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Springdale Residents Express Concern About Proposed Treatment Facility

SPRINGDALE (KFSM) — People in a Springdale neighborhood are concerned about the possibility of a residential health facility going up in the area. The Spr...

SPRINGDALE (KFSM) -- People in a Springdale neighborhood are concerned about the possibility of a residential health facility going up in the area.

The Springdale Planning Commission discussed a rezoning proposal Tuesday (Aug. 2) after Acadia Health requested that a nearly 33 acre plot of land along Highway 412, near Sonora Road, be rezoned from agricultural land to commercial land.

Lori Davis, who lives next door to the property, said she was concerned about the future of the vacant lot.

"[I] heard from a couple different reliable sources that it was going to be a facility for juvenile sex offenders," Davis said. "No one has been able to confirm that and I'm hoping to find out a little bit more about that at the rezoning hearing."

Davis said the property line between the two lots is about 120 feet from the back of her home.

"To know that it's going to be some kind of mental health facility of some sort," said Davis. "Rehabilitation or something, it's scary to think that that's going to be so close to my back door."

Many residents who live near Acadia Health's Piney Ridge treatment facility in Fayetteville told 5NEWS they were either unaware the facility existed or they weren't concerned that it was located close to their homes.

"There's a lot of people right here that would not know it's there," said Mal Pace, a Fayetteville resident who has lived down the street from the facility for the past eight years. "It's that quiet. There's no problem with it. There's never been any problems."

"I didn't even know there was a mental health facility around here," said Danessa Kemerling, who lives in the same neighborhood as Pace. "I've worked in a mental health facility before and I think it's great."

Davis said she wants answers about what the property may soon become.

"I hope the city can put themselves in our situation," Davis said. "This is our home. We don't want to have to worry 24-7 about what's going on right behind us."

Davis and other Springdale residents attended Tuesday's Planning Commission meeting.

"I certainly have deep concerns about what is being proposed," Jeff Kohls, who owns land in Springdale, said.

Attorney Justin Eichmann, who represents Acadia Health, argued the city needs the services provided at a residential health facility.

"We all have populations in our community that require services. If you don’t provide those to the population in the community, you have a problem," he said. "That is why we are seeing clinical institutions growing like crazy around here, because they are having to meet the needs."

Piney Ridge CEO Doris Singleton said patients would not be integrated into local schools.

"The children in the residential treatment facility receive all their education on site," she said.

Singleton said eventually the company would like to build a group home on the property, so patients could be integrated into the school system.

Many at the meeting were opposed to that plan.

"The only thing keeping them out of prison is their age," Kelly Kirk, a teacher and parent, said. "The notification system needs to go wider than just the adjacent property."

And while some residents agreed a facility is needed, they felt it should be located elsewhere.

"[You all] just cut a ribbon on a multi-million dollar park less than half a mile from this location with a splash pad,” resident John Harrison said. "[There will be] kids in swimsuits with sexual offenders right up the road."

The Planning Commission tabled the rezoning proposal until September upon request from Acadia Health's attorney.

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