Agenda Item 1

AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY

November 12, 2014

City Council

STAFF
Sue Beck-Ferkiss, Social Sustainability Specialist
Bruce Hendee, Chief Sustainability Officer

SUBJECT
Emergency Ordinance No. 164, 2014, 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
The purpose of this item is to temporarily suspend the operation and enforcement of the Land Use Code and
zoning map to allow for a temporary overflow wintertime shelter for the homeless.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends adoption of the Emergency Ordinance.
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
While the economy seems to be recovering from the effects of the recent economic recession, the number of
people in our community who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless remains much higher than before
the recession. The Murphy Center, the Food Bank of Larimer County and other agencies providing basic
needs services report a consistent elevated overall community need. Catholic Charities Mission located at 460
Linden Center Drive and the Fort Collins Rescue Mission located at 316 Jefferson Street are the two homeless
shelters located in Fort Collins. These shelters state they are at capacity heading into the coldest months of
the year and have asked the Citys assistance in providing a temporary wintertime overflow shelter.
For at least the past 5 years a community collaborative led by United Way of Larimer County, Catholic
Charities, and the Fort Collins Rescue Mission in partnership with various members of the faith community
have provided overflow shelter in wintertime. The City has supported this effort with funding and facilitation
efforts. Some years, this collaborative provided overflow shelter without needing to seek relief from the City
zoning and Land Use Code requirements. However, in 2011 such relief was sought and granted to allow the
Knights of Columbus Building, at 121 North Meldrum Street, to pair up with the gymnasium at St. Joseph
School to provide shelter seven nights a week from November through March. The Knights of Columbus
building is located in the Neighborhood Conservation Buffer (NCB) zone wherein homeless shelters are not an
allowed use. These facilities are not available for use this winter due to increased events at both locations.
This year, Community of Christ Church, at 220 East Oak Street, has agreed to host the wintertime overflow
shelter. It too is located in the NCB zone, so the City Council is being asked to temporarily suspend the
enforcement of the Land Use Code and zoning map in order to allow an overflow shelter to operate in this
location when needed any night of the week. Catholic Charities will manage the operations and United Way of
Larimer County will be the fiscal agent.

Item # 1 Page 1

Agenda Item 1
According to historic data reviewed by the two shelters and the plan for coordination of sheltering efforts, the
anticipated need this year is for overflow shelter for women. Catholic Charities Mission and the Fort Collins
Rescue Mission will work together to shelter men. Catholic Charities will covert one current overflow room for
use by families. When all family rooms are full, Catholic Charities will provide hotel vouchers to families with
children.
This overflow shelter will be available from November 13, 2014 through March 31, 2015 and will serve as the
overflow shelter for women only. It will be open from 10PM to 6:15AM daily. Food will not be provided. Catholic
Charities rules do not allow drugs or alcohol. No cars will be allowed at this location.
A Neighborhood Meeting has been scheduled for November 10, 2014 and a letter inviting participation has
been sent to the surrounding area. A summary of the comments from that hearing will be provided to Council
as a read before memorandum. Two residents have sent responses to the letter in favor of the project, and
these will be included in the summary of the neighborhood meeting.
It was hoped that an expansion to Catholic Charities Mission with additional overflow beds for men in 2011
would provide enough community wide shelter beds to provide year-round service. Unfortunately, the demand
for shelter has continued to outpace the supply of available beds. In wintertime, the danger of succumbing to
the elements is extreme and the community wishes to protect those in need. Therefore, the community
collective agrees to lead the faith based community partners in a conversation that will culminate in a multiyear plan for winter overflow shelter so this issue need not be addressed annually. The city will help navigate
any needed Land Use Codes or zoning changes necessary to allow specific designated faith based community
buildings to be used for wintertime overflow shelter as needed.
FINANCIAL / ECONOMIC IMPACTS
No direct financial or economic impacts on City resources.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
No direct environmental impacts.
PUBLIC OUTREACH
Letters were sent to 615 property owners in the area explaining the request and inviting participation in a
neighborhood meeting on November 10, 2014. 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 at or prior to the reading of the Ordinance.
ATTACHMENTS
1.

Powerpoint presentation(PDF)

Item # 1 Page 2

ATTACHMENT 1

Wintertime Overflow Shelter

November 2014 March 2015

Copyright 2014 City of Fort Collins. All Rights Reserved.

Winter is on its way.

Copyright 2014 City of Fort Collins. All Rights Reserved.

Community of Christ Church

Copyright 2014 City of Fort Collins. All Rights Reserved.

Site Location

Copyright 2014 City of Fort Collins. All Rights Reserved.

Relationship of Shelter Sites

Copyright 2014 City of Fort Collins. All Rights Reserved.

Sue Beck-Ferkiss, Social Sustainability Specialist

970-221-6753 l sbeckferkiss@fcgov.com
fcgov.com/socialsustainability

Copyright 2014 City of Fort Collins. All Rights Reserved.

EMERGENCY ORDINANCE NO. 164, 2014

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 Fort Collins Rescue Mission both provide homeless
shelter for overnight occupancy, but it is anticipated that both shelters will experience
overcrowding during the coming winter season, particularly with respect to women; 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 shelter for homeless women at the Community of Christ Church
building located at 220 East Oak Street upon the condition that the above-described property be
utilized for shelter purposes only between the hours of 10:00 pm and 6:15 am from November
13, 2014, to March 31, 2015;
WHEREAS, Article II, Section 6 of the Charter of the City authorizes the City Council to
adopt emergency ordinances, which shall be finally passed on first reading by the affirmative
vote of at least five members of the Council and which shall contain a specific statement of the
nature of the emergency.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
FORT COLLINS as follows:
Section 1.
That the City Council hereby finds that an emergency exists for the
immediate adoption of this Ordinance under Article II, Section 6 of the Charter of the City
because of the looming onset of winter weather conditions.
Section 2.
That the application and enforcement of the Land Use Code shall be
suspended as it relates to the operation of a temporary overflow shelter at the Community of
Christ Church building located at 220 East Oak Street from November 13, 2014, through March
31, 2015, between the hours of 10:00 pm and 6:15 am.
Section 3.
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 shelter for homeless women at the aforesaid location in accordance with the
terms described in this Ordinance and only when the existing overnight homeless shelters in the
City known as The Mission and the Fort Collins Rescue Mission are unable to accommodate
additional persons.

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Section 4.
That the City Clerk is hereby directed to cause the publication of this
Ordinance in the Fort Collins Coloradoan no later than November 19, 2014.
Introduced, considered favorably by five (5) members of the Council of the City of Fort
Collins and finally passed as an emergency ordinance and ordered published this 12th day of
November, 2014.

_________________________________
Mayor
ATTEST:

_____________________________
City Clerk

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