On Tuesday, the Knoxville City Council unanimously denied an appeal by Grassroots Ministry to move their church into the North Broadway Business district, after emotional speeches from residents and business owners concerned about the impact of increased homeless in the area.
    
Amy Broyles, 2nd District Commissioner, described the church’s proposal as being detrimental to the area and condemned them for requesting to “provide a service to the homeless,” when there are “already services in that area that have been working.”
    
Over 30 concerned citizens turned up to city hall, some brandishing signs such as “Vote NO for new Homeless in Knoxville.”
    
At one point Melinda Whetsel, past president of the Fourth and Gill Neighbourhood Organization, asked for those against the re-zoning application to stand up.
    
“We feel like we have reclaimed these neighborhoods for the city,” Whetsel said. “Our opposition is against dedicating another piece of property to a service where so many other pieces of property are already dedicated.”
    
Whetsel also described how there are currently seven churches within four linear blocks of the proposed site, all offering homeless services.
    
The church originally applied to the Metropolitan Planning Commission on Aug. 11 and was unanimously denied.
    
Parker Bartholomew, representing Grassroots Ministry, told the Council last night that it was against legislation to deny an application for re-zoning based on the property being a church.
   
 “There is a fear that we will be encouraging a homeless area. We are a church and ministry, not a social service group.” Bartholemew said.
    
Brandon Clark, representing North Broadway business owners, expressed the anger of a community having to deal with increasing numbers of homeless.
    
Clark told the council how Knoxville currently offers fantastic services to the homeless and this in turn brings more into the city.
    
“We’re just not going to take it anymore,” Clark said. “You’ve no idea what it’s like to walk to work with your three-year-old Daughter and have to pick condoms up off the floor.”
    
Clark’s speech raised cheers from the large group who had come to protest against Grassroots appeal.
   
 Zack Luze, sophomore in economics, supports the council’s decision, “If the business owners really believe there is a homeless issue. However, I think it seems a bit harsh. I mean from what I’ve seen, and maybe this is just from a campus perspective, I don’t see a big homeless problem. Certainly nothing like somewhere like Chicago” Luze said.