Traverse City planning commissioners approved special land use permits (SLUPs) at a public hearing last night for Federated Properties to construct a five-story, mixed-used development at 124 West Front Street and Safe Harbor of Grand Traverse to open an emergency homeless shelter at a city-owned warehouse at 517 Wellington Street.

Commissioners voted 8-1 to support Federated Properties' SLUP request, which calls for a 174,173 square-foot, 65.5-foot high building to be constructed on West Front Street adjacent to J&S Hamburg. The project requires special zoning exceptions to exceed the normal 60-foot height maximum and to provide private parking on-site. Commissioner Jody Bergman voted against the request, but only because of attached commission stipulations regarding window glass materials she felt were “onerous” to the developer; Bergman stated she did not oppose the project itself. W. Keith Owen of Owen Architects Collaborative, which represents Federated Properties, shared additional details with commissioners about the project at the meeting, including that the planned 47 residential units will range in size from 1,200-3,000 square feet and that the developers envision the building's bottom corner commercial space as being a “wonderful” spot for a new downtown restaurant.

After lengthy discussion and a heated public comment session, planning commissioners voted 5-3 to grant a SLUP to Safe Harbor to open its proposed emergency shelter on Wellington Street. Commissioners Michael Dow, Janet Fleshman and Bill Twietmeyer voted against the SLUP, while Commissioner Cecil McNally was absent during the meeting vote. Stipulations attached to the approval include that the facility must be limited to a maximum of 90 beds and non-operational between May 15 and October 15, that a submitted Safe Harbor Operations Plan be implemented and followed, and that stormwater drainage evaluation and sidewalk construction be part of Safe Harbor's lease negotiations with the city. Commissioners also drew a distinction between minor amendments to the SLUP – changes Safe Harbor could make without affecting the permit, such as meal times and training adjustments – and major amendments that would affect the SLUP's status, such as increasing the number of beds beyond 90 or not following the Operations Plan.

Addressing concerns about rumored nearby transitional housing to the facility, which would violate the city's emergency shelter zoning ordinance, City Planning Director Russ Soyring confirmed the city has ruled out the existence of such facilities, saying that those that do fall within the vicinity do not meet the city's definition of transitional housing. Soyring also addressed accusations the proposed shelter doesn't comply with the city's Corridors Master Plan for Eighth Street, noting that the government defines emergency shelters as “social services or healthcare” facilities and that the Corridors Master Plan calls for such types of services within the district.

Both the Federated Properties plan and Safe Harbor proposal will now head to the city commission for final review.