7-20-05 - Folks in one Ardmore neighborhood aren't happy about some potential neighbors. They're signing a petition to keep Alcoholics Anonymous from meeting in a house near 8th and Douglas.

Folks who live in the area say it's a quiet, friendly neighborhood, but with a homeless shelter already up and running and Alcoholics Anonymous wanting to meet there, it’s just too much.

The homeless shelter went up a few months ago. The "Children of the King" Baptist Church opened and runs the facility. Some neighbors weren't happy about it, but it's legal under city code.

But now that AA wants to hold meetings at the house, some are putting their foot down. They claim it’s just too many unknown people going in and out of their close-knit neighborhood.

Donald Wood, an upset neighbor, said, "I just don't think it should be in a residential area. I think people should have a place to meet, but not in an old residential neighborhood."

AA will go before the city August 4 to try and get a conditional use permit. The church pastor says he's just trying to help folks get back on their feet.

If 50 percent of area homes write a petition letter to the city, the permit will have to pass with two-thirds of the planning commissioners’ votes.