Remonstrance Filed Against Homeless Shelter Location
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Remonstrance Filed Against Homeless Shelter Location
By Jennifer [email protected]
The remonstrance petition, filed Nov. 9, will be reviewed by Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals at its Dec. 27 meeting at 7 p.m. at city hall, according to Warsaw City Planner Jeremy Skinner.
The board also will discuss the interpretation of the city's zoning ordinance that does not preclude allowing a shelter in a commercial zoned district.
This morning, the Times-Union received the remonstrance petition a day after Warsaw Community Development officials met with Fellowship Missions members, who are proposing the shelter, to discuss the shelter proposal.
Fellowship Missions is proposing to locate a permanent homeless shelter in the former Brennan Building location at 110 E. Market St.
Eric Lane, Fellowship Missions director, who is proposing the shelter, James Randall, Fellowship Missions board vice president, and Greg Dearborn, Fellowship Missions board member, met with approximately 20 WCDC board members that include downtown merchants, to discuss the homeless shelter proposal Tuesday morning. The meeting was at the WCDC office in downtown Warsaw.
Lane is proposing to locate the shelter in the former Brennan Building and has put money down with plans of renovating the building for a permanent homeless shelter.
He said he signed a purchase agreement for the building a month-and-a-half ago, but has not closed on the property yet to receive input from downtown merchants on the issue.
Lane previously shared his plans for the shelter at the Nov. 1 city council meeting. Wiggins asked Lane to meet with downtown merchants to discuss the proposed shelter.
Rick Snodgrass, WCDC vice president, invited Lane to attend Tuesday's meeting to speak about the shelter.
"What we are after today are facts, questions and ideas. We are not after personal things here, we want to get down to what exactly Eric wants to do," Snodgrass said during Tuesday's meting.
Lane said in 2008 and 2009 there have been temporary shelters at various churches in the community, but Fellowship Missions believes there is a need for a permanent shelter.
Lane said he has seen an increase in the county of single, homeless mothers who are living from couch to couch. He said homeless people are sleeping in their vehicles, dugouts at the City County Athletic Complex and in alleys.
Lane said the plan would be to house men, women and children and provide general education degree classes, resumé writing assistance and work with local service organizations to help them get back on their feet.
Lane was asked what the sleeping arrangements for the facility would be.
He said there would be seperate sleeping facilities.
A business owner asked Lane if he saw people were unhappy or concerned about the proposed downtown location, didn't he feel he should look at another location.
Lane said the group had looked at other locations for the shelter, but the Market Street location was the right price and met zoning requirements.
Lane said he met last week with a realtor with the former Tri-Namic Printing facility on South Buffalo Street to discuss the facility as a possible location for the shelter, if the Market Street location does not work out.
During Tuesday's meeting, Cindy Dobbins, WCDC director, said she felt the Tri-Namic facility would be a more appropriate location for the shelter than the downtown location.
"I think of it as a win-win for the Tri-Namic location because there would be green space that could be utilized for a garden," Dobbins said.
Mark Dobson, Warsaw/Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce president, said the community is good about stepping up to help those in need.
"I don't think there are people around the table saying we don't want the shelter, what it may boil down to is the location may not be ideal," Dobson said.
A business owner said this past summer she had a problem with someone who was homeless in her store, and had to call the police. She was worried about the number of homeless the shelter would bring to the downtown.
The same board member suggested Lane look longer for a different location to house the shelter, and not jump into the decision so quickly.
"We will have objections no matter where we go, I have already heard them. One homeless person who causes problems does not shut out the hundreds who need help," Lane said.
"I understand there is concern with a lot of different types of industries coming in, and we are not here to be an eye sore and we did not target the downtown and we are here to be a positive in the community."
Wiggins asked Lane what kind of financial contributions he has to purchase the Market Street building and for renovations.
Lane said the group has approximately $140,000 in donations for purchasing the building and for remodeling.
City Councilman Kyle Babcock asked how the shelter would handle those who are impaired with drugs and alcohol.
Lane said Fellowship Missions would work with the Bowen Center to assist those individuals, and those who are impaired would not be allowed in the shelter.
Lane also was asked if he has the experience to help the homeless after running a recovery home for men for the past six months.
"I have faith in every volunteer, church and organization that has helped out so far," Lane said.
Lane was asked if it concerned him that the Market Street property for the proposed homeless shelter was located near a bar and pre-school.
