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County Rejects Facility's Expansion

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By JULIA FERRANTE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 13, 2008

DADE CITY - A California-based company lost its bid Tuesday to expand a group home off Fort King Road and Winton Drive from six beds to 10 and may soon find itself under investigation by the state.

Responding to complaints from about a dozen area residents, the county commissioners denied the company's petition to operate a residential treatment and care facility as a "conditional use" in an agricultural-residential area.

Lorraine Von Deauxplette of Global Unity Care Inc., one of the owners, had petitioned to add beds to the facility, which is operated out of a single-family home and licensed by the state Department of Children & Families. Von Deauxplette said in her zoning application that DCF officials have urged Fort King Group Home to expand and serve more residents with developmental disabilities.

Neighbors of the group home who attended Tuesday's public hearing at the historic Pasco County Courthouse complained that residents of the group home pose a safety threat and interrupt their quiet lifestyles. Several, including Richard Meisman, testified that the group home residents hide in bushes and knock on their windows and doors at night. They also objected that one group home resident is a registered sex offender.
Robert Cameron said he removed a swimming pool from his yard, which abuts the group home property, because residents were watching his wife and nieces as they swam.

"They look through the cracks in the fence," he said. "I took the pool out because I didn't know how to explain to my nieces that they can't swim in our pool."

About 40 residents banded together to stop the facility's expansion. They have been complaining to the sheriff's office and other agencies for more than a year.

Von Deauxplette confirmed that a registered sex offender lives at the home, but she said neighbors are making inaccurate assumptions about the patients, who have developmental disabilities, cerebral palsy and autism. Managers are not allowed to track residents "with GPS" or sedate them with medication to keep them from wandering.

"Every time they see someone on the street doesn't mean they are from our facility," she said. "If they feel unsafe, call the police."

County Commissioner Jack Mariano moved to deny the petition, saying the expansion would "adversely affect the quality of life" of the neighborhood. He also asked that the DCF be alerted to potential problems. The board voted unanimously to do so.

"I want to have DCF do an investigation on what's going on on the property," he said.

Reporter Julia Ferrante can be reached at (813) 948-4220 or jferrante@tampatrib.com.

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