The unexpected arrival of Lakehouse Recovery, a residential center for young men dealing with drug addiction, has Francestown residents concerned and confused.
At the Francestown Board of Selectmen meeting on Sept. 19, residents filled the office to standing-room-only and flooded the board with questions.
Lakehouse Recovery opened on July 25 without notice to or approval from the proper town boards. The selectmen say that the next step is for the Zoning Board of Adjustment to hear from Mark Hatfield, Lakehouse’s founder.
Until then, people in town still have questions.
“I only know about it from Facebook, people arguing back and forth about it,” Matthew Lee of Francestown said. “In this town, if you don’t go through the process and town hall, people won’t like it.”
Hatfield has interacted with residents on community Facebook pages, and met with Town Administrator Jamie Pike, but has not had a hearing with the zoning board.
Once that happens, other arms of the municipal government can get involved. The Board of Selectmen has enforcement authority on the ZBA’s decision. The Planning Board would be involved only insofar as a potential site plan review if there are to be changes to the Scoby Road house – parking or septic issues, for example.
Seeking more information, possibly from a site walk, is the next step.
“Just go through the drill and you’ll get it,” Scott Carbee, a former Francestown selectman, said. “Everyone has to go through the same filter, and just go through the filter and you’ll get it.”
Carbee says the controversy surrounding the project is not denial of the need for recovery services. He said that many families likely understand and have gone through addiction troubles.