Questions raised at Planning & Zoning meeting about plan for treatment center

KENT — A special meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) was held on Oct. 4 to discuss a special permit application by the Midwestern Connecticut Council of Alcoholism, Inc. (MCCA). The meeting was attended by approximately 15 people.MCCA had previously submitted an application to P&Z to establish a private school and11-bed adolescent treatment center for girls ages 13-16, at 62-64 Kent Cornwall Road.MCCA has submitted a modification to change the use of the property to an 11-bed adult hospital, clinic, nursing or convalescent home or similar institution. According to MCCA President and CEO Joe Sullivan, the facility would provide addiction treatment services to no more than 11 women at any time.P&Z Chairman John Johnson said, “One of my concerns is that the original plan for education for teenage girls fit into the residential nature of the area. Now you want to change it to a rehab/treatment hospital [for women].”Attorney Thomas Beecher of Danbury, representing MCCA, said, “Three agencies of the state of Connecticut will be supplying oversight of the facility, including the Department of Health and Addiction Services.”Beecher said the existing permit allows MCCA to use the facility for two separate purposes. He also said the permit does not require operation of a school on the premises to perform other functions.Sullivan said, “Our original plan to treat teenage adolescent girls was to operate our own school on the premises so residents would not have to attend local public schools.”Sullivan added that, “MCCA operates three facilities. In short order we expect our Trinity Glen treatment location in Sharon [on West Cornwall Road] to be our all-male long-term facility; our Danbury location will be for short-term treatment only; and this new Kent location will be our all-female long-term facility.”First Selectman Bruce Adams said, “Mr. Sullivan has told me Trinity Glen never had more than 10 to 12 clients at a time, with perhaps a total of 31 treated over the course of a year — never 31 at one time.”Explaining the reason for MCCA’s desire to change its permit, Johnson said, “It is my understanding that MCCA is requesting this change because the state of Connecticut has changed its policies and now wants to keep teenage females in their own homes or place them in private treatment centers, not in group homes.” Beecher and Sullivan confirmed this, saying that was the reason for requesting the modification.Kent resident Jeff Namm said, “I would suggest MCCA not be allowed to use this property as a detoxification facility.”Adams said, “I spoke with Bob Loucks, Sharon’s first selectman, about Trinity Glen. He had nothing but good things to say about it. Loucks also told me a number of people who are in treatment at Trinity Glen attend his church and also participate in church pot luck suppers.” Adams added that he had also talked to the head of Sharon’s ambulance squad, who said the squad has never had any problems with Trinity Glen.When asked about visitations by family members, Sullivan said, “Sunday is the only visiting day. Sometimes we give a pass for a family member to take a treatment client off-premises to attend a family event.” Parking? Sullivan said, “We do not allow patients’ personal cars to be parked on-premises during treatment.”Johnson closed the hearing on the MCCA application. There was discussion about how many days P&Z has to render a judgment on the application. One P&Z member said at least 44 days. Feeling they needed more time to study MCCA’s change request, the commission postponed a decision on the matter until its next regular meeting.