2003-35 GRANTING CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT - 239-247 WEST PRAIRIE AVENUE

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STAFF REPORT Decatur City Plan Commission COMMON NAME: Catholic Charities,239-247 West Prairie Avenue GENERAL INFORMATION Hearing Date June 5, 2003 Calendar No. 03-25 Property Location 239-247 West Prairie Avenue Requested Action Rezone from O-1 Office to Historic Neighborhood Conditional Use Petitioner Catholic Charities Representative Blank Wesselink Cook and Associates, Inc., Dan Homann LAND USE AND ZONING Direction Existing Land Use Zoning Comprehensive Plan Subject Property Office O-1 Office North Multifamily O-1 Office i � South Florist, Office, Residential O-1 Office East Parking Lot B-2 Commercial West Multifamily O-1 Office BACKGROUND 1. Catholic Charities acquired the 5019 square-foot building at 239 West Prairie Avenue, adjacent to their existing building, in order to expand their facilities. Catholic Charities originally planned to use both buildings as office space. In November of 2002, a variance was granted reducing the required parking space for the planned office use. Since that time, social services program changes have occurred reducing the amount of office space required. The organization has changed their planned use for the building to now include community service programs, a conference room and office expansion. Additional space for parking is now available to Catholic Charities adjacent to the site to the east. 2. The Decatur Catholic Charities community service program, which includes the clothing store/food pantry, currently operates at 401 North Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. This is a rented facility that Catholic Charities believes is inadequate for their needs. The clothing store is normally open from 9:00 am and 4:00 pm Monday through Friday and 9:00 am to 1:00 pm on Saturday. The food pantry is open for three (3)hours during the afternoon five (5) days a week.