When I moved into my home on West Fifth Street in November of 2000, I was delighted with the neighborhood, with individuals’ work to maintain diverse historic properties, with its strong community ties — special neighborhood events, neighbors who help each other, and beautiful gardens.

It is something the city of Loveland should be proud of. Not jeopardize.

It is, I believe, the way neighborhoods should be — and most developments are not.

So, like many others, I am baffled by the city’s rezoning efforts, virtually inviting one developer to do whatever he pleases with no regard for the area’s history or future.

I strongly suspect that someone is hoping to make a lot of money here. If he succeeds, the value of my property and that of many others, will drop. The quality of life in this area will plummet. More cars, more lights, more buildings with more stories, and more noise will fracture our treasured serenity.

There is really no valid excuse for rezoning. And there is no valid reason to jeopardize my right to determine what kind of neighborhood I live in.

There are myriad valid reasons for sustaining an historic neighborhood.

I urge the mayor and City Council to cease and desist all efforts to rezone.

Miriam Neal, Loveland