Planning Commission Recommends Against Zoning Change to Allow Drug Treatment Facility
By Scott Johnson
LOCK HAVEN – The Clinton County Planning Commission unanimously voted Tuesday night to recommend to the county commissioners to vote against a proposed zoning change to allow a Lock Haven man to buy the Woolrich Lodge property off Little Plum Run Road in Gallagher Township to establish a drug rehabilitation center for up to 25 males between the ages of 18-26.
The meeting was held in front of approximately 60 people in the large courtroom in the Clinton County Courthouse. It was moved from the commissioners’ meeting room in the former Piper Blue Building due to the anticipated large crowd. All in the attendance, except those associated with the plan, spoke out against the idea, during the over hour-long discussion.
The developer is Robert C. “Bobby” Wise II who two years ago had received permission from Woodward Township to establish a similar facility off Route 664. That project never came to fruition.
Clinton County Planner Katherine de Silva said the change would be in the Woodland Conservation zoning district, to make institutional residences a Special Exception Use, to add Residential Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation Centers as an exception to the three-month minimum period of residence, which is currently the ordinance.
She also noted any change in Gallagher Township’s ordinance would also filter down to the six other townships the planning department currently provides zoning ordinances: West Keating, East Keating, Grugan, Noyes, Logan and Colebrook townships.
Wise told the large gathering of his plan to build the facility at the Woolrich Lodge, which is in the Turkey Trot development and can only be accessed by a private road, Bear Pen Hollow Road. “I understand the ‘not in my backyard,’” said Wise, who added he has had his own issues with addiction that, he said, came to fruition after the death of one of his sons, Robert C. “Bobby” Wise III, to an overdose.
He added his addiction led to incarceration at the Clinton County Correctional Facility in 2005. He later earned a master’s degree in addiction studies. “This is what my passion is,” Wise said. “This would be a perfect building for what I wanted to do.”
“People are dying all the time, even in rural areas, from addictions,” he continued. “I don’t want anybody to come who doesn’t want to be there.” Wise added the center would be family involved and would address all mental health issues, including mental health disorders, depression and anxiety.
“They have issues, sometimes maybe it is where they live,” he said. “There may be single-parent homes, parents who are dead or have their own addictions… Our solution is to establish a facility with counselors and staff that show compassion and empathy toward any young adult in need.”
Wise said it would not be a half-way house and the young men would not be coming from the criminal justice system and he would need to meet “very, very strict” requirements from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. “The goal is to promote change and be the change,” he said. “It’s for them to take some responsibility and get control of their live.”
Further, Wise said the facility would have 24-hour supervision. “They cannot get out,” he said. “If they want to leave, they will not be on Bear Pen Hollow Road.”
The meeting was continued from last month because the commission wanted to hear opinions from the seven affected municipalities. de Silva said all municipalities came out against the suggested zoning change, mostly due to the rural nature of Woodlands Conservation districts, and health and safety concerns due to a long response time, up to an hour, for any emergencies.
Paul Welch, solicitor for Grugan Township, said that township is against the zoning change. He said his legal opinion is any change could open up a “slippery slope” and a “precedent” for any other developments in the Woodlands Conservation District, which is meant to encourage the
conservation of the land and enhance the area’s beauty.
Steve Miller of East Keating Township said that township is opposed to the proposed change due to the health and safety aspect. Bill McCoy, Gallagher Township supervisor, said his township is
also opposed to the change because the district is a “prestige area” due to its water, ground and surroundings. “We moved here and we want it like it is,” he said. “If we open things up like this for a special exception, we would open up a bottle.” Further, he said, the road leading to the lodge is a forest road and not maintained by the township.
Skip Wilson of Colebrook Township noted his township has a similar development with Bald Eagle Boys Camp near the Ice Mine Cut on the Renovo Road, but the township also has concerns about emergency response in the Woodlands Conservation District in his township. “We promote tourism in Clinton County, why would we want to change that? Why change it?” he said. “We would like to keep the Woodlands as it is.”
de Silva said, at the direction of the county, she looked into several aspects for the proposal. She noted the proposed center would be allowed as a permitted use for several areas in Clinton County, mostly in small sections in western Clinton County and large swaths in southern Clinton County. di Silva added there are six permitted areas in Lycoming County, and none in Centre County, mostly because that county does not have zoning plans, except in larger municipalities like Bellefonte and State College.
She said the only licensed drug facility in Clinton County is Crossroads in Lock Haven, which is an out-patient facility. The closest in-patient drug facilities, she said, are in Port Matilda, 47 miles away from Lock Haven, and Tyrone, 67 miles away. Further, de Silva said, Shea Madden, executive director at the West Branch Drug and Alcohol Abuse Commission, told her that facility used to have problems getting clients in residential treatment services the same day, but now her agency can do it the same day.
The attorney for Wise said oil drilling and mining are permitted uses in the Woodlands Conservation District. However, de Silva responded those uses are mandated by the Pennsylvania Legislature in all districts except residential.
After the planning commission board’s unanimous decision for the county commissioners to reject the proposed zoning change, county commissioner Jeff Snyder said his board will vote on the matter at its next meeting this Thursday at 10 a.m.
