Warsaw Zoners Approve Homeless Shelter Use Variance
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
The homeless shelter will be at 1520 E. Winona Ave., which is zoned commercial.
The property is the former Ken Anderson Films building between the Kosciusko Community YMCA and Sparkman Auto Sales.
Tammy Dalton, board member, made the motion for the variance, seconded by board member Rick Keeven. Board members Tom Allen and Jack Wilhite also voted in favor of the variance.
Mary Ellen-Rudisel Jordan, board member, and Scearce-Rudisel Architects president, did not vote on the variance as she completed the artist rendering for a proposed floor plan for the shelter.
Approximately 60 people attended to show their support for the shelter.
The building at Winona Avenue is 9,300 square feet, while the current women’s and children’s shelter is 1,496 feet, and men’s shelter is 2,200 square feet.
Eric Lane, Fellowship Missions executive director, discussed the need for the shelter.
A shelter that houses men has been located for the past three years at 425 S. Buffalo St. The shelter that houses women and children has been at 337 N. Buffalo St. for the past 2-1/2 years.
Lane said a funder is looking to purchase the Winona Avenue building. There will need to be $300,000 in improvements to the building, such as fire safety and security measures. Security cameras will be installed inside the building.
Fellowship Missions still needs to purchase the building and remodel it. Lane hopes to be in the building, if all goes as planned, by this winter.
“The property bringing everything under one roof will allow us to better facilitate classes and our residents,” Lane said.
There will be separate wings for men and another for women and children.
Lane addressed safety, and said sex offenders are not allowed to stay at the shelter and those who enter shelter doors undergo a background check. Lane said people with felonies are allowed to stay at the shelter.
There were 16 police calls at the women’s shelter in 2012, and eight at the men’s shelter. Lane said the calls were for wellness checks and for residents who threatened suicide.
In 2011, out of the 142 adults who stayed at the shelter, 24 of them came from out of the county and stayed at the shelter for 20 days. In 2012, there were 20 out-of-county people who stayed at the shelter for 10 days.
The proposed floor plan for women and children includes 2,500 feet of space, including a women’s lounge, women’s bathroom, children’s and women’s dorm areas, and fellowship and coffee areas.
There also is 1,000 square feet of space for offices and 250 square feet for storage.
The building also will accommodate 2,300 square feet of space for a men’s lounge, restroom, dorms and 3,250 square feet for a worship and commons area.
Terry Walls, a former men’s shelter resident and current house manager, said he stayed at the shelter because he lost his home in a fire.
“I have been fed, clothed and loved spiritually. Being in Fellowship Mission’s faith-based shelter in my graying years of time seems like chunks of heaven fell to earth,” Walls said.
Cora Horne, Fellowship Missions volunteer and women’s shelter house manager, said it has been rewarding seeing shelter residents grow spiritually.
Tom Allen, BZA president, said the city received two letters from residents opposed to the Winona Avenue location for a homeless shelter.
The letters were from Tamara Cooper, a Grant Street resident, and Ron Shoemaker, who supported Cooper.
Cooper wrote she felt Winona Avenue is not a good location for a shelter and had concerns with residents “looking in her back yard for trouble.”
Shoemaker had concerns with the shelter adding increased traffic congestion on Winona Avenue and Smith Street with no sidewalks in front or behind the property, which will force people to walk in the streets.
Jerry Opperud, Warsaw resident, also opposed the location for the shelter.
“This is at a time when the city is contemplating a master plan spending thousands of dollars to address the needs of the city and a design for the city that is meant to take us into 2030,” Opperud said.
He continued, “Let’s not just look to a piece of property because it’s affordable or can get spots zoned on it.”
For more information about Fellowship Missions, call 574-268-9555 or visit fellowshipmissions.net[[In-content Ad]]
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The homeless shelter will be at 1520 E. Winona Ave., which is zoned commercial.
The property is the former Ken Anderson Films building between the Kosciusko Community YMCA and Sparkman Auto Sales.
Tammy Dalton, board member, made the motion for the variance, seconded by board member Rick Keeven. Board members Tom Allen and Jack Wilhite also voted in favor of the variance.
Mary Ellen-Rudisel Jordan, board member, and Scearce-Rudisel Architects president, did not vote on the variance as she completed the artist rendering for a proposed floor plan for the shelter.
Approximately 60 people attended to show their support for the shelter.
The building at Winona Avenue is 9,300 square feet, while the current women’s and children’s shelter is 1,496 feet, and men’s shelter is 2,200 square feet.
Eric Lane, Fellowship Missions executive director, discussed the need for the shelter.
A shelter that houses men has been located for the past three years at 425 S. Buffalo St. The shelter that houses women and children has been at 337 N. Buffalo St. for the past 2-1/2 years.
Lane said a funder is looking to purchase the Winona Avenue building. There will need to be $300,000 in improvements to the building, such as fire safety and security measures. Security cameras will be installed inside the building.
Fellowship Missions still needs to purchase the building and remodel it. Lane hopes to be in the building, if all goes as planned, by this winter.
“The property bringing everything under one roof will allow us to better facilitate classes and our residents,” Lane said.
There will be separate wings for men and another for women and children.
Lane addressed safety, and said sex offenders are not allowed to stay at the shelter and those who enter shelter doors undergo a background check. Lane said people with felonies are allowed to stay at the shelter.
There were 16 police calls at the women’s shelter in 2012, and eight at the men’s shelter. Lane said the calls were for wellness checks and for residents who threatened suicide.
In 2011, out of the 142 adults who stayed at the shelter, 24 of them came from out of the county and stayed at the shelter for 20 days. In 2012, there were 20 out-of-county people who stayed at the shelter for 10 days.
The proposed floor plan for women and children includes 2,500 feet of space, including a women’s lounge, women’s bathroom, children’s and women’s dorm areas, and fellowship and coffee areas.
There also is 1,000 square feet of space for offices and 250 square feet for storage.
The building also will accommodate 2,300 square feet of space for a men’s lounge, restroom, dorms and 3,250 square feet for a worship and commons area.
Terry Walls, a former men’s shelter resident and current house manager, said he stayed at the shelter because he lost his home in a fire.
“I have been fed, clothed and loved spiritually. Being in Fellowship Mission’s faith-based shelter in my graying years of time seems like chunks of heaven fell to earth,” Walls said.
Cora Horne, Fellowship Missions volunteer and women’s shelter house manager, said it has been rewarding seeing shelter residents grow spiritually.
Tom Allen, BZA president, said the city received two letters from residents opposed to the Winona Avenue location for a homeless shelter.
The letters were from Tamara Cooper, a Grant Street resident, and Ron Shoemaker, who supported Cooper.
Cooper wrote she felt Winona Avenue is not a good location for a shelter and had concerns with residents “looking in her back yard for trouble.”
Shoemaker had concerns with the shelter adding increased traffic congestion on Winona Avenue and Smith Street with no sidewalks in front or behind the property, which will force people to walk in the streets.
Jerry Opperud, Warsaw resident, also opposed the location for the shelter.
“This is at a time when the city is contemplating a master plan spending thousands of dollars to address the needs of the city and a design for the city that is meant to take us into 2030,” Opperud said.
He continued, “Let’s not just look to a piece of property because it’s affordable or can get spots zoned on it.”
For more information about Fellowship Missions, call 574-268-9555 or visit fellowshipmissions.net[[In-content Ad]]
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