98-42 GRANTING SPECIAL PERMIT HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD USE

Home Browse Search

Excerpts from Plan Commission Minutes of July 2, 1998 It was moved and ' �T ., seconded (Washin�ton/Shampine) to remove Cal. I�o. 98-�2 from the table. Motion carried unanimously. Cal. No. 98-32 Petition of DOVE, INC., for a Special Use Permit for Historic I , Neighborhood Use to allow the operation of an office at the premises commonly known as 903 West Decatur Street. Mr. Ray Batman was present and spoke for the petition stating that the property is presently owned by the Decatur Community Church. Due to declininD membership, the church would like to donate the property to Dove should the Special Use Permit be granted. The structure will be '� used to house the offices of Homeward Bound which provides transitional housing to the '� homeless. Mr. Batman stated the hours of operation would be from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The church congregation of 15 persons would continue to meet at this location on Sunday. Mr. Demirjian questioned how many employees would work at this location. Mr. Batman stated that there would be five employees which would be out of the office on a regular basis. No one ! would be living at this location. I There were no objectors present. �� Mrs. Townsend presented the recommendation of staff: The subject petition requests a special use permit to allow an office facility as a historic neighborhood use on the premises commonly known as 903 West Decatur Street. The e�sting structure, located in the Decatur Historic District, is the former Decatur Community Church. The purpose of requesting the special use permit in the historic district is to allow Dove, Inc. to house the Homeward Bound Program office. � Section XXI. (Special Use Regulations) of the Zoning Ordinance (Ord. #3512) provides for a historic neighborhood use in any zone located within the Decatur Historic District providing such use preserves the historic and architectural character of the building in question. Further, such use must preserve the essential character and nature of the surroundir�� nei�hborl�ood. Staff is of the opinion that the proposed office use meets applicable criteria for a historic neighborhood use of the subject premises. Further, staffnotes that the proposed use has been reviewed and recommended for approval by the Historical and Architectural Sites Commission. The Near West Restoration and Preservation Society (]vWRAPS) also supports the request. Staff recommends approval of the proposed special use permit with the following stipulations: