Title
Resolution No.19-35, Declaring an Emergency and Exempting a Temporary Warming Shelter at The Father's Heart Street Ministry from Planning Code Requirements (November 1, 2019 until March 15, 2020)
Body
RECOMMENDED ACTION (Motion):
Staff recommends the City Commission approve the proposed Resolution.
BACKGROUND:
The City has received information from Clackamas County health officials and existing homeless service providers that there is a need for additional shelter resources during cold weather events. The Father's Heart Street Ministry, located at 603 12th Street has available resources and space to provided needed shelter during the extremely cold weather and ice/snow events predicted over the winter months.
Oregon City Municipal Code (OCMC) 2.52.020 defines “emergencies” to include “any man-made or natural event or circumstance causing or threatening loss of life, injury to person or property, human suffering..., and includes, but is not limited to, severe weather”. Section 2.52.040(L) of the OCMC authorizes the City, in cases of emergency, to “order such other measures as are necessary for the protection of life or property, or for the recovery from the emergency”, including the temporary exemption of applicable codes.
My Father's Heart Street Ministry would like to house up to 49 individuals from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. each day the outside temperature is 33 degrees or below, including wind chill factor, from November 1, 2019 until January 31, 2020. The proposed Resolution reflects the dates approved in the 2018 Resolution and extends the request from January 31, 2020 until March 15, 2020. The City of Oregon City Building Official and Clackamas Fire District #1 approved the request for conformance with the Temporary Emergency Policy.
The exemption last year resulted in My Father's Heart providing 1,755 beds during severe weather.