Duluth City Council affirms planning commission approval of Safe Bay interim outdoor living site at Vineyard Church

The Duluth City Council on Thursday affirmed the Planning Commission’s May 13 decision to approve an interim outdoor living site — known as Safe Bay — at 1533 West Arrowhead Road, voting to adopt a resolution that passed 6-0.

The appeal, filed May 21 by the Miller Law Office on behalf of neighborhood residents, argued city planning staff and the Planning Commission failed to apply Duluth’s Unified Development Chapter (Chapter 50) and had improperly waived dense urban screening requirements. The council heard a staff report, five‑minute presentations from the appellant’s attorney and the applicant’s representatives, a period of council questions and roughly two hours of public comment before voting.

The council’s vote affirms the commission’s finding that the application complies with applicable UDC standards and is consistent with Imagine Duluth 2035 policy guidance. Councilors who spoke in support of affirming the permit cited the program’s limited seasonal operation (May–October), staffing, on‑site rules, and mitigation measures such as dumpsters, signage and a pet‑waste station.

Attorney Brenda Miller, representing the appellants, told…