Town of Woodfin: Reject a Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center at 30 Ben Lippen School Road
I am writing to express my opposition to Reese Lashers’s proposed lease of the former Hanger Hall School for Girls into a Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center at 30 Ben Lippen School Road. I request you protect the future of our neighborhood by stepping up your opposition to this Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center. The time to act is now.
There are several reasons to oppose this Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center:
1. This Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center, located adjacent to Crest Mountain homeowners and future homeowners, Cirrus Condominium owners and Village homeowners will negatively impact the long term viability of this residential neighborhood.
a.) I believe that the public association of drug/alcohol addiction with violence and crime will negatively influence the decision of existing families to consider moving out of the neighborhood and influence potential new homeowners to spend their money on a home elsewhere.
b.) I believe locating the Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center next to a residential neighborhood will deter residents from walking the neighborhood with a peace of mind; it will increase the risks to their safety.
2. It will bring in a large number of addicts annually and the traffic associated with visitors/vendors.
3. Once the facility is approved, it will not go away. It will only attract more drug and alcohol related activities.
4. A residential Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center will threaten my perceived safety, morals and general welfare. It will irreversibly impact the character of my community. It will adversely affect our property values and decrease tax revenues to the Town.
Many of my neighbors lament society’s anguish and cost caused by illegal drug and excessive alcohol usage; they support treatment facilities and programs. What I don’t support is the location of this proposed treatment facility next to a safe, peaceful and stable residential neighborhood. To the extent you have opposed this proposed Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center, thank you; please step up your efforts now. Be sure to attend the Town Hall Meeting this Monday night, September 14th, 2015 at Woodfin Town Hall located at 90 Elk Mountain Road, Woodfin, NC 28804 at 6:30 pm.
To others, I ask that you oppose this Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center now.
Updates
September 13, 2015
I have been spending my evenings talking to neighbors who feel just as anxious as I do about the safety of our streets. We are currently gathering records to present at the next planning meeting because this facility would fundamentally change the character of our homes.
September 13, 2015
Seeing this level of support for our neighborhood confirms that we are not alone in our concerns for Ben Lippen School Road. This momentum proves that our community cares deeply about protecting the place we call home.
28 Comments
Woodfin must be getting a nice bump in tax revenues with all the new taxable housing on land in the Villages at Crest Mountain. It seems like the Treatment Center may put that in jeopardy. Why can't a treatment center find space in one of the many non-residential locations in the area?
I support the need for rehab centers, but believe this is an inappropriate place for one. I am also concerned that apparently it has moved forward to a significant degree without residential neighbors having been notified or given all the facts in a timely manner beforehand. Also signing for Tom and Betty Garrison.
Along with my compassion for those who need assistance dealing with substance abuse and addictions, I also do not feel as though my neighborhood is the appropriate location for such a treatment facility. Additionally, there are no guarantees regarding any possible growth/expansion of the original CVRC, that might include clients of a greater risk to our safety.
Having worked with people needing drug counseling in my professional experience, I do have sympathy for them and understand the critical need for their treatment. But I also know about the unpredictability of results and outcomes of those being treated. That’s why the location of a treatment center next door to my residence clearly diminishes my security and peace of mind in my own home.
Though I support drug treatment centers, if this one opens on Crest Mountain adjacent to our homes, on that day our homes’ values and even worse, the opportunities to sell our homes, would significantly decline.
Despite the fact that this particular location on Crest Mtn may already be zoned as something other than residential, it is clearly part and parcel of the unique and beautiful residential area on the mountain. There seem to me to be better locations in the city for this type of business. Whether problems with a Drug/Alcohol treatment center are real or perceived, with signage or not, potential residents will want to know what's in that building up on the hill and many will have concerns. This will likely lead to some people not buying in the community which will lead to lower tax revenues for the city of Woodfin. I most definitely support these types of treatment centers but do not see any reason they should be located in such a clearly residential area. There are many truly commercial, safe areas for them to operate and not have adverse affects on their surroundings, real or perceived.
(Not sure if my comment was recorded the first time). As the newest homeowner in the development, I am appalled to learn that, unbeknownst to me when I closed on 40 Denali Drive on Aug 31, an alcohol treatment facility is being planned at the (ungated) entrance to the small road leading to my house. Really? I request the zoning board either disapprove this now or hold another meeting in November to give homeowners a reasonable amount of time to assess the facts --which keep changing.
Sign Petition
We never post to your account. Social sign-in is used only to verify your signature.
Add a comment?
Your signature will be added via . Tell others why you're signing — it's optional.
By signing, you accept our Terms and Privacy Policy and agree to occasional emails about petitions. Unsubscribe anytime.
Share Petition
Don't stop at signing, share the petition link with friends to multiply our impact
Copy link or share directly
Town of Woodfin: Reject a Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center at 30 Ben Lippen School Road
I am writing to express my opposition to Reese Lashers’s proposed lease of the former Hanger Hall School for Girls into a Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center at 30 Ben Lippen School Road. I request you protect the future of our neighborhood by stepping up your opposition to this Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center. The time to act is now.
