No HRC

The Hope Recovery Center’s (HRC) proposed site is in a Rural 10 zone. The base density is one dwelling unit per 10 acres; the maximum density is supposed to be two dwelling units per 10 acres. The closest conditional use permit that the county could find to assign to HRC is as a “cultural center” and a cultural center is for the use and benefit of the community by at least 50 percent or more. 

HRC is clearly not a cultural center nor will the promise of reserving 50 percent of the beds for local residents make it one. There are no such legal terms as a “pre-homeless shelter” or “homeless prevention center,” as used in the permit application and public discussions about HRC. These are attempts to pull on the heartstrings of our residents in order to gain support.

The NO to HRC building is not a NIMBY movement. Concerned residents question the rural location of the center and have suggested to the HRC board four alternative sites on the Key Peninsula that are legitimately zoned for a facility of this size and scope.

Concerned residents just ask the community to objectively look at the zoning laws and the community plan and ask well-informed questions. I also ask the Key Peninsula News to provide contact and meeting information for both sides of the issue when it prints articles like “Hope Recovery Center: Progress and Pushback” (KP News, January 2019).

Tracy Geiss

Vaughn