The City of Atlantic’s Board of Adjustment is slated to meet 7:30-a.m. Monday, May 11th, in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. On their agenda, is a Public Hearing during which the Board will consider a Conditional Use Permit Application by Zion Recovery Services, Inc., for the property at 2307 Olive Street, that would allow for the operation of a health and medical institution in an R-4 (Multiple Family Residential) District, as allowed by the City’s Zoning Ordinance.

Zoning Administrator John Lund says neighbors in the area have called City Hall to voice their objections to the application. Cass County Supervisor John Hartkopf has called with strong support from the Supervisors for Zion Recovery Services, and the City had received 77 letters of support for Zion’s application, as of May 6th. The letters came from several community leaders, business and economic development officials.

Zion’s Director says “Overall within a 12 month timespan, ZION Recovery Services and Southwest Iowa Mental Health Center (SWIM-HC) will provide vital mental health services and substance use disorder treatment to approximately 6,500 individuals which include adults, young children, adolescents, and elderly in Atlantic and surrounding counties. The number is projects to increase in 2020 as we all are experiencing a “New normal’ of social distancing and self-isolation due to COVID-19 Pandemic.” ZION and SWIM-HC in Atlantic combined, employ 30 qualified staff, with an annual wage totaling more than $1.2-million dollars. Out of the 30 staff, 19 are highly specialized in the field of mental health or substance use disorder.

Background:

• On March 2nd, Zion Recovery Services purchased the building at 2307 Olive Street from Crossroads of Western Iowa.
• Zion is a provider of behavioral and mental health services for persons with behavioral health conditions, serious mental illness and emotional disorders, substance abuse disorders and gambling. Their prevention services encompasses 12 counties in the surrounding area.
• Section 7.30 (2) of the Zoning Ordinance states “Health and medical institutions, including convalescent, nursing and rest homes and hospitals,” are conditional uses in the R-4 Zone.
• The property previously served as a group home for Lutheran Family Services, and an apartment addition to the building was granted in 2004.