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Jennings County planning panel hears request to rezone downtown building for recovery center
Summary
Jeremy Pace, executive director of ICAST Alarms, asked the Area Plan Commission to recommend rezoning of a downtown building to allow a recovery community center that would operate 9 a.m.–10 p.m. weekdays, not provide overnight housing, and include community-service requirements for members; the board moved to recommend approval and was told the city council has final authority.
Jeremy Pace, executive director of ICAST Alarms, asked the Area Plan Commission’s recommendation board to support rezoning of a downtown property so his group can operate a recovery community center there.
Pace said the center would be a “safe structured environment” where recovery meetings and services would be offered and where members would be required to perform community service. “We’re also offering a place where recovery meetings can be held,” he said, adding the site would operate 9 a.m.–10 p.m. weekdays and that “there’ll be nobody living” on-site.
The proposal, Pace said, already has organizational structure and local support: he said the group has 501(c)(3) status, insurance will be obtained before opening and a task-force grant of $3,000 would help finish renovations. Pace said the group currently counts about 12 full-time volunteers, eight members and five board members.
Board members and other attendees pressed on operational and community impacts. An attendee asked about parking; Pace said parking is available. When asked about law enforcement effects, Pace said, “I don’t think there’s gonna be any impact to us.” Another board member recommended a condition that, if the business closes or moves, the property revert to its previous commercial historic downtown zoning, calling that change “a big deal.”
Pace described recent outreach efforts and partnerships to support the center, saying outreach included a park event that distributed naloxone and fentanyl test strips and that the group handed out about 500 meals. He identified “Thrive” and jail-based recovery coaches as partners who would provide supervision and operational support.
At the meeting an applicant motioned that the board recommend approval of the rezoning request with the reversion condition; a board member seconded the motion. The transcript does not record a formal roll-call vote. An unidentified board member explained that the Area Plan Commission is a recommending body and that the City Council has the final decision; Pace was told the APC hearing is at 6:00 p.m. and the City Council hearing is scheduled for the 13th.
The meeting record shows no final city decision on the rezoning in this session. Next procedural steps for the applicant are to appear at the APC meeting and, if recommended, to seek approval at the City Council hearing.
