Anderson zoning board approves downtown substance abuse recovery center

Anderson’s Board of Zoning Appeals has approved a substance use disorder clinic to locate in downtown Anderson.  But as IPR’s Thomas Ouellette reports, both residents and business owners say they are concerned about what the treatment center could bring to the city’s downtown.

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00;00;00;03 - 00;00;10;22 Thomas Ouellette Shane Crippen says he will run the Gemini Recovery Center. He says having the center on West eighth Street in downtown Anderson would make it more accessible to those who will use it services. 00;00;10;24 - 00;00;26;04 Shane Crippen Our clients can take the bus if they need the bus. Bus route. you know, some of our clients work once they go through certain levels of care. So it's downtown. If we're meeting with their counselor, with a doctor, you know, medically necessary. It's centrally located. 00;00;26;06 - 00;00;46;09 Thomas Ouellette Before it's unanimous approval of a special zoning exception for the treatment center. The board heard from multiple people who said the facility would bring things like used needles and struggling addicts to downtown, hurting local businesses. One is Lisa Oakley of Oakley Brothers Distillery. She worried about having a treatment center next door to a business that sells alcohol. 00;00;46;15 - 00;00;55;25 Lisa Oakley You can smell it. You can also. We have all of the garage doors where you can see it. People will be drinking. How is this effective? 00;00;55;27 - 00;01;08;22 Thomas Ouellette The Anderson Center will be the second site for Gemini, which operates a center in Columbus. Crippen says the Anderson facility will not handle or dispense medication or function as a needle exchange. I'm Thomas Ouellette.

Shane Crippen says he will run the Gemini Recovery Center.  He says having the center on West 8^th Street in downtown Anderson would make it more accessible to those who will use its services.

“Our clients can take the bus if they need the bus, bus route,” said Crippen. “Some of our clients work once they go through certain levels of care. So, it’s downtown if we’re meeting with their counselor with a doctor, um, you know, medical necessary, it’s centrally located.”

Before its unanimous approval of a special zoning exception for the treatment center, the board heard from multiple people who said the facility would bring things like used needles and struggling addicts to downtown, hurting local businesses.

One is Lisa Oakley of Oakley Brothers Distillery.  She worried about having a treatment center next door to a business that sells alcohol.

“You can smell it. You can also, we have all of the garage doors where you can see it,” she said. “People will be drinking. How is this effective?”

The treatment center will also be directly across the street from Burro Loco, another venue that sells alcohol.

The Anderson center will be the second site for Gemini, which operates a center in Columbus. 

Crippen says the Anderson facility will have appointment-only outpatient treatment and will not accept walk-ins. He says services focus primarily on counseling, with no detox programs being offered.  He says it will not handle or dispense medication or function as a needle exchange.  And he says operation hours will be from 8 AM – 4 PM.

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During discussion, zoning board vice president Greg Spencer argued the facility won’t bring an influx of criminals and addicts to downtown. Board member Betty Williams then compared Gemini to the Anderson Christian Center, a facility also located near downtown that offers similar programs.

“These people are already coming downtown to seek services, so how is this any different?” Spencer said.

Thomas Ouellette is our reporter and producer.  Contact him at thomas.ouellette@bsu.edu