What happened?
Council members approved new zoning Dec. 2 for a 1.76-acre plot of land located near the corner of Redbud Boulevard and White Avenue. The new zoning allows for construction of a nonprofit and community service center called the Collin County NeighborHub at McKinney, according to city documents.
The Collin County NeighborHub is a facility proposed by Sanchez Charities that will act as a resource center for nonprofit service providers. The action comes more than a year after the McKinney Community Development Corp. awarded about $517,000 to the project.
A variety of services are expected to be available at the facility including food distribution, rental utility assistance, case management and rehousing resources. The new facility is expected to include space for operations of multiple nonprofits. For more information, visit www.ccneighborhubmck.org.
Staff recommended approval of the zoning request and McKinney’s Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend approval during a Nov. 11 meeting, according to a city document.
The details
The land is being zoned as a planned development district after council action. The new zoning allows for nonprofit and community service uses which come with specific standards, according to a city document.
Under the new zoning, the nonprofits and community service organizations can operate, store materials and serve the general public that are at risk of housing instability, according to development standards attached to the agenda.
The facility is not intended to serve as an overnight warming shelter and no overnight lodging shall be permitted, according to the standards. Instead the facility is permitted the following uses:
- Office
- Clinic, medical or dental
- Food distribution
- Conference and meeting space
- Indoor storage
What they’re saying
City staff received more than 30 letters of support from various churches, nonprofits and McKinney residents, according to a city document. During public comment, Scott Elliott, executive director of One Heart McKinney, defined council’s vote as a “watershed moment” for the city.
He asked for council’s approval on the project which will “continue and accelerate the work of our entire nonprofit community.”
“NeighborHub is not an end unto itself but also has the potential to be a springboard for community-wide collaboration,” Elliott said.
