Sample letter to City Council.

We all want to email our City Council members but sometimes it's just too nerve racking to put our thoughts to print. We want to help. See the sample letter below.

Please use your own words. This will help get you started with suggestions and key points.

Honorable Councilman,
Please help us protect Midtown’s Historic District Standards.  7 acres were purchased by Makowsky, Ringel and Greenberg, LLC (MRG), directly across from Overton Park, where the beautiful bicycle arch is located in Lea’s Woods Historic Conversation District.  MRG intends to build 3, 4 and 5 story buildings at the corners per their applications to Office of Planning and Development: PD 17-07; PD 17-08
I recognize they have a legal right to build apartments on property they purchased, but it’s imperative they abide by the legal rules and standards of the surrounding neighborhood.  I oppose the proposed height of 2 apartment developments at intersections of Sam Cooper and East Parkway (NE and SE corners), a Major Gate to Midtown.
  • MRG’s Planned development applications are in direct conflict with Lea’s Woods Historic Conservation Standards, which state on p. 6:
    1. “New construction should be consistent with the architecture and period-styling of the existing buildings along a street in terms of height, scale, setback and rhythm”.
    2. There are NO apartment complexes or other buildings with a height over 2 stories within the vicinity.
  • We cannot set a precedent of overriding Historic Conservation Guidelines, which would damage the validity of standards in 12 other Midtown Historic Districts.
  • Increased demand for on-street parking resulting from the height, "will unduly damage the use, value and enjoyment of the surrounding residential homes." (Unified Development Code, p. 239)
  • MRG’s applications have already been soundly rejected by the Land Use Control Board during a June 8th hearing.
I respectfully ask for your full support to reject MRG’s current planned development, and push then to safeguard the property values and integrity of your constituents, which are both homeowners and/or residents all throughout Memphis.
Sincerely,

[ Your name and address ]