Residents of a small community Montgomery County, Maryland, In a proposed drug rehabilitation group house built in a residential area next to an elementary school, on armed forces.
At a community meeting Monday night, Brookville Family roasted council members to present zoning issues and security risks at the proposed location of the facility, which will share the property line with Greenwood Elementary School.
Residents said they were blinded by the news and had no say in the matter. Due to the proximity of the facility, they are concerned about potential safety issues for students.
One resident told Dawn Luedtke, a council member representing the area, “Taking this opportunity to be with us the youngest and most vulnerable population in residential areas is a real risk, and it is not a risk that anyone wants to take.”
Maryland families told county leaders they felt safe with the proposed drug rehabilitation facility built next to the elementary school. (Fox News Digital/Istock via Getty Images)
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Mother Kim, who lives near Greenwood, faces Luedtke and asks her to make sure her children can walk to school safely.
She pointed to her son and said, “I want you to look at him.” “What can you say to me with a straight face – can you look into my eyes and make sure he is safe? Can you sleep at night, are you satisfied with that?”
Two properties near Brookville were reportedly purchased by a single owner to convert it into a drug rehabilitation facility called the “Liberty Center.”
Residents who oppose the location of the facility have Start the petitionMore than 1,400 signatures have been accumulated, urging the county to stop its opening.
“We are not opposed to the nature of drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities or their care. In fact, we hope this issue brings attention and resources to addiction assistance. The focus is on the location of the facility.”
The proposed facility will report that the property line will be shared with local primary schools. (iStock)
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Brookville resident Geno has three children attending Greenwood Fox News Numbers The community hopes the county council considers sponsoring their proposed zoning amendment, which will set a distance from building such a facility next to the school.
He believes the owner of the property found a “loophole” in the county’s zoning law to be able to convert two properties into one, each holding eight patients, to “physically and functionally as a facility,” he said.
The community has proposed a zoning text amendment, saying group homes must be at least half a mile away from schools, daycare or public playgrounds, or that properties used as group homes must be separated by at least 1,000 feet from each other.
“It’s a softball for the county,” Gino said. “They’re just afraid to be the one who makes decisions based on their code. It’s never the original intention. But they’re afraid to make decisions and we need them.”
“I think anyone who sees this, you have four kindergartens playing on the grass, separated by two extreme drug rehabilitation centers, which are fenced by a chain link, forty yards, and then lead to the walking path to the school. It’s outrageous.”
Greenwood Elementary School Map, Proposed Drug Rehabilitation Facilities (Google Earth edited by Abby Grofic)
The website of the Freedom Center says it is a 3.5-level treatment center. This level involves “high-intensity programs for adults who cannot undergo treatment outside the 24/7 facility due to severe physical or psychological problems or serious impulse control issues, or because they show dangerous symptoms that require 24-hour monitoring”. American Center for Addiction.
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The Liberty Center and Luedtke did not respond to requests for comment.
Luedtke told FOX5 DC Earlier this month, “I know the community’s concerns and our office is responding to inquiries about zoning and licensing procedures for private entities pursuing the project. Safety and security of students and educators is crucial to me,” she said.
