30 DeKalb, LLC has applied to the Jersey City Zoning Board of Adjustments to build a tall three story building on the lot known as 30 DeKalb Ave. which is located behind the Historic Speer Cemetery on Vroom St. We the undersigned ask the Board Members to vote 'No' on these variances.

30 DeKalb Ave. is a vacant lot in a two family zone. It shares a property line with Historic Speer Cemetery: the Northern property line of 30 DeKalb Ave. is the same property line as the Southwest property line of Speer Cemetery.

Speer Cemetery is the final resting place of several Revolutionary soldiers, Civil War soldiers, and members and descendants of the founding families of the Village of Bergen, NJ's first permanent settlement, founded in 1660. The cemetery is full and graves extend to the edge of all sides of the Cemetery, including the one shared with 30 DeKalb Ave.

If a two family is built on the lot with no variances, it will sit a respectful 20 feet from the shared property line. If the variances are granted, the new building will sit a mere 18 inches from the shared property line and thus a mere 18 inches from many graves. If the new building sits 18 inches from the shared property line, the building will block to sun to the Southwest section of the Speer Cemetery. This means all the graves in the Southwest section of Speer Cemetery will be cast in shadows in perpetuity. Without sun, the grass around the graves will not grow. The graves will be mired in mud after any rain because the sun will not reach the ground to dry it. The graves will forever be cast in shadow. We the undersigned believe this is not what the people who bought those plots had in mind for their final resting place.

A $25,000 Hudson County Open Space grant was procured to restore Speer Cemetery. The Friends of Speer Cemetery, the Hudson County Geneological and Historical Society, the Highland Avenue Neighborhood Association, the Jersey City Parks Coalition, and the Bergen Square Historical Society have supported this project. Everyone involved with this grant never thought to include 'care for mud caked graves in the dark' as part of the long term maintenance plan.

We ask that the Members of the Jersey City Zoning Board of Adjustments to respect the dead that are interred in Speer Cemetery and vote 'No' to the variances requested by 30 DeKalb Ave, LLC.