There are several reasons to oppose this Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center:
1. This Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center, located adjacent to Crest Mountain homeowners and future homeowners, Cirrus Condominium owners and Village homeowners will negatively impact the long term viability of this residential neighborhood.
a.) I believe that the public association of drug/alcohol addiction with violence and crime will negatively influence the decision of existing families to consider moving out of the neighborhood and influence potential new homeowners to spend their money on a home elsewhere.
b.) I believe locating the Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center next to a residential neighborhood will deter residents from walking the neighborhood with a peace of mind; it will increase the risks to their safety.
2. It will bring in a large number of addicts annually and the traffic associated with visitors/vendors.
3. Once the facility is approved, it will not go away. It will only attract more drug and alcohol related activities.
4. A residential Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center will threaten my perceived safety, morals and general welfare. It will irreversibly impact the character of my community. It will adversely affect our property values and decrease tax revenues to the Town.
Many of my neighbors lament society’s anguish and cost caused by illegal drug and excessive alcohol usage; they support treatment facilities and programs. What I don’t support is the location of this proposed treatment facility next to a safe, peaceful and stable residential neighborhood. To the extent you have opposed this proposed Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center, thank you; please step up your efforts now. Be sure to attend the Town Hall Meeting this Monday night, September 14th, 2015 at Woodfin Town Hall located at 90 Elk Mountain Road, Woodfin, NC 28804 at 6:30 pm.
To others, I ask that you oppose this Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center now.
Updates
September 13, 2015
I have been spending my evenings talking to neighbors who feel just as anxious as I do about the safety of our streets. We are currently gathering records to present at the next planning meeting because this facility would fundamentally change the character of our homes.
September 13, 2015
Seeing this level of support for our neighborhood confirms that we are not alone in our concerns for Ben Lippen School Road. This momentum proves that our community cares deeply about protecting the place we call home.
28 Comments
We are the owner and declarant developer of over 130 homesites in Crest Mountain and fully support our neighbors and residents in their opposition to the facility, particularly the lack of notification and communication that has caused so much angst and confusion among all of us.
Woodfin must be getting a nice bump in tax revenues with all the new taxable housing on land in the Villages at Crest Mountain. It seems like the Treatment Center may put that in jeopardy. Why can't a treatment center find space in one of the many non-residential locations in the area?
I support the need for rehab centers, but believe this is an inappropriate place for one. I am also concerned that apparently it has moved forward to a significant degree without residential neighbors having been notified or given all the facts in a timely manner beforehand. Also signing for Tom and Betty Garrison.
Along with my compassion for those who need assistance dealing with substance abuse and addictions, I also do not feel as though my neighborhood is the appropriate location for such a treatment facility. Additionally, there are no guarantees regarding any possible growth/expansion of the original CVRC, that might include clients of a greater risk to our safety.
Having worked with people needing drug counseling in my professional experience, I do have sympathy for them and understand the critical need for their treatment. But I also know about the unpredictability of results and outcomes of those being treated. That’s why the location of a treatment center next door to my residence clearly diminishes my security and peace of mind in my own home.
Though I support drug treatment centers, if this one opens on Crest Mountain adjacent to our homes, on that day our homes’ values and even worse, the opportunities to sell our homes, would significantly decline.
Despite the fact that this particular location on Crest Mtn may already be zoned as something other than residential, it is clearly part and parcel of the unique and beautiful residential area on the mountain. There seem to me to be better locations in the city for this type of business. Whether problems with a Drug/Alcohol treatment center are real or perceived, with signage or not, potential residents will want to know what's in that building up on the hill and many will have concerns. This will likely lead to some people not buying in the community which will lead to lower tax revenues for the city of Woodfin. I most definitely support these types of treatment centers but do not see any reason they should be located in such a clearly residential area. There are many truly commercial, safe areas for them to operate and not have adverse affects on their surroundings, real or perceived.
(Not sure if my comment was recorded the first time). As the newest homeowner in the development, I am appalled to learn that, unbeknownst to me when I closed on 40 Denali Drive on Aug 31, an alcohol treatment facility is being planned at the (ungated) entrance to the small road leading to my house. Really? I request the zoning board either disapprove this now or hold another meeting in November to give homeowners a reasonable amount of time to assess the facts --which keep changing.
Help this petition grow
Share it with friends to help reach 100 signatures.
Sign Petition
We never post to your account. Social sign-in is used only to verify your signature.
Add a comment?
Your signature will be added via .
Tell others why you're signing — it's optional.
Signing with Google or Facebook verifies your signature instantly — no email needed.
By signing, you accept our Terms and Privacy Policy and agree to occasional emails about petitions. Unsubscribe anytime.
Share Petition
Don't stop at signing, share the petition link with friends to multiply our impact
Petitions like this
Other petitions you might want to support
Scan to share
Anyone who scans this can sign the petition.
We are the owner and declarant developer of over 130 homesites in Crest Mountain and fully support our neighbors and residents in their opposition to the facility, particularly the lack of notification and communication that has caused so much angst and confusion among all of us.