife and I would like to continue living in northeast Jacksonville. Until recently, it has been quite peaceful. Increasingly, however, houses are being turned into apartment complexes in disguise. If this continues, we would be foolish to stay here and suffer the noise and traffic and watch the value of our investment decline.

Our house has bathrooms upstairs and downstairs and could house five unrelated people. The front yard could accommodate five cars. Fifteen more could be parked along the street on party nights. This is already happening at three or four neighboring houses. Those neighbors, who have no vested interest in this area and who move every few months, would surely not complain. In any case, as the rules now stand, we would have a right to do this.

The first dominoes have already been allowed to fall. There is still time to pick them back up and put things right, but the moment is critical for Jacksonville. The last meeting of the planning commission drew more than 200 people. Now the city’s elected officials must decide either to respect the wishes of the majority or to allow the rest of the dominoes to fall.

Carmine Di Biase
Jacksonville