Jackie Rehwald | News-Leader

Despite objections from a handful of neighbors and folks who work nearby, the Springfield Planning and Zoning Commission has approved Eden Village's rezoning request for a 5-acre tract of land in northwest Springfield.

If City Council also approves the rezoning — and donors come through again — the property at 3303 W. Division St. will become Springfield's second community of tiny homes for chronically homeless people.

The Gathering Tree, the nonprofit that operates Eden Village, asked the commission to approve rezoning the property from a Light Industrial District to a Commercial Service District, which would allow for an "RV park" of 40 tiny manufactured homes.

The land was purchased by Jet View LLC and John Cooper a few months ago with the intent to donate it to The Gathering Tree.

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Because The Gathering Tree created the first Eden Village on the site of a former mobile home park, the nonprofit did not have to worry about zoning changes.

The homes at Eden Village I cost $30,000 each, cover about 400 square feet and are manufactured in Texas.

The 32nd and final resident is set to move in next week, said Eden Village COO Nate Schlueter.

Schlueter addressed the commission Thursday night, explaining that housing homeless people in tiny homes is a "huge cost saving for the taxpayers in our community."

Opposition, and a vote to approve

About 35 people came to the meeting Thursday to support Eden Village. They wore "No one sleeps outside" buttons. Several Eden Village residents were also there.

But there were also those who opposed the plan. Seven people addressed the commission with their concerns.

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Bryan Smith was the first to speak out against the proposed rezoning. According to Planning and Zoning documents, Smith listed his address as 3304 W. Division St., the address of Missouri Sandblasting.

Smith said he believes the Gathering Tree is "doing great things for the homeless" but argued that this particular location was not a good fit for a tiny home community.

"This area wakes up at 4:30 in the morning to loaders, crushers, sandblasting, pavers," he said. "I mean hustle and bustle of heavy manufacturing. ...

"We aren't good neighbors. You wouldn't want us beside your house," Smith said. "And to put 40 permanent residences right smack dab in the middle of heavy manufacturing is just going to cause problems later on."

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Aaron Greer also spoke out against the rezoning. Greer's business, Faith Paving, is located to the east of the donated property.

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Greer said his business often has big trucks coming and going late at night. His business also does seal coating, which puts off a bad smell, he said. Greer questioned if the residents would be able to complain about the noise or smell.

"I spent my life savings plus borrowed a bunch of money to develop this property. I believe West Division Street is a growing part of (heavy manufacturing)," Greer said. "For me, it boils does to my property value, which I believe will decrease if this doesn't stay (heavy manufacturing) up and down through there."

Steve Hodges told the commission he was concerned about pedestrian traffic along Division Street. Hodges lives in the neighborhood just west of the property.

"There's no crosswalk or nothing in that area," Hodges said. "The main grocery stores are maybe a mile from each direction."

Bob Hopkins, who owns Missouri Sandblasting directly across the street, said his business creates a lot of noise. He argued that the area would miss out on manufacturing businesses moving in if the zoning change was approved.

"It's a wonderful thing they are doing," he said. "But it's the wrong thing in our area."

Planning and Zoning commissioner King Coltrin asked Hopkins how long he'd been in business there and if nearby residents had ever complained about the noise.

"I've been there 45 years," he said. "I've never had a complaint."

David Doolittle lives in a home just north of the property. Doolittle said he spoke on behalf of himself and his mother, who lives next door.

"I agree this is a wonderful thing these people are doing. But I also agree, this isn't the spot to do it in," he said. "It's loud. It's dusty. I'm used to it. I've been there 47 years."

Before voting, commissioner Natalie Broekhoven spoke.

"We, as commissioners, make recommendations to City Council. And because we do that, I feel it necessary to talk about why we are making this recommendation so (City Council) may have some sort of background on why we vote the way we do," she said. "Both sides make very compelling arguments. But as a commissioner, I am only allowed to look at what the property is to be zoned, not its end use. And with that being said, Commercial Service is an agreeable step-down buffer zoning for this area, where there are vastly different uses within a small area."

Coltrin asked Schlueter to answer a few more questions.

"Do you understand the neighborhood you are moving to?" the commissioner asked.

Schlueter responded, "I absolutely do."

The commissioner continued.

"You are fully aware that you are moving into an industrial area with noise, smells and everything that goes along with that?" Coltrin asked.

Schlueter nodded.

"I am. I am also fully aware that (residents) around there don't seem to have a problem with that," Schlueter said. "I can't believe that people that are currently sleeping under railroad tracks and under bridges would mind a little noise."

With that, the planning and zoning commission unanimously approved the zoning change. Commissioners Joel Thomas and Cameron Rose were absent.

City Council will have a public hearing on the issue at the May 6 meeting.

Eden Village I nears completion

According to Schlueter, Eden Village II on West Division Street would be modeled after Eden Village I, except it would have 40 tiny homes rather than 31.

The Gathering Tree purchased the 4.5-acre tract of land at 2801 E. Division St. in 2016. It was already zoned for manufactured homes.

Eden Village specifically houses individuals who qualify as "chronically disabled homeless" by standards of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Residents, many of whom are on disability, pay their own rent at $300 a month.

All of the 31 homes have been sponsored by families, businesses and banks. Even the children and teens from the Catholic Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau raised money to buy a house at Eden Village.

Manufactured in Athens, Texas, the homes are about 400 square feet and cost $30,000, with one bedroom, one bathroom and a kitchen.

It is a gated community. Residents are free to come and go as they please, but visitors must check in and be approved.

The first resident moved into a home at Eden Village in August 2018. Over the next several months, residents were moved in as the houses were delivered and set up.

There is one couple living at Eden Village. The homes are designed for single occupancy, but this couple had been together long before they became homeless.