Manitowoc council approves 12‑bed temporary warming shelter at 702 State Street with 16 operational conditions

The Manitowoc Common Council voted unanimously to approve a conditional‑use permit allowing a 12‑bed temporary emergency warming shelter to operate at 702 State Street for the 2025–26 season, council members said during their September meeting. The permit includes 16 conditions developed by city staff and accepted by the applicant.

City Community Development Director Adam Taggart told the council that the property is zoned B‑1 (office/residential) and that the zoning code does not specifically define a temporary warming shelter, so staff treated the request as a transitional‑housing use. “They are proposing to continue operation of the warming shelter in a new location. Expected dates are November 12 through April 11,” Taggart said, noting that staff coordinated conditions with other city departments and that the applicant had accepted all 16 conditions.

The planning commission held a public informational hearing before recommending approval with the same 16 conditions; Taggart said the majority of speakers at that hearing raised concerns about how conditions would be enforced, but the commission still recommended approval. After the public hearing portion of the council meeting, the council took up the planning commission report and adopted it. “Move to adopt the committee’s report, Mr. Mayor,” a council member said; the motion received a second and the vote carried unanimously.

Supporters of the warming shelter, including neighborhood and shelter volunteers and leaders, addressed the council during the public hearing. Reverend Dr. Matthew Sauer, pastor at Manitowoc Cooperative Ministry and executive director of the warming shelter, told the council the shelter accepted the conditions because the immediate priority was preventing anyone from being forced to sleep outside this winter. “Every bed matters. Every night of shelter matters. Every life matters,” Sauer said. Ken Walters, president of the shelter’s steering committee and a long‑time volunteer, said volunteers and steering members “accept the conditions set upon us. Are we happy as can be? No. But we’re looking to the future.” Other volunteers emphasized that many people do not choose to be unhoused and urged the council to allow the temporary program to continue.

Discussion and public comment were explicitly recorded as separate from the formal decision. The planning commission, staff, and the applicant each acknowledged the permit includes operational conditions and that the temporary shelter is not a long‑term solution to homelessness in Manitowoc. The applicant and its board indicated willingness to work with the city on longer‑term housing strategies while operating the temporary shelter this winter.

The conditional use authorizes Neighborhood of Manitowoc County Inc. to operate a 12‑bed emergency warming shelter at 702 State Street for the stated season, subject to the 16 conditions attached to the planning commission staff report. The council’s action was limited to issuing the conditional use; the transcript does not record details of enforcement mechanisms or subsequent administrative steps beyond staff recommendations.

Community members and volunteers said they will continue to participate in shelter operations and broader housing discussions. The council did not attach any additional conditions at the time of the vote and recorded the decision as approval of the planning commission recommendation.