Mustard Seed seeking more shelter space

A billboard advertising a development permit for the Mustard Seed to add an additional 20 overnight shelter spaces to its Allowance Avenue facility.

The Mustard Seed is applying for an altered development permit at its Allowance Avenue facility to accommodate a temporary shelter for the homeless over the winter months.

The move comes by way of a request by the Alberta government, according to an unconfirmed report by the local television station.

Above and below are images which form part of the Mustard Seed’s development permit which the city says are prohibited from reproduction.

The Mustard Seed’s Allowance Avenue facility would see an additional 20 overnight spaces for vulnerable unhoused individuals in the city, according to the development permit.

If approved, the zoning would be shifted from community services to discretionary provisions under the city land-use bylaw to include community shelter and community social services.

The city is claiming copyright over the submitted permit application posted on its website stating, “SHARING OF DOCUMENTS IS PROHIBITED.”

The city claims:

“These application materials are provided to you for the specific and sole purpose of allowing interested members of the public who would be directly affected by the application's approval (collectively, the "Identified Recipients") to review and comment on the application for a Development Permit for a proposed project in your area of business/residence.”

Community TV is sharing those documents as its position is they are material of a public nature and that such an unprecedented restriction is an absurd, unprecedented and unlawful request by a municipality in Alberta.

The issue of the zoning of the Allowance Ave. facility has drawn the ire of local Flats residents outside of the current application.

During a Flats community meeting earlier this fall, residents complained the Mustard Seed’s current activities fell outside of its current permitted use under the city’s land-use bylaw.

That meeting at the city police station saw Community TV’s publisher, Tom Fourgere, tossed out following attempts to cover the public event.

The development permit will be subject to a planning and engineering review. Once a decision is made by the city whether or not to proceed with the application, a 21-day appeal period will be opened.

Those opposing the development permit application can appeal to the city’s Subdivision and Development Appeal Board if, “you are a neighbor (sic) affected by an application that was approved where the provisions of the land use bylaw were relaxed, varied or misinterpreted.”

The Mustard Seed currently operates shelter facilities in the city formerly operated by the Salvation Army.