St. Cloud Zoning Board to Hold Hearing on Proposed Changes to Lincoln Center Shelter Permit

(KNSI) — The St. Cloud’s Zoning Board of Appeals is holding a public hearing Tuesday evening regarding a request from Homeless Helping Homeless to amend their Conditional Use Permit for the Lincoln Center shelter.

Organizers are asking to eliminate the 45 day maximum stay. Lincoln Center currently operates in violation of the limit, with a majority of units occupied for a significantly longer time. Homeless Helping Homeless Executive Director Harry Fleegel is seeking to remove the maximum length of stay, allowing facility staff and county agencies to determine each individual’s timeline for vacating the site.

They’re also asking to reduce the minimum staffing ratio per resident. The initial CUP issued in 2021 required one staff member during all hours of operation. It was revised to require one staff member for every two residents on site at all times, but Lincoln Center has operated with less than the required staffing during daytime and nighttime shifts. The requested revision asks the staffing ratio be reduced to a minimum of one staff member for every ten residents.

The west and middle bays of the building have been approved for a maximum of 25 residents and 21 staff members, which includes resident visitors, outreach workers, and volunteers. Operators say they want the west bay to function as a homeless day center with the maximum occupancy increased to 40, including residents, staff volunteers, professional outreach workers, and the general public in need of support services. It would serve as an overnight shelter from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. during extreme weather. Extreme weather in the application is given as below 32 and above 90 or when it rains. Residents would sleep in recliners, couches, floor mats, or at tables.

When Lincoln Center and other shelters are full, organizers are asking people to be allowed to camp on site. No maximum number of tents or people were given.

The application also requests the use of 11 off street parking spaces to be for people to sleep in vehicles, with a maximum of two people per vehicle. The residents would be required to follow the shelter’s rules regarding illegal drug activity, weapons, and keeping the area clean.

Numerous citations have been issued, including food, lodging, and zoning violations, violations for length of stay, staffing ratios, maximum occupancy and people sleeping in cars. Operators appealed those violations and said revisions to the CUP would remedy the issues.

Another public hearing is being held after Neuman Petroleum requested a dealership in the 4000 block of 2nd Street South. The dealership would be on the same property as a convenience store. They’re asking to use four off-street parking spaces on the east side of the building and two off-street parking spaces on the north side of the property. The storage space within will be converted into an office for the proposed dealership.

The meeting starts at 6:00 p.m. inside the City Council Chambers.

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