Burke defends CityLink

Attorney Tim Burke of the law firm Manley Burke says that a decision by the Hamilton County Court of Appeals on behalf of his client CityLink will not lead to a proliferation of social services agencies in the City, but will do just the opposite.

In a letter to City Council earlier this month, Burke outlined his clients' reasons why the proposed social services project at 800 Bank Street in the West End should receive Council support and why "fear mongering and misrepresentation" should come to an end.

Burke finds his opponents' claims that a finding for CityLink will throw zoning codes out the window and allow soup kitchens to open on Fountain Square, Hyde Park Square and Columbia Square to be preposterous.

According to Burke, CityLink selected the West End property because of its MG Manufacturing General zoning designation, which allows for all of its proposed uses - including transitional housing.

He says that despite the zoning for CityLink's proposed site being found proper by the City administration, the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas and the Hamilton County Court of Appeals, opponents of the plan have become creative by trying to label CityLink as a "community service facility".

However, community service facilities are permitted in many different zones while transitional housing is limited to the MG zones - meaning that, if CityLink is deemed a "community service facility", similar projects featuring transitional housing could spring up in other parts of the City where community service facilities are allowed, including residential, commercial and Downtown development areas.

As proposed, the $12 million, 98,000-square-foot CityLink facility would include long-term transitional housing, a jobs center, a health center, a gym, a cafe, a day care and a barber/beauty salon.

Opposition has come from community groups, citizens, and developers in the surrounding neighborhoods who believe that the project will be a magnet for the poor and may even attract a criminal element, hurting their efforts at community development.

They also believe that CityLink's plans lack transparency and are mainly coming from a group of outsiders who wouldn't want this type of development near their own neighborhoods.

The plans for CityLink were created by the City Gospel Mission (OTR), CityCURE (Clifton), Jobs Plus Employment Network (OTR), Crossroad Health Center (OTR), and the Lord's Gym (OTR).

The project is also receiving support from the OneCity Foundation, Christ Emmanuel Christian Fellowship (Walnut Hills), Crossroads Community Church (Oakley), New Jerusalem Baptist Church (Carthage), New Life Temple Church (Madisonville), and Vineyard Community Church (Springdale).

A report by City Manager Milton Dohoney is expected in mid-January.