Allender’s veto revives failed argument

Rapid City Mayor Steve Allender

RAPID CITY- City Council unanimously voted on Monday, July 6, to uphold a veto that was presented by Mayor Steve Allender for a conditional use permit for a homeless outreach center, RV Ministries, at 112 East north St.

The conditional use permit was originally declined by the Rapid City Planning Division in May. RV Ministries appealed the Planning Division’s decision and then the permit was passed on to City Council on June 15. City Council voted to approve the permit in a 5-4 vote until Allender vetoed the permit.

At the July 6 meeting, while explaining the reasoning for his veto of the June 15 decision, Allender cited the public safety issues of pedestrian traffic on East North Street and the adjacent railroad tracks. He also spoke about an unclear record of what the conditions of the permit would have been if approval stayed. “I feel badly that the RV Ministries is caught in this dilemma,” he said. “But I am doing here what I believe needs to be done for the common good.”

Jared Tomac, an attorney representing RV Ministries, in response to the re-hashed safety concerns said “we can find an issue anywhere if we are looking for a dangerous condition. But, it’s also dangerous at The Hope Center. There is high traffic downtown, and there is high traffic on Saint Joseph St.” This is the same argument the City Council used when it attempted to block Elizabeth Cook-Lynn from using a portion of land by the Sioux Museum for the Sculpture Garden. The sculptures went in after much argument and after it was pushed by then Mayor Sam Kooiker. There has been no problem with traffic at all.

Former president of RV Ministries and owner of the building at 112 East North St, Cathie Harris, said “it’s a great opportunity for us to have a place where we can meet people, where we can work with people and let them know that there is a safe environment to go to.”

RV Ministries has an opportunity to re-submit their conditional use permit to the Rapid City Planning Commission immediately.

(Contact Travis at travisldewes@gmail.com)

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