To the El Paso County Commissioners, Colorado Springs, Senators and Congress Persons of Colorado:

We, the undersigned, urge the County Commissioners to take action in regard to closing the existing loopholes that allow drug rehabilitation facilities and sober living businesses to operate independently of local zoning ordinances under the pretext of being like minded households, and therefore exempt from the type of regulation required of all other types of community care, health, and boarding facilities.  

This deficiency in oversight has enabled unchecked proliferation of these facilities throughout El Paso County.  These are not residences or households.  They are not serving a local need or crisis.  These are commercial service and boarding providers that actively advertise and seek paying clients from across the U.S. and beyond to patronize and trust the efficacy of their proposed treatment protocols. These businesses have planted themselves in our residential neighborhoods and our school zones. They have multiple facilities, employees, fleets of vans, and a revolving door of customers. This business model not only destroys the character of our residential safe havens (our homes and our neighborhoods) but is also to the profound detriment of their clients. 

Immediate action at the County & State levels is crucial and imperative. We are asking for acknowledgement and imminence with regard to our concerns.

We are seeking to:

• Amend State & County Legislation to allow for more local zoning control and oversight of these commercial facilities that are nested inside of residential areas and schools. They are currently attempting to reside within feet of pre-schools, elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, day cares, libraries, parks, safe paths & school bus stops where children are guaranteed to be protected based on National Drug Free School Zones.
• A rehabilitation facility use to require a special use permit in C2 zoning. We want legislation to return to special use permit requirement for all rehabilitation facilities when in El Paso County C2 zoning and or any zoning areas which would potentially endanger children.