Chapter 17
Bennett struck the gavel on its thick wooden base and called the meeting to order. “First order of business is a request for a zoning variance from Imani Williams,” he said, settling into his chair.
Looking out across the room, Bennett saw that many residents who lived on the ridge were in the audience. These were his neighbors, too. Whether they were there in support of Imani’s request—or against it—remained to be seen. Imani’s neighbor had made an offer to buy her lot, but Imani steadfastly refused to sell.
However, Imani’s small house would lower the comparative values of the area. Other residents wanted to gate the street and turn it into a private community, which could then assess homeowner fees. For retired residents on fixed incomes, this would be a burden.
A flurry
