Editor, The News:

Recently, I attended a city of New Castle zoning meeting.

I attended to voice my opposition to an application for a zoning variance in my R-1-designated neighborhood. As with my past attendances at such zoning meetings, my objections were politely heard and rejected.

In 30 days, yet another “home-based business” will be operating in a residential R-1 area of the city of New Castle.

My letter is not intended to offer any further objection to said zoning variance application. My case was heard; my plea rejected.

What I want to vent here and now are my thoughts on the city of New Castle’s proposed new zoning ordinance. I have no idea what it will be. I just know what I want it not to be.

I see no reason for a zoning ordinance that is routinely circumvented with impunity. No one is more conservative in attitude with the notion of a citizen’s property rights than I am. However, those rights are correctly enjoyed only in so far as they do not infringe on their neighbors’ property rights.

The city of New Castle has, in my view, become a stagnant community filled with an attitude that anything goes with respect to what individuals may do with, or on their residential properties. Be that a desire to chop a fine old home into between three and six living units, or to open any non-allowable home-based business.

One need only ask for a variance and it is granted expeditiously. Well, you might have to wait the required 30-day notice period.

The designation R-1 to me means residential, single-family homes and nothing else. And everyone residing in an R-1 zoned city of New Castle neighborhood should stand and object to anything less.

James T. Shaw Sr.

New Castle