Council maintains limits on group home

Susan McCormack

WEST SIDE -- The battle to get more residents in Yellowstone Women’s

First Step House is not over despite a unanimous City Council decision

Monday night to deny the group’s appeal to increase the number from seven

to 14.

“I don’t think we’re going to sit still,” said Garry Troxell, one of the

directors of the recovery home for alcoholic women. Troxell said the

group home will consult with its attorney to determine what action it

should take.

In October, the council granted Yellowstone a conditional-use permit for

seven residents, though the group home had requested a permit for 14.

“We have not heard any new information,” Councilwoman Libby Cowan said

Monday in her motion to deny the appeal.

However, Troxell argued that women were being turned away from the

facility because of the occupancy limit. The house contains seven

bedrooms with two beds in each room.

“The fact is there’s a need for this,” Troxell said. “The problem is

[women addicts] my end up on your streets ... These women deserve a

chance.”

“We are the good guys,” pleaded Honey Thames, founder of Yellowstone. “I

think many of our neighbors know that. We have 14 beds, but need 30.”

During the public comment period, several residents who live near the Bay

Street home chose their words carefully, saying they agreed that women

suffering from alcoholism need help, but their neighborhood is not the

place to provide these services.

Resident Diane Gomez described the council’s first decision to allow

seven residents in the home as “generous.”

“It represents a fair compromise between neighbors and ... Yellowstone,”

she said, adding that more residents could mean more traffic to the

residential area.

“I have strong concerns ... not because of the nature [of the treatment

facility]. It has everything to do with it being a commercial enterprise

in a residential zone,” said resident John Parks.

To obtain its permit, Yellowstone worked with the city for several months

to agree to certain restrictions. Those restrictions included no

publicizing its open Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, limiting street

parking and appointing a community member to its board of directors.