Special Exception - 515 S. St. Joseph St. - Michael J. Baxter (Catholic Worker of Michiana, Inc.)

Home Browse Search

6 the just and equal access to economic and social opportunities, inasmuch as it enhances such access for a segment of the population who are often deprived of such access owing to purposeful stereotyping and popular prejudice, namely, the segment of the population of our City who are homeless. In sum, the proposed special exception for the property at 515 S. St. Joseph St. in the City of South Bend for use as a group residence meets all four standards set forth as principles for determining the worthiness of a petition for a special exception. On the matter of a variance for the requirement for parking space on this property, such a variance is warranted for three reasons. One, there will only be one, two or three members of the Catholic Worker community living at 515 S. St. Joseph St. In the event that all three own and drive cars and park them near this property, there is adequate space for three cars in the street in front of the house (the frontage extends for 49.5 feet). Two, the majority of guests living at 515 S. St. Joseph St. (in fact, almost all of them) will not have cars, as homeless people rarely have the money to fuel and maintain automobiles. Three, there will not be many Catholic Worker volunteers helping at the property on 515 S. St. Joseph St. Rather, volunteers will be working mainly at Our Lady of the Road on 744 S. Main St., where there is ample parking.