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Residents urge safeguards for Cornell Road recovery housing; county schedules virtual meeting
Summary
Washington County residents urged commissioners to require safety protocols, transition plans and clear law-enforcement contacts for a proposed Cornell Road recovery-focused transitional housing program; county staff said a virtual community meeting is set for Oct. 14 and described program parameters.
Washington County commissioners heard multiple public comments on Sept. 16 urging the county to require strong safety and neighbor safeguards for a proposed recovery-focused transitional housing program on Cornell Road.
At the meeting, county administrator Tanya Angie said a project page titled “Cornell Road Recovery” is available on the county website and staff will hold a virtual community meeting Oct. 14 from 7 to 9 p.m. to share details and gather input. Angie said staff are preparing “save the date” notices and that the project is at an early planning stage.
Resident Dave Ogle spoke in favor of creating a collaborative model between residents, the facility operator, the county and nearby neighbors and asked the county to require protections “to ensure the safety of not only facility residents, but also our most vulnerable community members, especially the children who attend 5 schools located within 1 mile of the facility.”
Another resident, Aditya Ramachandran, said he does not oppose the project but asked the county to “make safety nonnegotiable,” calling for background checks for residents and staff, buffer zones by schools where appropriate, clear behavioral expectations with consequences, and a 24/7 chain of contacts for neighbors to report incidents.
Angie described the proposal as a recovery-focused transitional housing program for an estimated 75 to 85 participants who would live in a clean-and-sober environment and be required to maintain sobriety while working toward stable housing. She said the project will include development of a “good neighbor agreement” that staff will craft with community input.
Speakers at the meeting also encouraged an explicit law-enforcement role. Ramachandran told the board that, based on Citizens’ Participation Organization meetings, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is aware of the project but “are not directly participating at it in this time,” and he said the sheriff’s office should have a clear role in incident response and oversight.
County staff did not propose final contract terms or a detailed operating plan at the meeting; Angie emphasized the planning process is in its early stages and more information will be provided at the Oct. 14 virtual session.
The board did not take a formal action on the project at the Sept. 16 business meeting.
