Siouxland Community Health Center, located in Sioux City, is seeking approval from the City Council for a zoning text amendment that would allow them to operate a mobile shower unit in a parking lot owned by the health center. The center has been operating the unit for the past four years but faced issues with the city this summer, leading to its closure. The decision to seek the amendment was prompted by numerous inquiries from community members about the availability of showers.
The mobile shower unit is used by individuals experiencing homelessness, as well as residents in the neighborhood who have inadequate plumbing in their homes. The facility also serves individuals who have recently arrived in the community and are in need of showers before job interviews.
City staff has suggested that the Health Center operate the unit from June through September at its primary location or at the Warming Shelter instead of the remote parking lot. However, the Health Center argues that the Nebraska Street site is too busy and chaotic for the operation of the mobile shower unit, and the driveway at the Warming Shelter is too steep for parking the trailer.
The primary issue with the Health Center’s request is that there is no principal structure on the Pierce Street property where the parking lot is located. According to city regulations, accessory use is prohibited in the General Commercial zone without a principal structure. The Health Center constructed the parking lot on the former site of a Great Southern Bank drive-through. City staff has suggested that the Health Center store and park their trailer at their main site, where the clinic is located, as it would be considered an accessory to the principal use.
However, neighboring property owners have raised concerns about the placement of the mobile shower trailer next to their properties. Additionally, city staff has expressed concerns regarding the drainage of the shower tanks and the Health Center’s future expansion plans.
If the zoning text amendment is approved, hospitals, clinics, medical labs, or urgent care facilities would be allowed to operate mobile shower units in parking lots they own in Public Institutional or General Commercial zones. However, city staff recommends denying the proposed amendment, citing it as an undue hardship on neighboring property owners.
The Health Center has yet to provide sufficient responses to staff concerns, and the matter will be considered further by the City Council.
