By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter
An assisted living facility was approved by the Williston City Council this week.
The site for the facility is an old home at 515 SE 1st Ave. behind Epperson Park.
Owner Doug Hammond said the adult care facility will house 14 retired people.
“It was actually the house I was born in. My grandfather owned the house next to that. It was the Good Samaritan,” said Council President Debra Jones.
The Good Samaritan adult care center has been closed for quite a few years, according to City Planner Laura Jones.
Hammond said he has owned other adult care facilities in South Florida and will convert the old home into an assisted care retirement facility in Williston. He has been in the business for 27 years.
He said it will be fully staffed.
He said specialized medical professionals will come into the facility to provide other services to the residents including physical therapy or other therapies residents may need.
“Just expanding,” he said.
“Definitely needed,” Jones replied.
On the technical side of things, Hammock applied for a special exception to allow the assisted living facility in a mobile home zoning category.
The previous adult care facility, Good Samaritan, also had a special exception, but when the property changed hands and Hammond took over as the new owner he had to apply for a fresh special exception.
Planner Laura Jones wasn’t sure why the house was in mobile home zoning. President Debra Jones was also curious about the oddity. She said there has never been mobile homes at the site.
The zoning was given to the property perhaps 20 years ago for reasons unknown. It wasn’t an obstacle. The Williston Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the special exception. City Council members also gave their unanimous approval at the June 6 council meeting.
Police Chief Mike Rolls was assured by Hammond that the assisted living facility will never be converted to a drug rehabilitation facility. Planner Laura Jones said the zoning doesn’t allow for drug rehabilitation.
Rolls said he was just being cautious because of his experience and the council’s experience with a previous application for a drug rehab and psychiatric facility that was to open in the former Williston Middle School.
The future owner withdrew his request for approval of the drug rehab facility. The middle school remains vacant. Neighbors of the middle school were enraged that something of that sort was being considered for their quiet community. The proposed facility had virtually no community support.
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City of Williston Regular Meeting June 6, 2023; Posted June 11, 2023
