A Manitowoc resident is concerned about residential recovery homes.
Through previously submitted public comments, the resident is asking questions about having 12 recovery residences throughout Manitowoc and why the city keeps approving Conditional Use Permits (CUP) for them every year without a hearing.
Recently, the permits were approved under the consent agenda, which can be approved under one vote by the Common Council unless an alderman decides to pull the issue out of the agenda to vote on separately.
Alderman Jim Brey was also called out by the resident since he’s on the city’s Plan Commission and has been vocal about the permits.
Brey tells Seehafernews.com that he respects the residents’ comments, but he says he’s okay with approving the CUP’s because the homes have had no problems.
“That’s why I made my decision and recommendation to go forward with it once again,” he stated. “If there would have been problems or police complaints or other complaints like that, sure there would have been a bigger discussion. But you can see by the actions of the Plan Commission and tonight’s council meeting, there was no opposition.”
The resident also claimed that Brey was only paying attention to certain parts of a Wisconsin state law about Conditional Use Permits.
Wisconsin Act 67 was passed at the state level in 2016. Brey says it requires that the city approve a CUP, unless they have substantial evidence to deny it.
If not, a resident can appeal the decision to a circuit court.
The resident says the city isn’t tied to this, but Brey says they are.
“It’s tied our hand in a lot of ways,” he said. “But we still have a chance to put in use, I guess, and conditions. And we’ve done that. The biggest thing is Paul Braun worked the conditional use permit applicants on those uses and permissions.”
Other claims from the resident included that the recovery homes are not permitted at “Transitional Housing” and that off-street parking was eliminated in an area where it shouldn’t have been.
The comments can be found online on the City of Manitowoc’s common council agenda page for this month.
