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Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 11/01/2011 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 150, 2011, TEMPORARDATE: November 1, 2011 STAFF: Tess Heffernan AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL 19 SUBJECT First Reading of Ordinance No. 150, 2011, Temporarily Suspending the Operation and Enforcement of the Land Use Code and Zoning Map to Allow for a Temporary Overflow Wintertime Night Shelter for the Homeless. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Recent years have seen an increase in the number of families and individuals seeking overnight shelter at area homeless shelters. Construction is underway to expand shelter capacity at The Mission; however, delays have pushed the completion date back to February 1, 2012. This request is to temporarily suspend Land Use Code restrictions for an 8-week period at the Knights of Columbus facility at 101 North Meldrum in order to be able to shelter people on those winter evenings when other homeless shelters are full. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION The current economic climate has led to an increase in the number of people in our community who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The Murphy Center, Food Bank, and other agencies providing “basic needs” services have seen a marked increase in clients and overall community need. There are two homeless shelters in Fort Collins that shelter people overnight: The Mission at 460 Linden Center Drive and the Open Door Mission at 316 Jefferson Street. It is estimated that last winter 5 – 30 people were turned away on several nights due to lack of space, some of them families with children. The Mission has been working to fund and construct an expansion at their site to meet this need and construction was originally scheduled to be complete by this fall. However, due to delays the expanded space will not be completed until February 1, 2012. United Way of Larimer County is proposing that temporary overflow shelters be opened, when needed, operating 10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. from December 1, 2011 – February 1, 2012. Two sites would be used for this purpose: - Sunday night through Thursday night: Knights of Columbus building, 121 North Meldrum Street. - Friday and Saturday night: Saint Joseph School, 127 North Howes Street. The Knights of Columbus building is located in the NCB (Neighborhood Conservation Buffer) zone, wherein overnight homeless shelters are not an allowed use. United Way is asking the City to temporarily suspend enforcement of the Land Use Code and zoning Map in order to open an overflow shelter when needed on Sunday through Thursday nights. The Saint Joseph School facility does not require a zoning exemption because an Overnight Shelter is a permitted use in the Downtown zoning district. Under the Land Use Code, a minor administrative amendment for a change of use would be required, and staff is pursuing that amendment with the Current Planning Department. United Way estimates between 5 and 30 individuals will access the shelter each night. The shelter will be staffed by two Catholic Charities employees and at least one volunteer per night. No food will be served. United Way Director Gordan Thibedeau has emphasized that this is a temporary need and only applies to the limited hours and timeframe requested. During the day, The Mission (operated by Catholic Charities) and The Murphy Center together provide day shelter services. Clients are served in the morning hours at The Murphy Center, with the Mission serving clients for lunch and afternoon hours. This arrangement has worked well for the past two years, replacing the former temporary cold weather day shelter that was operated out of a City facility on North Howes Street. The expansion at The Mission will provide 30 additional bed spaces. For the long term, United Way and the community at large are working with Homeward 2020 to help chronically homeless people move into supportive housing. The City has supported these efforts by providing one-time financial support for the expansion at the Mission and funding for the start-up and operation of the Homeward 2020 initiative. November 1, 2011 -2- ITEM 19 As noted below, property owners in the vicinity of the two facilities will be notified of this request and a neighborhood meeting will be held, however, feedback is not yet available. Staff will attend the neighborhood meeting and report back prior to first reading of the ordinance with comments and concerns from neighborhood residents and businesses. FINANCIAL / ECONOMIC IMPACTS No direct financial or economic impacts on City resources. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. PUBLIC OUTREACH Letters were sent to 137 property owners in the area explaining the request, providing a contact at United Way who could answer questions, and inviting recipients to attend a neighborhood meeting on Thursday, October 27. The meeting is sponsored by United Way. Because of the short time span leading up to this request the meeting was unable to be held before these materials were published. City staff will attend the meeting and report neighborhood feedback to City Council prior to first reading of the ordinance. ORDINANCE NO. 150, 2011 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS TEMPORARILY SUSPENDING THE OPERATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAND USE CODE AND ZONING MAP TO ALLOW FOR A TEMPORARY OVERFLOW WINTERTIME NIGHT SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS WHEREAS, in recent years the City has experienced an increase in the number of families and individuals seeking overnight shelter at area homeless shelters; and WHEREAS, the Mission and the Open Door Mission both provide homeless shelter for overnight occupancy, but it is estimated that during the past winter season, between five and thirty people were turned away on several nights due to lack of space, sometimes involving families with children; and WHEREAS, construction is underway to expend the shelter capacity at the Mission but delays have caused the completion date to be delayed until approximately February 1, 2012; and WHEREAS, the City has been requested to temporarily suspend the operation and enforcement of the Land Use Code and zoning map in order to allow for the temporary provision of overflow wintertime night shelters for the homeless at the Knights of Columbus building located at 121 North Meldrum Street upon the condition that the above-described property be utilized for shelter purposes only between the hours of 10:00 pm and 7:00 am from December 1, 2011 to February 1, 2012 and with the further understanding that the building will be so utilized only from Sunday night through Thursday. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That the application and enforcement of the Land Use Code shall be suspended as it relates to the Knights of Columbus building located at 121 North Meldrum Street from December 1, 2011 through February 1, 2012 between the hours of 10:00 pm and 7:00 am; and subject further to the condition that such suspension shall apply to the building only from Sunday night through Thursday night. Section 2. That the suspension of the application and enforcement of the Land Use Code pursuant to this Ordinance shall apply only to the operation of temporary overflow wintertime night shelters for the homeless at the aforesaid locations and only when the existing overnight homeless shelters in the City known as “The Mission” and the “Open Door Mission” are unable to accommodate additional persons. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 1st day of November, A.D. 2011, and to be presented for final passage on the 15th day of November, A.D. 2011. _________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _____________________________ City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading on the 15th day of November, A.D. 2011. _________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _____________________________ City Clerk