Zoning board delays action on regulation to allow ‘spiritual recovery’ program

Preston — After a year of working on a proposed regulation to allow local churches to establish residential, religious-based “spiritual recovery” programs, the Planning and Zoning Commission remained uncomfortable with the wording and wanted more time to revise the language.

Pastors Rick and Sherry Nason of the Preston Church of the Nazarene have asked the town for permission to establish a spiritual recovery program at the 128 Route 2 church, for up to 10 women who would live at the church and be enrolled in intensive counseling and life skills programs.

The Nasons repeatedly have met with the PZC and Town Planner Kathy Warzecha over the past year to work out language in a proposed new zoning regulation that would allow tightly regulated spiritual recovery programs with a special exception permit.

The regulation would limit any such program to no more than 10 people and could not be used as an alcohol or drug treatment center.

The commission on Tuesday closed a public hearing on the issue, but delayed voting on the regulation until the July 26 meeting to obtain legal opinions from the town attorney on several issues.

Commission members especially want to make sure they could rescind a church’s permit upon its annual review if the facility causes disruptions to the neighborhood or public safety.

No residents spoke in favor of or against the proposed regulation during the public hearing that stretched over two meetings in May and June.

The one-page proposed zoning regulation addresses the Church of the Nazarene’s plans, but the regulation would allow spiritual recovery programs at any religious institution in town under strict limitations, Warzecha said.

The religious institution would have to be established in town for at least five years and must be located on a “State of Connecticut numbered highway,” the proposed regulation states.

If it is approved, the Nasons then would have to apply for a special exception permit, which also would require a public hearing, for their specific plan at the Church of the Nazarene.

Commission member Anne

Sabrowski expressed concern that some language in the proposed regulation seems too specifically geared toward the Nasons’ proposed program, rather than a more general zoning regulation.

Sabrowski also questioned whether allowing such programs would be good for the town in general.

“I’m not saying it’s a good thing for the town, but it’s a good thing for the people who need it,” commission Chairman Art Moran Jr. said.

Commission member Denise Beale said she would not want Preston to be seen as the town that says “No, this has to go to Norwich.”

Sabrowski, who said she works with homeless programs in the region, agreed with Beale’s comment, but said the commission needs to make sure the proposed regulation is well defined.

She said “spiritual recovery” is a vague term for a proposed facility.

“We’re afraid to call it a homeless shelter,” she said. “We’re afraid to say it’s a drug rehab center.”