Zoning change wouldn't affect church

Jackson officials say a rezoning hearing Wednesday aimed at restoring single-family zoning in some neighborhoods will not affect the status of the Revival Center, a church that houses homeless people.

In a comprehensive rezoning affecting two neighborhoods, the city proposes changing from the current R-4 zoning that allows multiple family dwellings to a R-1 zoning that only allows single-family housing.

Janet Sanders, Jackson's planning and zoning director, said the city discovered that two neighborhoods composed primarily of single-family houses were zoned general residential, which allows multifamily housing. "We are trying to downzone to single-family zoning," she said.

Sanders said these neighborhoods contain at least a couple of apartment buildings. These would be grandfathered into any new zoning. The first phase of the comprehensive rezoning would affect 29 properties. A second phase will follow.

City officials said the change is not motivated by some neighbors' continuing complaints about the Revival Center. Even if the zoning is changed, city administrator Jim Roach said, the shelter's use would be grandfathered in. In any case, the shelter is a church, which can operate in any zone.

If sold to another church the shelter could continue operating. If sold to an organization other than a church the use as a shelter potentially could still be grandfathered in, Roach said.

If the property was sold and sat empty for two years its grandfathered use would terminate. Any future use outside the zoning constraints would require a special-use permit.

Pastor Joyce Hungate, who operates the shelter, says she isn't going anywhere. At one time she did put the property up for sale. "I got discouraged," she said, referring to the suits. She said the need for the shelter made her take it off the market. It is the only shelter in the area that accepts men, women and children.

The city of Jackson twice has sued the Revival Center since Hungate opened it in 2001. The city wanted to close the shelter or force Hungate to clear up alleged problems there. The shelter is in the former Deal Nursing home at 914 Old Cape Road.

The first suit was settled out of court. A second suit filed last September alleged that Hungate was operating a halfway house not allowed in an R-4 district and stated that police had responded to the Revival Center 36 times since 2004.

Circuit Judge Benjamin Lewis dismissed the latest lawsuit in May. In doing so, he ordered Hungate to run criminal checks on everybody who stays at the shelter to make sure no one with a history of violent crime or a sex offense is housed there. Hungate says she already was running those checks.

Complaints from neighbors spurred the city's suits against the Revival Center. In a January 13 letter to the Southeast Missourian, 13 Jackson residents advocated moving the center away from any residential area.

Some trespassing complaints continue, Jackson Mayor Barbara Lohr said. "There is still a little fear and trepidation on the part of neighbors."

She conceded the city can do little about their concerns other than make sure the Revival Center lives up to the terms agreed to in the dismissal.

Thirty-two people were living at the center last week. Those who come to the shelter can range from people just getting out of jail with nowhere to go to pregnant girls whose parents threw them out of the house, Hungate said. Besides providing a private room, meals and pastorly advice, Hungate tries to help them find jobs. "We don't have skid row bums," she said.

The Salvation Army and the LaCroix United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau both contribute to the center, Hungate said.

She says the center's mission is found in Philippians 4:19. "But my God shall supply all your need, according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

"We serve the poor of the community," she said.

The Planning and Zoning Commission hearing will be held at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Jackson Board of Aldermen chambers.

sblackwell@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 137