Stonewater Addiction Recovery Center, the controversial treatment center proposed to be located in a residential area of Lafayette County, would like to create an outpatient program to be included along with their inpatient facility.

Developer Bryan Fikes asked the Lafayette County Planning Commission for a preliminary and final commercial site plan approval during Monday evening’s meeting. Fikes said the outpatient facility would be located in what is currently a barn on the property that is also serving as the residence of Fikes and his wife.

Like the inpatient facility, Fikes said the outpatient facility would also treat adolescents, who would come to the treatment center twice a day for sessions of three to five hours.

“It will give us the ability to serve people out in the community who may live an hour or an hour and a half away,” Fikes told the board. “

Commissioner TJ Ray was not completely pleased with the request from Fikes saying he has a lingering concern of what will the developer ask for next.

“This came out of left field and I feel snookered,” Ray said.

Ray isn’t the only one. Many residents of the Clear Creek community have voiced opposition to the facility since it was first proposed in November of last year due to safety and other concerns. In December, the county board of supervisors granted approval for the free-will facility that will serve up to 16 inpatient male adolescents. The treatment facility is still in the process of making required upgrades before it can become operational.

Ray Revere, an attorney representing Dr. Rick Carlton and his wife, said the facility is infringing upon the property rights of his clients, who share a road that connects to their driveway. Stonewater apparently owns the road that connects to the Carltons driveway, but they have joint agreement for maintenance of the road. The Carltons are also concerned about safety and traffic and how it will impact access to their property and residence.

“This is not a commercial drive that is being used for commercial purposes,” Revere told the board Monday. “It’s kind of what’s next? This facility is progressing toward a medium scale to a larger scale commercial development.”

A court will likely determine the road issue.

Meanwhile, the three commission members present — Ray, Dick Marchbanks and James Thompson — voted 3-0 in favor of the outpatient facility, which now must go before the board of supervisors.