Lane said he was not concerned with the location because every Wednesday the homeless who Fellowship Missions is assisting currently go to First United Methodist Church for help that also is near the pre-school.[[In-content Ad]]
The remonstrance petition, filed Nov. 9, will be reviewed by Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals at its Dec. 27 meeting at 7 p.m. at city hall, according to Warsaw City Planner Jeremy Skinner.
The board also will discuss the interpretation of the city's zoning ordinance that does not preclude allowing a shelter in a commercial zoned district.
This morning, the Times-Union received the remonstrance petition a day after Warsaw Community Development officials met with Fellowship Missions members, who are proposing the shelter, to discuss the shelter proposal.
Fellowship Missions is proposing to locate a permanent homeless shelter in the former Brennan Building location at 110 E. Market St.
Eric Lane, Fellowship Missions director, who is proposing the shelter, James Randall, Fellowship Missions board vice president, and Greg Dearborn, Fellowship Missions board member, met with approximately 20 WCDC board members that include downtown merchants, to discuss the homeless shelter proposal Tuesday morning. The meeting was at the WCDC office in downtown Warsaw.
Lane is proposing to locate the shelter in the former Brennan Building and has put money down with plans of renovating the building for a permanent homeless shelter.
He said he signed a purchase agreement for the building a month-and-a-half ago, but has not closed on the property yet to receive input from downtown merchants on the issue.
Lane previously shared his plans for the shelter at the Nov. 1 city council meeting. Wiggins asked Lane to meet with downtown merchants to discuss the proposed shelter.
Rick Snodgrass, WCDC vice president, invited Lane to attend Tuesday's meeting to speak about the shelter.
"What we are after today are facts, questions and ideas. We are not after personal things here, we want to get down to what exactly Eric wants to do," Snodgrass said during Tuesday's meting.
Lane said in 2008 and 2009 there have been temporary shelters at various churches in the community, but Fellowship Missions believes there is a need for a permanent shelter.
Lane said he has seen an increase in the county of single, homeless mothers who are living from couch to couch. He said homeless people are sleeping in their vehicles, dugouts at the City County Athletic Complex and in alleys.
Lane said the plan would be to house men, women and children and provide general education degree classes, resumé writing assistance and work with local service organizations to help them get back on their feet.
Lane was asked what the sleeping arrangements for the facility would be.
He said there would be seperate sleeping facilities.
A business owner asked Lane if he saw people were unhappy or concerned about the proposed downtown location, didn't he feel he should look at another location.
Lane said the group had looked at other locations for the shelter, but the Market Street location was the right price and met zoning requirements.
Lane said he met last week with a realtor with the former Tri-Namic Printing facility on South Buffalo Street to discuss the facility as a possible location for the shelter, if the Market Street location does not work out.
During Tuesday's meeting, Cindy Dobbins, WCDC director, said she felt the Tri-Namic facility would be a more appropriate location for the shelter than the downtown location.
"I think of it as a win-win for the Tri-Namic location because there would be green space that could be utilized for a garden," Dobbins said.
Mark Dobson, Warsaw/Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce president, said the community is good about stepping up to help those in need.
"I don't think there are people around the table saying we don't want the shelter, what it may boil down to is the location may not be ideal," Dobson said.
A business owner said this past summer she had a problem with someone who was homeless in her store, and had to call the police. She was worried about the number of homeless the shelter would bring to the downtown.
The same board member suggested Lane look longer for a different location to house the shelter, and not jump into the decision so quickly.
"We will have objections no matter where we go, I have already heard them. One homeless person who causes problems does not shut out the hundreds who need help," Lane said.
"I understand there is concern with a lot of different types of industries coming in, and we are not here to be an eye sore and we did not target the downtown and we are here to be a positive in the community."
Wiggins asked Lane what kind of financial contributions he has to purchase the Market Street building and for renovations.
Lane said the group has approximately $140,000 in donations for purchasing the building and for remodeling.
City Councilman Kyle Babcock asked how the shelter would handle those who are impaired with drugs and alcohol.
Lane said Fellowship Missions would work with the Bowen Center to assist those individuals, and those who are impaired would not be allowed in the shelter.
Lane also was asked if he has the experience to help the homeless after running a recovery home for men for the past six months.
"I have faith in every volunteer, church and organization that has helped out so far," Lane said.
Lane was asked if it concerned him that the Market Street property for the proposed homeless shelter was located near a bar and pre-school.
Lane said he was not concerned with the location because every Wednesday the homeless who Fellowship Missions is assisting currently go to First United Methodist Church for help that also is near the pre-school.[[In-content Ad]]
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