Shelter pleads not guilty to capacity violation

GREEN BAY - The St. John the Evangelist homeless shelter entered a written not guilty plea to the ordinance citation - negating the need for a hearing in municipal court next week.

The city cited the shelter for allegedly violating its conditional use permit limit of 64 residents. Officials from the shelter and Catholic Diocese of Green Bay have said they would not turn anyone away due to the limit. The shelter has also taken people to an overflow facility at St. Norbert College in an attempt to meet the permit requirements.

A court appearance was initially scheduled for Jan. 18. However, with the written submission of the not guilty plea, that hearing is not necessary, a court official told FOX 11.

The next step in the case is a Feb. 5 pretrial conference with the city attorney's office. That is not a hearing before the municipal court judge.

The shelter could be fined $500 plus court costs for each violation of the permit.

Also, shelter officials are expected to ask on Monday that their permit limit be increased.