Public Hearing Monday To Discuss Journey Home Conditional Use Permit

(KNSI) — Sauk Rapids City Council will hold a public hearing at tonight’s meeting to discuss the revised conditional use permit for the Journey Home, which is still awaiting approval from the Planning Commission.

Meridian Behavioral Health took over the rehab facility in 2020 and proposed significant changes to how the building operates. Those modifications were accepted, but there was a catch that had lingered until this fall, says Community Development Director Todd Schultz.

“As part of that permit there was an agreement that was supposed to been signed and recorded on their part and that didn’t happen. And so, basically we’re kind of going through that same permit process that we did about two years ago to kind of get all of our ducks in a row.”

With the issue open, one of the topics likely to be addressed is the burden Journey Home places on the police department, according to Schultz.

“In conversations that we’ve had with the user and the police department, I think a lot of those [increased calls] probably can be attributed to maybe things that can be remedied through education and communication.”

Journey Home has seen increased police calls since it added hours and began allowing men access to its substance use services.

Another sticking point is whether Meridian has the proper licensing to house children and other family members of patients on site.

The planning commission will not officially approve the new conditional use permit until January, so the public hearing will extend into 2023.

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