NEW GLOUCESTER — A plan from nonprofit Day One to open a residential substance abuse treatment facility for men ages 14-20 is headed to the Board of Appeals next week.
The South Portland-based organization is looking to replace its treatment facility in Hollis with a property it purchased at 934 Intervale Road.
Code Enforcement OfficerDebra Parks Larrivee said that as of Wednesday morning she had received one administrative appeal to her Feb. 28 determination that the treatment facility is an approved use within the town’s rural residential district and is subject to site plan review by the Planning Board.
The appeal was filed by North Yarmouth-based lawyer Thaddeus Day on behalf of Gail Kolda, Scott Kolda and Alexander Runyon — who the appeal application identifies as New Gloucester residents and landowners.
“Applicants/Appellants respectfully request that the Board of Zoning Appeals find the CEO erred, requiring the proposed use at 934 Intervale Road to be denied,” the appeal states.
The appeal claims that Larrivee wrongly determined that Day One submitted a proper application to open and operate a 12-bed facility, and also disputes whether the proposed facility is a permitted use in the applicable town zone.
Day said in an interview that his clients live near the proposed location and worry that the young men who would be treated there, who he described as “troubled youths,” could be “a danger to their family and their property.”
The town’s zoning ordinance lists nursing homes and residential care facilities — subject to performance standards for elderly housing — along with community living arrangements as permitted uses subject to site plan review in the rural residential zone. The ordinance language also contains a provision that allows for “uses similar to permitted uses.”
Day contends that this specific type of residential facility wasn’t considered in the town’s relevant ordinance language, which he said was meant for “aged people, not juvenile youth.”
The issue is scheduled to come before the Board of Appeals on Wednesday, April 4.
In a statement, Day One CEO Gregory Bowers said his organization believes Larrivee’s findings were correct.
“We have no reason to believe that the permitted use determination by the Code Enforcement Officer was flawed in any way,” Bowers said. “Day One is committed to working with the Planning Board and local residents throughout the permit approval and site plan review process.”
According to a notice that Day One said it sent to all New Gloucester residents, the organization held two open houses this week at the Intervale Road property and is making an effort to have individual meetings with people who express interest.
The property at 934 Intervale Road in New Gloucester is proposed for a residential youth treatment center. (Submitted photo)
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