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File #: PC 2015-8 7/28/16    Version: 1 Name: PROPOSED ZONING CODE AMENDMENTS REGARDING THE SITING OF NEW EMERGENCY SHELTERS
Type: Zoning Item Status: Passed
File created: 7/20/2016 In control: City Council
On agenda: 7/28/2016 Final action: 7/28/2016
Title: PROPOSED ZONING CODE AMENDMENTS REGARDING THE SITING OF NEW EMERGENCY SHELTERS COUNCIL STRATEGIC INITIATIVE ADDRESSED: Preserve and enhance neighborhoods, address quality of place issues CITY ATTORNEY REVIEW: N/A SUMMARY STATEMENT: The city council has concerns regarding the siting of new emergency shelters and the impacts they could have on surrounding neighborhoods. On October 22, 2015, the city council adopted Ordinance No. 3302 that implemented a six-month moratorium on the siting of emergency shelters within the city. The council appointed a four-member committee consisting of council and planning commission members to review the existing zoning code regulations and develop recommendations on the siting of emergency shelters. The committee met five times. The meetings included discussions with service providers and video-conferencing with State agency representatives. At their fifth meeting, the committee produced draft rec...
Attachments: 1. Emergency shelters - committees' recommendation, 2. C Pegg email_questions re emergency shelter siting proposal, 3. S Skinner letter to Longview City Council, 4. DOJ Statement on Criminalization of Homeless

Title

PROPOSED ZONING CODE AMENDMENTS REGARDING THE SITING OF NEW EMERGENCY SHELTERS        

                                        

COUNCIL STRATEGIC INITIATIVE ADDRESSED:

Preserve and enhance neighborhoods, address quality of place issues

 

CITY ATTORNEY REVIEW: N/A

 

SUMMARY STATEMENT:

The city council has concerns regarding the siting of new emergency shelters and the impacts they could have on surrounding neighborhoods.  On October 22, 2015, the city council adopted Ordinance No. 3302 that implemented a six-month moratorium on the siting of emergency shelters within the city.  The council appointed a four-member committee consisting of council and planning commission members to review the existing zoning code regulations and develop recommendations on the siting of emergency shelters.  The committee met five times.  The meetings included discussions with service providers and video-conferencing with State agency representatives. At their fifth meeting, the committee produced draft recommendations.

 

On May 5, the planning commission held a workshop on the committee’s recommendations and then a public hearing during their July 6 regular meeting.  The planning commission heard from persons who said the proposal was too restrictive and from others who said the proposal was not restrictive enough.  After closing the public hearing and discussing the matter the planning commission voted four to one (with one abstention) to forward the committee’s recommendation to the council with a recommendation for approval.

 

Since the planning commission’s public hearing, additional comments and/or questions have been received by staff.  They include the attached letter from Suzanne Skinner representing the following organizations: Seattle University School of Law’s Homeless Rights Advocacy Project, the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, Columbia Legal Services, and the Interfaith Task Force on Homelessness.  Councilmember Melink had also received a series of questions (attached) prior to the commission’s hearing from Christina Pegg, Executive Director for Housing Opportunities for Southwest Washington (formerly Longview Housing Authority).

 

Councilmembers who were members of the review committee have expressed an interest is holding a workshop to introduce the planning commission’s zoning code amendment proposal to all of the councilmembers.  If the council wants staff to address the issues raised by the above correspondence, more time is needed.  Staff is suggesting a workshop be held no earlier than August 25. Staff also recommends that the council schedule its own public hearing on the proposal following the workshop.

 

Note: Ordinance No. 3318 extended the moratorium for another six months to October 14, 2016.

   

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Motion to schedule a workshop on the proposed zoning code amendments regarding the siting of new emergency shelters for August 25.

 

STAFF CONTACT:

Steve Langdon, Planning Manager

Jim McNamara, City Attorney