Love INC headquarters to get additional space

Thu, May 15, 2008    to del.icio.us

The Love In the Name of Christ headquarters on Grand Haven's east side will soon be doubling its space.

The city's planning commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved a special land use permit and final site plan for the expansion, which is a 3,440-square-foot building to the site at 1106 Fulton Ave.

Love INC Executive Director Eric Morgan said construction would begin soon, with donated materials and labor.

Morgan said the new building will help the agency separate client service areas from its donation processing areas. It will be used for the acceptance and processing of food and other items that are donated to the Christian-based social service agency.

"We're not planning to add any additional processes that don't exist there today," Morgan said.

Commissioners struggled over the limited parking on the property, which has a total of five off-street spaces. City Planning Director Kristen Keery said commissioners may consider the five spaces enough for Love INC operations — but the city needs to look at potential future use of the property, which may require additional off-street parking should the site be sold for a different use such as retail.

"I think we have to deal with what's in front of us," Planning Commission Chairman Bob Monetza said.

The commission's approval of the permit and site plan included the condition that Love INC secure an agreement with a nearby property for additional shared parking spaces. Morgan said they already have a verbal arrangement with the Grand Haven Area Arts Council, 1045 Columbus Ave., for shared parking space.

The commission put off approving the site plan at its April 8 meeting when commissioners decided the Love INC operations should not be designated as a personal service business, as Keery had determined. The commissioners said the property should be designated as a social service center, requiring the public hearing to be renoticed for the commission's meeting on Tuesday.