Recovery home gets go-ahead

Elise Gee

COSTA MESA -- They had come by the dozens from recovery communities

to Monday night’s council meeting. They had come to speak about

celebrating their new leases on life. And then they were given another

reason to rejoice when council approved an application for Newport Harbor

Recovery.

Council chambers were overflowing with recovering alcoholics and drug

addicts as others stood outside and watched the meeting on a television

screen.

Most who spoke in support were current or former residents of the

Hamilton Street drug and alcohol recovery facility. They told the council

about their experiences at the center, including becoming productive

members of society, reuniting with family members and finding education

and employment opportunities.

Chad Moninger arrived at Newport Recovery nine months ago.

“It was for me a beacon of hope when I had absolutely none,” he said. “I

don’t mean a little. I mean none. Today my mom knows where I am. She

doesn’t have to cry for me because she knows I’m alive.”

At times, the pleas to council took on a confessional air.

“Substance and alcohol abuse take parents from their children and

children from their parents,” said Mike Marshall. “At 13 I lost my

father. At 26, I lost my mother. Thanks to Newport Harbor Recovery ... my

4-year-old daughter will have her father back.”

In addition to approving Newport Harbor Recovery’s application for a

conditional use permit, the council also deliberated over a permit for

Yellowstone Women’s First Step House at 154 East Bay Street. At press

time, the council was still deciding whether to award Yellowstone the

permit.

The applications had been appealed by council members in July after

receiving Planning Commission approval.

In approving Newport Harbor Recovery’s application unanimously, council

members imposed a number of conditions. The most significant would

prohibit the center from holding its meetings in a garage on its

property.

“We’ll be moving furniture tonight,” said program director Michael

Williams.

Both Williams and center operator Dee Ward said the condition was a small

trade-off for the opportunity to continue operating.

Other conditions include limiting the number of meetings open to

nonresidents to no more than 12 per year; limiting the number of

residents and caretakers to 14; and designating Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3

p.m. as formal visitor hours.

Last month When it was learned -- after Councilwoman Linda Dixon had

requested a report detailing the number and type of group homes in the

city -- that Costa Mesa has a higher number of group homes per capita

than any of its immediate neighbors, some viewed that number as a

negative.

But it wasn’t, Ward said, it was something for the city to be proud of.

“Costa Mesa is a leader in our county for therapeutic communities,” Ward

said.