06 ATTACHMENT 5 - Laserfiche WebLink

violates the planning commissions' intent that activities be focused on the south side of the building and away from the north side and the residences on that side. 3. Previously, the Lodge building itself and the Lodge's prior activities that were consistent with its use permit acted as an effective buffer between it and the residences around the Temple. Currently, however, after making changes to the north side of the building and expanding its activities into the landscaped portion of its property adjacent to our home, the Lodge has failed to maintain an effective buffer between itself and its neighbors as the City instructed in the use permit. While the definition of an effective buffer was not specified in the public hearing notes or the penult, the Lodge is located on the north side of the site, very close to the residences to the north, so distance is obviously not an effective buffer, at least to noise. Furthermore, the fence between the Lodge and the residences was constructed by the home owners, not the Lodge, so it is unclear how the Lodge has addressed the "effective buffer" provision of the permit after making its recent changes. Adding shrubs, grass, and bark chips to Lodge grounds would not appear to satisfy that provision. The only workable buffer would be walls that contain the sound inside the building. Finally, the Use Permit states, "That the proposed location of the conditional use and the conditions under which it would be operated or maintained will not be detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare, or materially injurious to the properties or improvements in the vicinity." We have already been injured by this nuisance. What is required to remedy the nuisance being creating by the Lodge is for the wishes of the Planning Commission and the provision of the conditional use permit to be enforced, specifically: 1. Noise is to be contained within the building. 2. There will be no openings on the north or west sides of the building. 3. Activities will be focused on the south side of the building, i.e. no activities on the north side of the building. The Masonic Lodge applied for and was granted a construction permit for changes to the building and grounds that clearly resulted in the Lodge changing its previous uses of the property and engaging in repeated and significant violations of their use permit. We believe the Lodge was at fault for not checking their permit to make sure the changes were in compliance. These changes made about three years ago turned them from a good neighbor into an abusive one, and we want the situation remedied. We would not be allowed to throw parties with lots of people and loud music in our backyard. Neither should they. If as members of a residential community we asked for a permit to allow such activities in our home and backyard, the City would not allow it. We are quite sure that if you lived next to a residentially zoned facility doing what the Lodge is doing, you would be making the same complaints that we are. We have been talking with representatives of the planning commission for almost a year, and the Masons are still throwing loud parties with people on the north and west sides of the building. It is time to take action to stop this abuse, and we respectively request that you do so. Sincerely, Michael D. Miller