The Montgomery City Council is considering how to help a church in District 7 comply with zoning and licensing policies while allowing them to help the homeless.
At the council’s Aug. 18 meeting, Councilor Andrew Syzmanski said that he received complaints that former classrooms at Apostolic Word of Truth church on 108 Mulberry Street were being used as shelters or boarding spaces.
Syzmanski stated that violations included chained exit doors, non-functioning fire alarm systems and missing fire extinguishers. Bedding and furniture indicated that the building was being used as living quarters, and the church is not classified for that use, according to Syzmanski.
District Fire Chief David James told the council that he visited the property and was told that it was being operated as a church and that they have a certificate of occupancy for that purpose.
Davis said he told the property owners that unauthorized occupants must be removed, and the church must apply for a change of occupancy and bring the building up to code to operate as a shelter.
“We cannot have non-compliant uses inside buildings,” Syzmanski said. “Especially as we’re trying to do a lot of work in the Mulberry area.”
“This is not about trying to be punitive to some people for the sake of being punitive,” Syzmanski said. “It’s that we have businesses and residents that have been frustrated with the constant flow of activities that are happening in that building that are not authorized to be in that building.”
Councilor Franetta Riley urged the city “to get them (the church) to a point where they can provide some services. We always said we need a place for the homeless, and we need shelter.”
Syzmanski clarified that he did not “insinuate” that the occupants of the building are unhoused. He said his point is that the building is not zoned, licensed or inspected.
Council President Cornelius Calhoun agreed that the matter is a land use issue and that the church must have proper licenses and zoning.
City Attorney Lyn Head said she would study the matter further.
No representative from the church attended the meeting. Szymanski said that he has tried to reach out to the property owners, but he has received no response.
The Montgomery City Council meets at 5 p.m. every first and third Tuesday of the month at City Hall on 103 North Perry Street. Recordings of meetings can be found on YouTube and Facebook.
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