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Planning commission approves recovery house at 814 14th Ave; approval conditioned on Ohio Recovery Housing accreditation and building permits
Summary
The commission granted conditional use approval for a transitional recovery house operating at 814 Fourteenth Avenue, requiring Ohio Recovery Housing accreditation, a certificate of occupancy and continued compliance with house rules and monitoring.
The Middletown Planning Commission on June 11 approved a conditional use to allow a transitional recovery house at 814 Fourteenth Avenue, finding the operation met the city’s conditional‑use criteria so long as the operator follows staff conditions and secures accreditation.
Courtney Hunter, compliance officer for Modern Psychiatry and Wellness (the operator), described the facility as “a safe place for people to live” and said the operator has applied for Ohio Recovery Housing certification and maintains daily oversight. “The purpose is to provide a safe place for people to live. These are just common residents,” Hunter said when commissioners asked about operations.
Staff reported the use is located in an R‑4 attached residential district; transitional housing is a conditional use in that district. Staff noted the facility had begun operating before zoning authorization was obtained and recommended conditions if the commission approved: verification of Ohio Recovery Housing accreditation, submittal of architectural and building‑permit plans and continued adherence to house rules, including 24‑hour stewardship and property maintenance.
Commissioners asked about licensing, onsite supervision and how residents are screened and monitored. Hunter said the operator requires residents to have completed detoxification, enforces curfews and regular drug testing, and assigns a house steward who lives onsite. She told the commission the organization’s application to Ohio Recovery Housing was submitted in mid‑April and is under review.
Legal counsel for the applicant pointed commissioners to state law that exempts certain facilities already operating and pursuing accreditation; counsel also argued that federal fair‑housing protections require reasonable accommodation where applicable. The commission attached a condition clarifying the timing of accreditation: the operator must provide documentation showing the Ohio Recovery Housing application is in process and must furnish accreditation documentation to the city within 30 days of receiving final state approval; the operator must also obtain all required building permits and a certificate of occupancy.
The commission voted to approve the conditional use with those conditions. Staff noted it will monitor police calls for service and may bring the conditional use back for revocation proceedings if conditions are not met or if the property becomes a nuisance.
