Mohave County approves licensed group home for teen girls after hours of public comment

After more than an hour of public testimony on July 7, 2025, Mohave County supervisors approved a special use permit for Impact 928 to operate a licensed group home for foster teen girls in Havasu Heights. The board approved BOS Resolution 2025‑100 (Item 49) by roll call: Supervisor Letman — Yes; Supervisor Barelli — Yes; Supervisor Martin — Yes; Supervisor Gold — No; Chairman Lingenfelter — Aye. The motion passed 4–1.

Supporters — including foster‑care advocates, CASA volunteers and prospective staff — told supervisors the facility would provide local placements for youth who would otherwise be relocated out of county. "This is not a facility, not a detention center, not a halfway house," said Madison Wheeler, a project representative. Applicant Sherry Pontellillo described a residential program licensed to accept up to 12 girls (the applicant said it would start smaller if needed) and provided binders with project plans and an FAQ to supervisors.

Opponents raised concerns about siting the home in the semi‑rural Havasu Heights neighborhood, the distance from services and traffic and about community notice and process. "The main objection is where it's placed — it should be in town," said Janine Wirtz, citing distance to schools and services. Planning staff told the board the special use permit process is the correct zoning path for this type of licensed residential use, and that the board may revoke the SUP if impacts on public health, safety or welfare arise.

The applicant and her attorney, Peter Furlough, told the board the contract, licensing and operational requirements are regulated by the Arizona Department of Health Services and the Department of Child Safety. Furlough noted the SUP includes a stipulation that allows the board to revoke the permit on 60 days' notice for public health or safety impacts, and emphasized that the property would remain a single‑family parcel if the program closed.

Why it mattered: supporters said placing a licensed group home in Mohave County would keep foster youth near family and local services rather than shipping them to distant placements; opponents said the selected parcel was too remote and raised safety and infrastructure concerns. The board weighed both sets of arguments and approved the SUP by a 4–1 roll‑call vote.

What’s next: Planning staff will proceed with site‑plan review and the applicant said it has architecture, builder and operational staff ready to move toward licensing, subject to the site‑plan and building permit process.