Update on Proposed Homeless Shelter in Bonita Springs

As you may know, Development Associate’s application to build a shelter of up to 168 beds at the Bernwood site off Old 41 Road is at a standstill. The City ceased working on the development application in July after outside counsel Beverly Grady opined that the moratorium on homeless shelters that went into effect on May 18, 2012 applies to this application. It should be noted that BSAFE’s Attorney, Kami Corbett, suggested the moratorium and without this action, the Development Order could have already been approved. The attorney for Development Associates, Neale Montgomery, is expected to make her case to City Council next month on why the moratorium should not apply to their application. Bsafe is still collecting and preserving resources to oppose a shelter in court should the City agree with Montgomery’s arguments.

During this waiting period, BSAFE Bonita, Inc. members and other interested community members have continued to participate in endlesss City Council and Local Planning Agency (LPA) meetings to develop an operational ordnance that would apply to any future homeless shelter application. LPA meetings were held on August 16, August 21 and September 11, 2012 to review proposals for an operating ordinance and zoning changes. Please refer to the City of Bonita Springs website for further details on these meetings. The next LPA meeting is scheduled for September 20, 2012 at 8:30 am at City Hall to further review the operational ordinance.

While many Bonita Springs residents and some BSAFE members are opposed to any homeless shelter being located in Bonita, it is important that we remain involved in the process to ensure proper and safe operating standards if a shelter is approved. So far, the majority of BSAFE’s recommendations have been included in the operating ordinance drafts.. Our recommendations have covered such items as a smaller shelter size of 20 – 30 residents, admission restricted to those with legal immigration status, limiting number of shelters to one, distances from schools, residential areas and other social services, the operation and oversight by professionally licensed staff, and many other points.

Some residents are concerned that working on regulations will encourage or invite the opening of a shelter, but as LPA member Fred Forbes pointed out at the August 21 meeting, “this is not an enabling ordinance.” Other LPA members have echoed those comments.

Also under the proposed changes, properties with zoning that currently allows shelters will have to go through public hearings before the zoning board and City Council. As the code now stands, approval or denial is determined by Bonita’s community development department, of which John Dulmer is the head. There are currently four properties in Bonita Springs whose zoning could allow building of a homeless shelter.