Victoria Planning Commission recommends denying Rogers Memorial Hospital group home proposal at 8150 Bavaria Road

The Victoria Planning Commission on Jan. 7 recommended the City Council deny a zoning text amendment and a conditional use permit (CUP) sought by Rogers Memorial Hospital to operate a 30‑bed residential behavioral‑health facility at 8150 Bavaria Road.

The recommendation came after a staff presentation, testimony from Rogers representatives and a public hearing in which multiple neighbors objected to locating a residential behavioral‑health program in an R‑3 multifamily neighborhood. Planning staff explained the request would add “group homes” to the list of conditional uses in the R‑3 district and allow a CUP for Rogers to operate the existing Emerald Crest building as a residential treatment facility.

City Planner Bridal McCann told the commission staff had found a code inconsistency that removed group homes from the permitted/conditional use list for R‑3 while retaining a definition elsewhere, and said the city attorney advised the applicant pursue the text amendment. McCann also summarized staff review and outreach: the proposal was published, mailed to owners within 350 feet, posted online and at city hall, and a neighborhood meeting was held Jan. 6 at the Victoria Recreation Center, which about 15 neighbors attended.

Rogers representatives said the proposal would reuse the vacant Emerald Crest building, a roughly 2‑acre site with 30 parking spaces, and would serve up to 30 voluntary residents in two separate wings (15 adults and 15 adolescents) for short‑term, intensive residential treatment. Attorney Kate Duncan (Quarles & Brady) and Dr. Heather Jones (vice president of clinical services for Rogers) described Rogers as a nonprofit behavioral‑health organization that operates both inpatient and voluntary residential programs in Wisconsin and Minnesota and said the proposed program would screen referrals to exclude people whose needs exceed the program’s scope.

Dr. Jones described Rogers’ residential model as voluntary, short‑term (typically 30–90 days) and focused on treatment for anxiety, mood and related disorders. She said staff would perform a multi‑step screening that includes review of prior records and a clinical assessment and that, on arrival, each resident receives a comprehensive evaluation. She also described staffing and safety practices used at Rogers facilities, including mental‑health technicians, masters‑ and doctoral‑level clinicians, on‑call psychiatric providers, hourly night rounds and use of an electronic bracelet system (referred to in testimony as “ObserveSmart”) that can alert staff if a resident leaves the building.

Rogers’ development vice president Jack Collier said the building has separate wings, ample parking and existing maintenance contracts that could continue; he showed examples of Rogers sites in residential neighborhoods and urged that those previous projects had not harmed adjacent home values.

Neighbors who spoke at the public hearing expressed repeated concerns about locating the program in a dense, family‑oriented neighborhood. Speakers said the property directly abuts back yards in Arbor Woods and Applewood, that the existing chain‑link fence and tree buffer provide limited separation, and that many children routinely play within walking distance of the site. Neighbors asked for clarification about screening, background checks, overnight staffing levels, whether patients could be court‑ordered, whether residents would be allowed to smoke outdoors, and whether therapeutic outdoor time could be accommodated without using neighborhood streets. Several speakers also cited negative online reviews of some Rogers locations and questioned whether the public had adequate notice and time to respond.

Opponents included residents who said the proposal would change the neighborhood’s character and could increase demands on emergency services; several requested more time for review. Supporters who spoke said there is a local need for behavioral‑health services and that similar Rogers facilities have operated safely in residential areas.

During deliberations the commissioners discussed the scope of the zoning change, noting state law requires single‑family districts allow small group homes for six or fewer people but that multi‑family (R‑3) regulation is discretionary. Commissioners repeatedly said the proposed text amendment would set a precedent: if the commission adds group homes as a conditional use in R‑3 it would be difficult to restrict future, differently configured group‑home uses. Commissioners asked staff and Rogers for more information about screening criteria, safety planning, property‑value impacts and examples of operational differences between memory‑care uses historically on the site and the proposed residential behavioral‑health program.

After discussion, a motion was made and seconded to recommend denial of the text amendment and the conditional use permit. The chair announced all commissioners voted in favor; staff later confirmed the commission’s recommendation to deny will be transmitted to the City Council. The denial means the applicant cannot proceed with the CUP for this site unless the council later approves the text amendment and CUP.

The Planning Commission record and the staff report note the application materials, the neighborhood meeting on Jan. 6 and published notice placed in the Waconia Patriot Jan. 9. City staff told the commission that the City Council would make a final decision at a subsequent meeting (staff announced a council meeting the following Monday at 6:30 p.m.).

The commission’s recommendation to deny closes the matter at the commission level and forwards the matter to the City Council with a negative recommendation. Rogers’ representatives and multiple neighbors indicated continuing engagement: Rogers said it intends to maintain dialogue with neighbors if permitted to operate, and residents indicated they intend to present concerns to the City Council.

Votes at a glance: Planning Commission motion to recommend denial of the zoning text amendment and conditional use permit for Rogers Memorial Hospital, Inc., 8150 Bavaria Road — motion made and seconded; chair announced the motion carried with all commissioners voting “aye.”