Legal technicality keeps drug rehab facility open

FORT MYERS – Most neighbors who attended today’s code board hearing left furious. Sovereign Health is a drug rehab facility located on East Riverside Drive, right in the middle of a neighborhood.

The center does not have the proper zoning permit to run its business in that residential neighborhood; its neighbors were hoping the city would order the facility to close today. Instead, however, the hearing was postponed for a month.

An attorney representing Sovereign Health said the company never got the “cease and desist” order, adding the center wasn’t properly informed of today’s hearing. Some people couldn’t believe it.

“It’s the most disgusting display of hypocrisy and bad government that I think I’ve ever seen,” yelled one neighbor following the announcement.

“They paid for a court reporter, they had an attorney here, so they obviously had notice that there was going to be this hearing,” Carrie Keohane, who opposes the rehab facility, said. “So I don’t get why their attorney all of a sudden says we didn’t get notification.”.

People were well prepared for the hearing. Many had letters outlining why, they believe, Sovereign Health needs to go. They say they don’t want a drug rehab center next door. People also wore “just say no to Sovereign Health” stickers. All the build up, however, lead to nothing. The meeting is rescheduled for March.

Council member, Johnny Streets, says that’s not good enough for the neighborhood he represents.
“We’re missing the point here,” he said, “that it’s a safety issue.”

Sovereign Health is allowed to operate with the services it has chosen until next code board hearing, in March.