Drug rehab center, Sovereign Health, appeals city’s order to close

FORT MYERS, Fla. – A controversial drug rehab facility located on East Riverside Drive has appealed Fort Myers code board’s decision to shut down.

From the start, neighbors have been vocal about their dislike for Sovereign Health.

“I’m tired of it,” said one neighbor.

“Nobody wants an alcohol and drug detox facility across from their home,” said another.

“I wouldn’t trust them as far as I could throw them,” a neighbor told WINK News.

Two weeks ago, code enforcement decided Sovereign Health must close because the property was only zoned for a residential care facility, not drug rehab.

Two weeks later, it’s still open.

“The $250 a day fine will continue to accumulate until they finally come into compliance,” said code enforcement manager Michael Titmuss, “and then the fine will stop running.”

So far, Sovereign Health has racked up $3,500 in fines. WINK News has learned, however, the company’s attorney filed for an appeal, something that rarely happens for code enforcement decisions in Fort Myers.

“I think in my 20 years with the city, this may only be the second or third time,” Titmuss said.

This means a judge will hear the appeal and make a decision.

“Depending on the outcome of that case,” Titmuss said, “it could go a couple ways. He could uphold the code board order, he could send it back to code board for reconsideration or he could find that something was wrong with the process and squash it.”

There is no word on when that appeal will take place. WINK News reached out to Sovereign Health’s attorney Friday, but we have not heard back.