Agenda - Planning Commission - 05/07/1996

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DEAR FRIENDS AND iNEIGHBORS, Please allc~ this letter to serve as an introduction. I 'm Patrick McLafferty, I have a foster ~c~e in Ramsey for 6 children now. We moved here to Ramsey after purchasing the hdme at 7321 154th Lane last spring. I have been ~ foster parent for over 16 years. I 'ye been licensed for regular foster care, as a shelter for emergency placements, for respite and as a treatment foster home. I have been ~licensed for up to 8 children for many years at my former home. recently was informed by City of Ramsey that I now must apply for a "special conditional use ~Dermit" in order to be licensed again for up to 8 children instead of the 6 I am nqw licensed for in Ramsey. The City, as part of this process, has sent neighbors wi~/%in 350 feet of our home, notices of this. I received one of the notices myself a~d looking at it from a neighbors' perspective, I thought it could be kind of scaryI so I thought perhaps a letter of introduction might be in order along with letting you all know, I already have been licensed for 6 for the laswt year here. In es~nce, we are only asking for an increase of only 2 children. The boys an~ I built a large addition on this home last summer. Many of you may have heard a~l of the han~ring and sawing going on. We increased the square footage inside o~r hc~e by over 2,000 feet. We did this with the purpose in mind of sharing our hdme with other needy kids who don't have a hc~e. I was totalky unaware of all of the special conditions Anoka county and the City of Ramsey ~ere going to impose on us. I did contact both the County and the City before I began this project but neither one came forward with all of these rules and regulations at that time. Only after committing our lifes savings and all of last s~,~r to this project and being practically 90% done did these rules cc~e to light. N~ver the less, w~ are trying our best to accommodate all of the parties involved.i I invite an~ of you who might have concerns or worries to please feel free to call us at our h.~%e which is 427-9637 or to just drop over and visit us any time. Like I said earlier, we have already been here for almost a year and many of you close neighbors ~ave met most of us already and know us. I am worried that the cold formality o~ the cities letter might worry some people. I also believed it important that everyone realizes I am not a newcomer to this. I am a professional who has been doing it for a long time. I am hom~ here on a full-time basis and am always available.~ If any of yCu would care to meet myself or my wife and are unable to come by for a visit, please just call and we'll be happy to meet and speak with you. I want everyone'to~ be comfortable and secure in the knowledge that these children are no differentI than anyone elses .children except that mine are "borrowed". At t_he n~Taent, 2 of~my boys are on the Anoka Highs Honors list, 2 work jobs in the c~,~unity and 1 i~ going to Technical College. I feel sc~e~hat sad and disappointed with the City of Ramsey singling out foster homes and ~even sadder that foster children themselves should be treated in this manner. It'S tough enough to come from a broken home and have that to deal with. Being singled out this way hurts. One of my boys asked me, "why aren't other families told they have to go through all of this if they want more children?' It broke my heart no~t to have an answer for him. What would' you say? Please call '.me with any questions or co~nts and I hope I can rely on your support on the night of Tuesday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Ramsey City Hall. Thank you very much for your time and ~upport. Patrick and Ann McLafferty and boys.