Rapid City council tables appeal by First Presbyterian Church on conditional use permit for warming center

Rapid City — The Rapid City City Council on Feb. 3 voted to table an appeal by First Presbyterian Church seeking a conditional use permit to operate a mission (overnight warming center) at 710 Kansas City Street, after more than an hour of public testimony for and against the proposal.

The council’s action to table the appeal was made by Councilman John Roberts and seconded by Councilman Hamm. A roll-call vote recorded 10 ayes, 0 noes; the motion carried, placing the appeal on the table and pausing immediate consideration of the conditional use permit.

Why the appeal drew comment

Members of the congregation and local advocates argued the church should be allowed to host a warming center under the city’s conditional use process. Pastor Adam Knudson told the council First Presbyterian had been asked by the Haysapah Community Alliance to host a warming center and that zoning rules requiring churches to be separately zoned as a “mission” prevented the congregation from exploring the ministry without a conditional use permit. Knudson said serving the unsheltered is “not a political issue for us. It’s a religious and moral obligation,” and asked the council to overturn the Planning Commission’s denial.

Other speakers supportin…