03-09-09 Common Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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REGULAR MEETING MARCH 9, 2009 the existing building to continue to be an integral part of this block. The proximity of the Center for the Homeless and Hope Ministries will provide a supportive network. Mr. Michael J. Baxter, Our Lady of the Road, 515 S. St. Joseph Street, South Bend, Indiana, made the presentation for this bill. Mr. Baxter stated that he is one of three Board Members for Our Lady of the Road, which is presenting this petition. He advised that they asked for a Special Exception last month to allow ten (10) people to stay overnight in conjunction with “Weather Amnesty.” He stated that special exception was contingent upon this petition. The purpose is to allow for housing a small number of people ten (10) to stay overnight on cold nights during the winter as part of the Weather Amnesty Program conducted by downtown social agencies in the continuum of Care Group, the Center for the Homeless, Hope Ministries, Life Treatment Center, the YWCA and others. These agencies came to Our Lady of the Road this past fall asking to participate in the Weather Amnesty Program. He stated that one agency Hope Ministries suffered building damage and was unable to take more than ten (10) people, before that they were able to take twenty (20) a night. So they were asked to take up the slack and Our Lady of the Road said yes pending the rezoning and special exception. He stated that in regards the consistency of this purpose and intent in relation to the character of the district in which it is located, the purpose and intent is entirely consistent with this district. Several properties in the immediate area are used for purposes similar to the intent and purpose of the rezoning sought here. He stated that the adjacent properties to the north include to the north and unused lot owner by Indiana & Michigan Power. To the east a printing shop which operates during the day. A parking lot used by the Center for the Homeless to park its vehicles for landscaping and snow plowing business. Another printing shop a daytime business, a garden owned by the Center for the Homeless and a building so as far as he can tell for the last three and half years has gone empty and unused. He also noted that the Center for the Homeless Offices are located to the east. To the South is Rink Publishing company separated by an alley and a parking lot. To the west across Main Street is a lot used for electrical transformers owned by Indiana & Michigan Power. These properties are zoned light industrial and mixed use, and a similar character prevails regarding the properties extending beyond these properties. He stated that Our Lady of the Road has had a positive relationship with the owners of these properties. Several businesses use their parking lot to cut through from the alley to Main Street and they have had no problem with that. The Center for the Homeless Coordinator Director Steve Camaliari, along with Weather Amnesty Coordinator Lana Vittrio, support this rezoning, however, they are out of town. In preparation for this hearing, he stated that he went and spoke with the owner of Rink Publishing, Mike Rink and he expressed support for the work that Our Lady of the Road has done and has no issues with this. Mr. Baxter stated that Mr. Rink also stated that they should try work out an arrangement with some of the people who come in for services at Our Lady of the Road could help him rehab some of the building and with landscaping. He stated that in conclusion, this is a small project, just ten (10) people. He stated that they were asked to do this. He noted that they designed the building even though they didn’t intend to use for overnight stays, they designed the building so that it overnight stay should occur that all the architectural plans for the building would be able to adapt to that without any renovations. So they will be no interior renovations needed to do this, other than the ones that were already planned anyway. This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bill, proponents and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. The following individuals spoke in favor of this bill. Ms. Beth Marlock, Director of Resident Services, Hope Ministries, 432 S. Lafayette, South Bend, Indiana, urged the Council to favorably approve this rezoning project. She stated that Hope was flooded out and lost spaces for ten (10) individuals for weather amnesty. She stated that she has been a part of the weather amnesty coordination in the community since 1997. She stated that she has been in situations where she has had to turn people away on very cold nights because they do not have the space in the community for all the folks that are unsheltered. She stated that she recently tabulated 3