Sober living home plans in South Whitehall zoners’ hands

After an arduous several months of witness testimony, questioning and public comment, the South Whitehall Zoning Hearing Board held its final hearing Tuesday on a proposed sober living residence that has drawn opposition from residents and Parkland School District officials.

A decision is not expected for several months.

Planned for 3599 Broadway by Moyer Construction LLC, the sober living residence, or recovery house, would be close to Cetronia Elementary School. It would function as a next step for people exiting drug rehabilitation on the way to recovery from addiction, according to applicant Eric Moyer.

Moyer has been asking the township to consider the sober living residence similar to an assisted living residence, which is permitted in the proposed zoning district.

Moyer’s attorney, Nicholas Sabatine III, gave his summation Tuesday night before a sparsely filled audience, arguing that the two kinds of residences are similar enough in that they both house and serve adults with disabilities.

He said that while the case is an emotional issue for residents, facts should be the focus and there has been no prior testimony that putting a recovery house next to a school poses a risk. Sabatine further argued that any other neighboring home could pose more of a risk due to them not being explicitly drug-free zones like the recovery house.

“In terms of impact, the record is very clear that there is a need for what my client is proposing,” Sabatine said.

Attorney Matthew Deschler, on behalf of the Parkland School District, said the issue isn’t that people are opposed to recovery houses, but that the differences between a sober living residence and an assisted living residence are too distinct to ignore.

These include assisted living residences having stricter regulations and requirements for qualified staff, being intended for long-term service instead of being transitional like a recovery house, and not requiring residents to seek employment.

“When we look at all of these things, the difference between the facilities becomes very stark,” Deschler said. “Just to say that they serve people and people reside there, I think, is not looking at them on any kind of meaningful level.”

Township Solicitor Andrew Hoffman also said the proposed use isn’t sufficiently similar to an assisted living residence.

Zoning board Solicitor Thomas Dinkelacker said it could take several months before the board convenes to announce a decision on the proposal.

Prior to the closing arguments, multiple residents gave final public comment on the case, with some, like veteran and recovery house manager Shaun Chan, explaining how facilities like the proposed one are important and gave him a second chance.

“If it wasn’t for this facility, if it wasn’t for people like Rios Recovery, I’d probably still be out there, lost,” he said. Rios Recovery would run the proposed home.

One woman said no one is arguing a person doesn’t deserve a second chance, but that this kind of facility doesn’t need to be right next to a school as there are to many risks.