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Board moves to approve Sugar Tree Ministries’ conditional use for 24/7 family shelter with city access and laundry‑hours conditions
Summary
Sugar Tree Ministries sought a conditional use to operate a 24/7 emergency family shelter at 30 South Lincoln Street; the board discussed staffing, parking, monitoring and safety and proposed conditions including written city access for inspections and limiting public laundry hours to 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Planning and county reviews will address technical building and fire issues.
The board considered and moved to approve a conditional‑use request from Sugar Tree Ministries to operate a 24‑hour family shelter and emergency drop‑in center at 30 South Lincoln Street aimed at women, children, victims of domestic violence and families in crisis.
Lee Sandlin, director of Sugar Tree Ministries, said the ministry bought the building three years ago to expand services and highlighted the cost and instability of hotel placements used now: "We have spent tens of thousands of dollars putting people in hotels," Sandlin said, arguing the shelter would provide a safer, more stable option. Sandlin described on‑site case management, an ADA‑accessible shower and a laundry facility intended to serve clients.
Board members and residents raised detailed concerns about parking, building condition, staffing hours, supervision of children and whether laundry services would be open to the public when no family occupies the shelter. Alexis McKee of PATH, a case‑management program, supported the 24‑hour approach, saying closures at other shelters force families into unsafe situations: "The upticks that we have seen, of children in emergency shelters and in emergency situations, is mind blowing." McKee urged 24‑hour access to avoid leaving families outside after other shelters close.
The board discussed and proposed two written conditions before finalizing approval: (1) a signed agreement allowing city inspection/entry on request for code or safety concerns; and (2) limiting the shelter’s laundry facility hours to 7 a.m.–7 p.m. when no family is occupying the shelter. Planning Commission will review parking, landscaping and site‑plan details; Warren County will complete building and fire‑alarm technical reviews. The transcript records the motion to approve with these conditions but does not include a complete roll‑call vote in the provided excerpt.
Next steps: conditions and a signed access agreement will be finalized and planning‑commission and county technical reviews will proceed before the shelter opens for 24/7 operations.
