After almost a year of discussions at both the county and city level, the Lenexa City Council voted on Tuesday to deny a special use permit for a proposed Johnson County homeless shelter off Interstate 35. A more than six-hour council meeting that stretched past midnight ended with a majority of the governing body agreeing that plans for the shelter, also known as the Homeless Services Center, were too flawed to approve a permit needed for it to operate. “I think it creates more of a downside than upside,” Councilmember Chris Herron said. The 5-2 vote followed the recommendation of city staff to deny the permit, as well as the planning commission’s recommendation for denial last month. Councilmembers Melanie Arroyo and Courtney Eiterich cast the two votes in favor of approving the permit. Councilmember Joe Karlin was absent.
Source: Shawnee Mission Post
