Planning commission backs Hope Center Ministries’ proposal for 12‑month men’s recovery program despite neighbors’ safety concerns

The Halifax County Planning Commission recommended approval May 19 of a Conditional Use Permit for Hope Center Ministries to operate a 12‑month male substance‑abuse recovery program at 13177 Philpott Road.

Planning/Zoning Administrator Detrick Easley opened the public hearing and explained that site conditions proposed by staff would require the property to be fully secured and that the operator would report to the Board semi‑annually. Justin Caba, appearing as campus director and district director for Hope Center, described a faith‑based, three‑phase program that begins with a strict 30‑day regimen and then moves into workforce development and life‑skills training.

Caba said the program is structured with 24‑hour staff supervision, an on‑site camera system and three 15‑passenger vans for resident transport. He said proposed capacity for Halifax would be about 34 residents and that the structure’s roughly 6,000 square feet would be reconfigured to provide bedding and common areas without exterior additions. He told the bodies that participation is voluntary, residents are randomly drug‑tested twice monthly, and the program assists graduates with employment and housing placement.

During public comment several neighbors voiced opposition centered on safety, staffing levels and the possibility that residents who leave the program could be released into the nearby community. Gordon Rowland, whose property adjoins the site, asked whether the facility would have a generator and said his principal concern is ensuring the facility is secure. Realtor Rick Fain, speaking for the applicants, said the site sits about 500 feet from the road, is heavily screened by trees, covers roughly 46 acres and that Hope Center operates in multiple counties and countries.

Commissioners and supervisors pressed on operational details — how many staff provide 24‑hour coverage, where residents would be placed if they left the program and how success is measured. Caba said four staff members would provide coverage along with a night monitor and interns; he cited alumni engagement and post‑graduation employment retention as key success metrics and estimated recidivism at larger sites at about 15–20 percent.

The Planning Commission voted 7‑0 to recommend approval with eighteen site conditions addressing security and program oversight. The Board of Supervisors will receive the Commission’s recommendation at a future meeting for final action.

The public‑record materials provided to the bodies include a site handout and a list of proposed conditions that require ongoing security measures and semi‑annual reporting to the Board.