There has been a lot of talk revolving around sober living homes/detox/rehabilitation facilities in recent months and it looks like it will remain a hot topic for a while yet. That’s actually good news.

There’s an old saying: Measure twice, cut once. In other words, put in the work to get it right the first time and you’re less likely to wind up having to do the job all over again. Moving methodically doesn’t mean you won’t occasionally still end up needing to make alterations, but the scope and severity of mistakes is drastically reduced when the job is taken seriously and executed carefully.

Creating ordinances involving something like sober living homes can be tricky, primarily because you’re dealing with local/state/federal guidelines and laws that have an impact on everything from how said ordinances should be worded to what they can and can’t limit or control.

As you’ll see in our 1A reporting, a lot of thought and time has already been put into nailing down potential local action concerning these types of facilities. Experts are being asked for guidance, ordinances from other communities are being considered and both Town staff and the Planning and Zoning Commission have been working through the process and gathering input from stakeholders to figure out what Fountain Hills wants to (and, more importantly, can) do.

When all of that work is complete, it’s likely something will be sent to Town Council for consideration, where the work will continue.

We’re happy to see so many people willing to offer their input on the matter, and we’re also happy to see all parties involved take the time necessary to get this right the first time.