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John Daley reportingNeighbors of a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility tonight vented their frustrations.
The Ark of Little Cottonwood Canyon moved into Sandy last year, and now neighbors have a laundry list of complaints.
The situation hit the boiling point this weekend, when police arrested a woman for trying to break into a nearby home. Neighbors say they've seen an uptick in crime since the facility opened. And now they're calling on public officials to do something about it.
A group of anxious and exasperated Sandy neighbors gather to express their frustrations about a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility. Concerned about safety and traffic, neighbors fought the center moving in here last year, unsucessfully.
Now they say the problems are mulitiplying: ..too many cars coming and going ...more clients staying there than was originally planned... ...some sneaking out over fences surrounding the center... ...a loud speaker system... ...and recent spate of burglaries.
Steve Chapman, Sandy Police Chief: "WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. WE HAD SEVEN BURLARIES LAST WEEKEND. SO WE WANT TO GET ON TOP OF IT AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN."
Wally Miller, Sandy City Attorney: "ANYTIME WE SEE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY PARTICULARLY IF IT STARTS TO FORM A PATTERN WE WANT TO GET ON IT VERY QUICKLY. AND WE FEEL THAT'S WHAT'S STARTING TO HAPPEN HERE. WE'RE SEEING CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AND WE WANT TO KNOW WHY."
On Sunday, Jill Nelson's husband caught a woman from the center trying to break into their home.
Jill Nelson, Neighbor: "THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM HERE IS THAT THIS FACILITY IS IN A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT BEHAVES IN A WAY THAT IS NOT A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING AND THAT HAS HUGE RAMIFICATIONS FOR PEOPLE WHEN THEY ARE PERMITTED TO HAVE 32 PEOPLE IN A LOT THAT'S ZONED FOR SINGLE FAMILIES."
The facility sits on an island of county land--surrounded by Sandy city--but monitored by the state...following federal guidelines. Neighbors say the current laws and ordinances are inadequate for addressing their concerns.
Jill Nelson, Neighbor: "THE SIZE AND SCOPE HAS REALLY BEEN VERY VAGUE. AS NEIGHBORS WE'RE HIGHLY CONCERNED THAT THEY OPERATE LIKE A HOUSE, LIKE A HOME, LIKE THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THEY EXIST IN."
We were unable to reach anyone from the Ark of Little Cottonwood tonight. In the past--they've said they're following all the proper county, state and federal laws.
