When a commercial enterprise seeks permission to move into a residential neighborhood, it is not at all uncommon for residents to object. There’s even an acronym for that sentiment: NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard).

There are any number of reasons why residents should resist commercial encroachment, most often concerns about increased traffic, negative effect of property values and the nature of the commercial enterprise. No one would want a nightclub for a next-door neighbor, for example.

Zoning laws help ensure houses stay next to houses, businesses stay next to businesses and industry stays next to industry.

In Columbus, requested exceptions to zoning laws are first taken to the Planning and Zoning Commission, which then makes a recommendation to the city council. Most often, but not always, the council trusts and accepts the planning commission’s recommendation.

During Tuesday’s meeting, the Columbus City Council considered a recommendation from the Planning Commission to issue a special use permit to Crossroads Sober Living to operate a drug/alcohol residential treatment center at the old Friendship Church, located on West Yorkville Road. The commission made the recommendation by a unanimous vote. If approved, the facility would provide room for 15 to 20, significantly advancing the organization’s mission. Although Crossroads is a registered nonprofit, it is classified as commercial for the zoning purposes.

Sober Living may yet be allowed to proceed with its plans, but the group will have to wait until mid-March to proceed at the insistence of Ward 1 council member Ethel Stewart. The site is located in her ward.

Although area residents were notified in writing and there was no outright objection by residents prior to the group bringing their request to the Planning Commission, Stewart said she wanted to talk to residents in the area to make sure there were no objections.

Far be it from us to complain about council members talking to their constituents. It should happen far more often than it does. But in this instance, we feel Stewart’s successful request to have the proposal tabled until mid-March is a speed bump for an effective nonprofit.

Crossroads Sober living has been in operation in Columbus since 2020, when it opened at the old Wiygul Dental Clinic on McCrary Road. The organization is now a known commodity. Like another recovery center, Last House on the Block, it has proven to be a good neighbor, making improvements on the property they occupy and providing support for any number of community service opportunities.

Crossroads has, in fact, already proven itself to those in its planned location. Crossroads Director Dusty Snider told the council that three Crossroads residents had been living in the church’s parsonage for over a year, making improvements to the property in advance of the planned opening of the larger church facility.

The idea that men in recovery from alcohol or drug addiction represent a threat to the safety of the community seems to us counter-intuitive. After all, we would much rather have for a neighbor someone who is in recovery and held to rigid standards of behavior than someone who is not in recovery but should be. The stigma attached to those making a good-faith effort to beat their addiction is a burden those in recovery are sadly familiar with.

As for the church building, if it continues to be left unattended and exposed to the elements, it may become a far bigger detriment to the neighborhood than a recovery facility whose residents improve and care for the property.

There is no real harm in waiting, we suppose, even though we are confident that Stewart will find no real resistance to Crossroads’ arrival.

Recovery centers such as Crossroads and Last House on the Block provide a valuable service, not only to those whose lives are transformed, but to the larger community. Every addict whose life is changed makes the community a better, safer place to live.

The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.