The Mustard Seed has been ordered to halt operations after falsities discovered in permit. NEWS FILE PHOTO
asmith@medicinehatnews.com
The Mustard Seed must halt operations at their Allowance Avenue location following the decision at the Wednesday Municipal Planning Commission meeting, said the City of Medicine Hat.
The reasoning behind this lies in a permit deemed invalid last October, said the City, after a review of the file. The change of use application was submitted to legitimize the existing uses in place such as the daytime shelter, food services and social services, as well as intensify the site with the overnight shelter service.
With this application being denied at the MPC meeting, said the City, the Mustard Seed has no valid permit for any use of the site and must cease all operations on Allowance Avenue. This does not, however, affect the 8th St SE location.
This potential outcome was something that had been discussed with the Mustard Seed during the application process, and they have formally notified the Mustard Seed of this outcome with a refusal notice, who now have 21 days to appeal the decision.
“The City, separate from its role as the approving authority in the development process, is committed to work alongside the Government of Alberta to supporting vulnerable Albertans in the community,” said Colleen Graham, director and chief communications Officer in supplementary information provided to News.
The issue arose again at council’s development and infrastructure committee meeting on Thursday, where elected officials asked about next steps.
“It’s a legislative process that is really in the hands of the applicant what the next steps are,” said Pat Bohan, managing director of development and infrastructure division for the city.
That department oversees the planning department, which noted on Thursday that it is regulator, and not a party in the process.
The applicant is the Mustard Seed, and a proposal to relocate the facility in the future would see either the Mustard Seed or the provincial government make an application.
“We stand at the ready to work on a new application,” said planning director John Popoff.
