Pleasant Grove residents voice opposition to group home

Pleasant Grove (Salt Lake Tribune) » Mark Hales believes this Utah County city needs a place for drug and alcohol abusers to get help cleaning up their lives.

As a former fire chief, he's responded to calls for people who overdosed on drugs. His own son, Danny, spent three years in rehabilitation and turned his life around. And he welcomes Craig Forsyth's plans to build a center here.

"If I had property, I would give it to [Forsyth] and let him build it next to me," Hales said at a neighborhood meeting to discuss the proposed rehabilitation center.

But Hale's neighbors weren't as willing. Most of the more than 40 people attending the meeting thought housing 16 recovering addicts in their neighborhood, near a state liquor store and a gun shop, was a recipe for disaster.

"You have a match, a keg and collateral damage mixed together," said Ellavee Yuzon. "It is not safe for the children."

Forsyth is proposing to build his Phoenix House at 149 S. 1300 West. City Planner Sean Allen said Phoenix House would require a conditional-use permit before it could operate. Wednesday's meeting was organized by the city and Sam White's Lane Neighborhood Chairman Duane Day to discuss the neighborhood's concerns before the Planning Commission hears the request.

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