UPDATE: During the Hammond City Council meeting 11/22/2021, Mayor Thomas McDermott announced that he has heard our voices and that he is reversing course on the plan to convert Forsythe Square from public green space to a multi-unit development site. The mayor recognized the significance and value of Forsythe Square to Robertsdale residents and went one step further; he is reclassifying Forsythe Square as a an official public park, which will prevent any conversion of the land and real estate development in the future. Thank you to all the passionate residents who signed your names and made your voices heard on this issue! Thank you also to Mayor Thomas McDermott who has shown that he is willing to listen and create a positive and collaborative working relationship with Robertsdale residents.

PLEASE READ LATEST NEWS: https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/hammond/w...

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Robertsdale residents object to the action taken by the Hammond City Council on 10/25/21 and 11/8/21, vacating a 22690 square foot portion of the real estate commonly known as 1900 Forsythe Square from dedicated public right-of-way to a separate parcel to be used for a multi-unit real estate development project. This action was taken in the form of Ordinance 9529, (21-43) passed 11/8/21, sponsored by councilwoman Janet Venecz, passed by unanimous Hammond City Council vote, and signed by Mayor Thomas McDermott 11/11/21.

1900 Forsythe Square is a valuable dedicated public right-of-way space that has been utilized and enjoyed by Robertsdale and Hammond residents for generations. A multi-unit or multi-building real estate development on this site would create visual and physical congestion on the surrounding narrow streets, create a shortage of parking spaces on the surrounding narrow streets, and negatively impact the property values of the existing residential real estate adjacent to 1900 Forsythe Square. A real estate development on this site would also deprive the community of continued use and enjoyment of valuable green space near Wolf Lake.

We, the undersigned, are concerned Robertsdale citizens who urge our leaders to act now to repeal Ordinance 9529, preserve the total square footage of 1900 Forsythe Square as a dedicated public right-of-way, and halt all proposed real estate development on the site.

HAMMOND CITY COUNCIL MEETING: Monday, 11-22-21, 6:00pm, Hammond City Hall. Livestream: https://www.gohammond.tv/live/ and https://www.facebook.com/GoHammondIN Make your voices heard!