UPDATE: After a judge denied neighbors’ requests to appeal the site development plan, construction is moving forward.
Jared Raymond with Sunshine Behavioral Health, the company behind the clinic, says they expect the clinic to be complete sometime this summer.
MONUMENT – A new rehab clinic is set to move into the city of Monument and replace the current Ramada by Wyndham Hotel on Woodmoor Drive.
The current zoning district the property falls under allows for this change of use from a hotel to a drug and alcohol rehab facility.
The property owner has filed a site amendment plan which calls for some improvements to prepare the area for a rehab clinic. These include more parking lot islands, shade trees and the installment of a perimeter fence and an entry gate.
El Paso County’s planning department is currently reviewing the plan, but since the changes are minimal, they’ll likely approve the plan in the next few weeks.
But local residents like Sam Schafer, who’s lived down the street for more than a decade says the planning department should think twice.
“When you have people that are going to come in and look for a home to buy in our area and we come by and we see this place with the high fence that they propose and you tell them what it is, they’re going to turn around and go away,” she said.
Schafer also has safety concerns with schools nearby.
“I’m worried about the children that are in school,” she added.
Residents have the option of appealing the approval, but only if they can prove unlawful practices took place.
And with fair housing laws protecting people struggling with addiction from discrimination in the housing market, it could be a tough sell.
“There may be some people who say well we just don’t want this kind of facility in our neighborhood,” said Dave Rose, a spokesperson for El Paso County. “And that may not comport with federal housing requirements.”
News 5 reached out to the project manager overseeing construction at N.E.S. Inc., who said she did not have permission from their client, Sunshine Behavioral Health, to comment on the project at this time.
However, you can view the site plan here and contact the staff here.
