Commission approves Still Waters Recovery special permit for rural residential treatment campus, neighbors raise safety and infrastructure concerns

Lincoln 2d Lancaster County planning commissioners granted final action on Sept. 17 to a special permit allowing Still Waters Recovery LLC to operate a residential health care facility for substance use disorder treatment on 31.45 acres at 12788 West Roca Road, authorizing up to 44 residents, subject to conditions including state licensure and required water/wastewater permits.

Planning staff described the application as a residential health care facility allowed in AG zoning through a special permit and said the proposed campus would include an existing house retrofitted for administrative and common use plus four modular structures to house residents. George Westlawoff of the planning department said the 31.452dacre lot could support many more residents under the county density rule, but the applicant requested 44 beds (about 16% of the maximum allowed by the zoning's density metric).

Attorney Derek Zimmerman spoke for the applicant and noted the developer and operator accept the conditions in the staff report, including wastewater and state licensure requirements. Owner Matt Rennerfeldt described personal motivations for the project, saying in his own words the initiative grew from "pain and providence" and framed the facility as a recovery sanctuary with gardens, fitness programming and partnerships with local educational institutions.

Ascension Recovery Services, the proposed operator, provided an operational overview. Chris Watrous, client services director for Ascension, said the operator develops and runs residential substance use disorder programs nationwide and described services planned for Still Waters: a short 32d52dday medically monitored detox if needed, followed by a residential treatment program typically lasting about 28 days, 242d7 awake staff and a person2dcentered mix of clinical, peer and life2dskills services. "The program is monitored 24 7," Watrous said, adding that staff would be trained in de2descalation and that the operator emphasizes community partnerships and workforce recruitment.

Several nearby residents and homeowners spoke in opposition or with concerns at the public hearing. Primary issues raised were emergency response time (the nearest law enforcement and fire resources are in Crete, outside Lancaster County jurisdictional lines), the adequacy of on2dsite water and wastewater infrastructure and the effect on neighborhood security and property values. Jan Fisher and other neighbors submitted a written petition and said they fear increased calls for emergency services and that many residents would rotate through the facility on 282dday cycles. Several residents said the facility is not a long2dterm residence but a medical/treatment center, and they questioned background checks, whether residents could easily leave the unlocked voluntary facility, and groundwater/well capacity.

Pam Wakeman said county notice arrived late for many neighbors and asked for further environmental and security evaluations; resident Arthur Grinstead, a physician, said his household would consider moving because of perceived proximity and safety concerns. Multiple speakers referenced long sheriff response times to their rural neighborhood.

County staff and counsel addressed some concerns. The county attorney explained individuals with substance use disorders are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Housing Act; he advised that refusing a special permit solely because of disability-based concerns risks legal challenge. Planning and health staff also noted site2dbased water and wastewater permits and DHHS licensure are required before operation; those approvals are included as conditions of the special permit. The planning report also noted a prior, unrelated special permit application on the property had been denied about a decade earlier.

Commissioners debated the balance between community need for treatment beds and neighbors' safety and infrastructure concerns. After hearing applicant commitments to state licensure, accreditation and 242d7 staffing, the commission voted 72d0 to approve Special Permit 25028 with the standard site2dspecific conditions in the staff resolution (including required DHHS/state licensure and county health approvals for water and wastewater), and with the operator's agreement that the facility cannot be occupied or operate until all those conditions are met.

What happens next: Because the approval is final action by the commission for this county special permit, the permit may be issued once conditions are met (state licensure, county health approvals, issuance of required permits). Staff and the operator said they will continue outreach to local responders to clarify emergency response protocols and mutual aid expectations.