BUTLER TWP — Cindy Parker said she was shocked when both community officials and neighbors in Lyndora objected to her idea to open a transitional living facility for veterans in recovery — ultimately throwing the plan into a state of uncertainty.

Parker, who has been working on the plan for seven years, said she believed it would have been a welcome addition to would-be residents as well as neighbors of the one-time dance hall at 219 Penn Ave.

But neighbors objected, saying the plan would bring more troubles than benefits to the neighborhood, which they say already struggles to ward off crime and drug problems. And community officials say that type of facility just isn't permitted at that site.

Organizers and protestors first collided April 10, when Parker unsuccessfully asked the township zoning hearing board to override an earlier decision by the township zoning officer, who had determined the proposal does not comply with uses allowed in that neighborhood. Or, alternatively Parker and the other planners wanted the zoning hearing board to grant special permission for the facility to exist anyway.

The proposal, officially named, “I Am Serenity House,” is to create within the 50- by 60-foot, two-story building 10 private rooms for homeless veterans, who may stay voluntarily up to two years.

Two adult supervisors would be on-site around the clock. But the men, who would be those with no history of violence, would be free to come and go as they please.

“I Am Serenity House” is proposed to be a Christian-based outreach supporting veterans leaving other facilities, such as drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers. The organization is a nonprofit, and an outreach program adopted by Family Life Ministry — Church of God Prophecy in Center Township.

“We feel very strongly that there's a need for this in the community,” said the Rev. Robert Hile Jr. of Family Life Ministry. “These men reach a point where there's no place for them to go. We want to provide a place that provides for their physical needs as well as their spiritual needs on the road to recovery.”

Parker, who admits she has no experience administering nonprofits or living facilities, said it's been in her heart to help veterans. And as a member of Butler County's Local Housing Options Team, LHOT, she identified this type of facility as a need in the community.

“There is a gap in getting them from rehabilitation to normal life,” Parker said. “It's not a half-way house. People would be here because they have a desire for change in their lives, not because they were court-ordered to stay here.”

Parker and another member of the group's advisory board, Jay Wagner of Cabot, looked at about a dozen buildings before deciding on the Lyndora location, which is less than a block away from Parker's home.

They believed the building they picked, and Wagner bought for $40,000, was best suited for their plan because of amenities it had built in, including a galley kitchen, a bank of showers and a handicapped accessible shower area.

Initially a church social hall, the building has been used over the years as an after hours club, a veterans club, a dance school, a bingo hall and most recently a music school for the General Richard Butler Vagabonds Junior Drum and Bugle Corps.

Since the purchase in January, Parker said, community members and churches have been pitching in money, services and needed furniture items to help the facility become a reality. And another $40,000 to $50,000 in renovations were promised donations.

Wagner said he knew when he bought the building that it still would need special permission from the zoning people.

“But I didn't think that would be a problem,” Wagner said. “That zoning meeting was a real kick in the pants.”

More than a dozen people from surrounding streets attended the meeting, united against the plan. Eight people spoke against it.

Some, like Karen Cihonski, 68, of Main Street, argued that a transitional living facility should not be in a residential neighborhood.

“I would have safety concerns,” she said afterward. “They said these people would not only have drug and alcohol addictions, but also mental health problems. That worries me because these men could come and go as they please. There are elderly people who live all around me. And as a community we just don't want this.”

Others, like Mike Salak of Penn Avenue, said they believe the same services already are provided by the Veterans Administration.

“I'm a World War II veteran. When I need help, I go to the VA. Why can't they go there too?” Salak said. “I really don't want this in this neighborhood where I was born and raised.”

When asked about the proposal and the need in the community, a spokesman for the VA issued this statement: “VA Butler Healthcare's 56-bed Domiciliary has 25 beds designated for homeless veterans. The domiciliary program provides life skills training for locating vocational opportunities, resuming education, and improving upon employment interviewing skills — all of which assist the veteran in obtaining financial means to locate housing. Our ultimate goal is to reintegrate veterans back to their respective communities with the resources and confidence to be successful.

“At VA Butler Healthcare, our goal is zero homeless veterans. To accomplish this, we identify and access any available community resources to provide for the individual needs of our homeless veterans on a case-by-case basis.”

Amanda Feltenberger, director of service integration for Butler County Human Services as well as the co-chair of LHOT, said she consulted with the homeless coordinator at the VA before speaking in favor of the facility at the zoning hearing board meeting.

Feltenberger said the county's homeless population is higher than people think and the homeless veterans often have nowhere to go.

“They are referred to other counties,” Feltenberger said. “There absolutely is a need for this here.”

Feltenberger applauded Parker “for seeing a need in the community and taking action to meet that need. If there were more people like that in our community, there'd be less problems to solve.”

Ultimately, the zoning hearing board denied the request, but not based on the residents' concerns.

“The fact that they didn't want it there was important for us to hear,” said Tom Holman, zoning hearing board vice chairman. “However, the bottom line is that it simply isn't permitted. This request doesn't meet the requirements of the zoning ordinance.

“The proposed use, transitional housing, is permitted in other, very specifically identified areas of the township, but then only with the commissioners' permission.”

Now, Parker, Wagner, Hile and other supporters are debating their next step. Their choices are:

• Appeal the zoning hearing board's decision to Butler County Court and continue planning to put the center at that location.

• Plan a different use for the building since it already is bought.

• Continue moving forward with the veterans transitional facility, but at a different location. Sell the current property.

• Do a combination of these ideas.

The group has 30 days to appeal the zoning decision. Its lawyer, James Coulter of Butler, could not be reached for comment.

Parker and Hile said if they choose not to appeal, it's likely they would continue to work toward opening a transition living center for veterans elsewhere.

“We got the type of response from the community we did not expect. We really feel as though we can operate in this location without upsetting the tranquility or peacefulness,” Hile said. “(But if not) this ministry is not dead.

“All of the main people involved in the planning of the project will get together (this) week to talk about the building's future as well as Serenity House.”

According to a findings of fact sheet issued by the zoning hearing board on Thursday, “ ... there are numerous permitted uses that could be conducted in the existing building and additionally, 'conversion of abandoned school or church building' would apply to this building and entitle the applicant to a special exception for such uses as a day care center, nursing home, multifamily dwelling, a public or nonprofit center, business or professional offices, or a music, dance, or photography studio.”

Hile said, “We have to explore our options. Some ideas like faith-based programs for children already have been discussed. We will spend some time praying over it and decide what is the best course of action.”