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The City of Huntington, which owns four of the seven parcels, is the petitioner. Three unaddressed parcels to the north (Parcel 7-16-11, Parcel 7-16-116, and Parcel 7-16-116.1) were previously used as an outdoor storage facility.

The structure at 96 3rd Ave. W. (Virginia Avenue) is owned by the city and was used as a storage facility for the Huntington Police Department. Itòòò½ÊÓƵ™s now in the process of becoming the cityòòò½ÊÓƵ™s new low-barrier shelter for people experiencing homelessness, or The Hub.

The proposed rezoning will allow for the adequate repurpose of each parcel individually. The current zoning creates a hardship to the property owners due to the lot size, according to agenda documents.

The operation of a shelter/mission is conditionally permitted in an I-1 Light Industrial/Commercial District.

The City will need to get a conditional use permit through the Board of Zoning Appeals if the rezoning is approved by Huntington City Council.

The I-1 District allows for less-intensity development than the I-2 District, with smaller lot sizes for residential and commercial development.

Cathy Burns, development director of Huntington and the director of the Huntington Municipal Development Authority (HMDA), said the building that will be The Hub will be remodeled to accommodate a medical shelter under the care and direction of Valley Health Systems.

The new zoning classification would complement the existing uses and zoning by allowing for the redevelopment and use of 96 3rd Ave. W., 98 3rd Ave. W., and the unaddressed parcels to the north, as they do not meet the minimum lot size for heavy industrial building developments (20,000 square feet), agenda documents state. The rezoning to I-1 will allow for future development of commercial, mixed-use, or multi-family dwellings on each individual parcel.

Three residents spoke in opposition of the petition regarding The Hub, all who own businesses near the proposed low-barrier shelter.

Jimmy Taylor of Taylor Iron and Metal, his familyòòò½ÊÓƵ™s business that has been operating for decades, said he is concerned on how opening the low-barrier shelter will affect the businesses in the area.

Taylor said he has issues with people stealing and tearing his fence down now, and he believes things will only get worse. Taylor pointed to several businesses in the area shutting down òòò½ÊÓƵ” Walgreens, Aldi and Food Fair òòò½ÊÓƵ” as being a consequence of the theft happening there.

All three residents said theft is something they already deal with at their businesses and believe The Hub will make it worse.

Planning Commission Chair and Huntington City Council member Holly Smith Mount told the residents the facility should be a positive addition to the community, not a negative one. The Hub will have wrap-around services and help lower the interferences currently faced by businesses because there will be oversight, she said.

In response to an anticipated increase in foot traffic and loitering in the area, Mount said the low-barrier shelter should be different to what people see downtown now as it will have more room inside and outside space, including a courtyard out back for the shelteròòò½ÊÓƵ™s clients.

The petition will now be sent to Huntington City Council. It will go through the Planning and Zoning Committee and then to full council. It will have two readings because it is an ordinance, and then it will have to go before Huntington Board of Zoning Appeals because it is a conditional-use zoning permit.

The Herald-Dispatch reached out to the City of Huntington for comment on the plan for redevelopment of the remaining parcels owned by the city in the petition. The city did not respond by press time Tuesday.