Counselor requests conditional‑use permit for 14‑bed residential treatment center on South Main

Chelsea Durden, a substance‑use counselor who operates outpatient and sober‑living programs, told the Mona City Planning and Zoning Commission she is seeking a conditional‑use permit to open a 14‑bed residential treatment facility for adults at a property she identified as 565 South Main.

Durden said the program would be CARF‑accredited and regulated by the Utah Department of Human Services and the Division of Professional Licensing, and structured to meet Medicaid funding requirements. "This is a confidential treatment facility. It is not a halfway house or a detox center," she said, adding that all residents would be medically screened and cleared before admission and that the program would not accept registered sex offenders or people with violent‑offense histories.

Durden described operations and safety measures she said the program would follow: 24‑hour on‑site staffing with staffing ratios aligned to Medicaid rules (she cited a 1:4 staff‑to‑resident ratio), locked medication storage supervised by trained staff, prescreening protocols, and limits on residents' ability to leave the site without staff. She said the facility would not accept court‑ordered placements; admissions would be voluntary. "We do not accept registered sex offenders, have a history of violent offenses, or have committed crimes involving weapons or serious bodily injury," she said.

On the proposed site, Durden said she would convert part of the garage into a bedroom to meet square‑footage requirements, possibly add a roughly 500‑square‑foot accessory building for group therapy (not living quarters), and work with the fire marshal and building department on any required upgrades. She told commissioners she expects average lengths of stay of about 30–45 days and that the typical client age range is about 25–39 years. Durden estimated the operation would create 10–15 local jobs (clinicians, line staff, maintenance, kitchen) and said the program conducts community service projects at other facilities.

Commissioners and several residents asked about public‑safety impacts, the difference between youth or court‑ordered programs and voluntary adult treatment, traffic and utility needs, and the site's history of basement flooding. A commissioner observed that volunteer emergency services in Mona could be more limited than in larger nearby cities; Durden said she had already spoken with the local fire official and would coordinate required inspections. Neighbors and commissioners recalled problems at a previously‑operated boys' home in the area and asked whether similar issues might recur; several speakers emphasized the distinction Durden made between voluntary adult treatment and prior youth or court‑ordered programs.

Durden offered to provide licensing and accreditation documents, neighbor reference letters and contact information for other cities that host similar facilities. She asked whether the commission could consider a decision by Dec. 1; commissioners said they would take time to research comparable operations (for example, Spanish Fork) and could schedule a special meeting or a council work session if needed. The commission did not grant the permit or vote on the application at the Nov. 5 meeting; staff and commissioners requested additional documentation and follow‑up before any formal decision.

Durden said the program would aim to reduce strain on law enforcement and local hospitals by treating substance‑use and co‑occurring mental‑health issues and that residents would not be permitted to keep cars on site. "They are not allowed to have cars," she said. She also noted the facility would comply with all state licensing checks, include random inspections by the Department of Human Services and provide proof of insurance and policies as required.

Next steps recorded in the meeting transcript include city staff collecting Durden's written materials, commissioners undertaking research and the possibility of a special meeting or council work session to consider the conditional‑use permit application.