Cosby Ranch
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Mental treatment facility going in at Cosby Ranch building
12/2/2014
The former Cosby Ranch building in Mustang will become a mental treatment facility for teenage girls.
By Jon Watje
Managing Editor
A large, vacant building in Mustang will become a private residential treatment facility for young girls suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The facility is expected to open as maybe as early as February.
The Mustang City Council approved a Special Use Permit application for the facility, which will go in at the Cosby Rance building located at 1150 E. State Highway 152. The applicant, Robert Cornelius, owns an outpatient facility near the intersection of Reno and Mustang Road.
Cornelius requested a zoning change for the property in October, but it was denied by the City Council after several residents spoke out against the proposed facility. In that meeting, Cornelius applied to change the zoning from C-5, Commercial Intensive District, to C-5 PUD, Commercial Intensive Planned Unit Development District.
Community Development Director Melissa Helsel told the Council that Cornelius now applied for a Special Use Permit for the facility, which would allow the City to review the facility every two years to make sure it meets all requirements and the criteria for the permit.
"There is not a use identified in our code for something like this and this would be the first kind of facility of its type in the state," Helsel said.
Despite the facility not meeting the city's long-range plan, which called for commercial in that area, Helsel said the Planning Commission voted 6-0 in approval of the permit.
"At that meeting we received four letters of protest and three letters of support," Helsel said.
Unlike his current outpatient facility, Cornelius said the girls in the proposed facility would range from ages 13 to 17 and would not be allowed to leave until their treatment was complete, which could take between four to six months.
He said the facility would have no more than 18 beds. Food would be catered in for the patients and a teacher from Mustang public schools would be utilized to educate the girls. The facility would be a private facility, funded by the state and Medicaid. It would also be staffed with a medical director, who would be on the premises or on call 24/7.
In a public hearing, the facility received criticism and support from several residents.
Mark Grubbs of Grubbs Consulting represented Cornelius at the meeting addressed the Council.
"My client is going to be making a substantial investment in Mustang," Grubbs said. "He understands that his facility will be under review in two years and accepts that. After this was denied that last time, I saw a lot of people support this kind of facility on the Mustang Times Facebook page and I think there is a lot of support out there for something like this."
Long-time resident Coeta Morrell said she strongly opposed the facility.
"I have lived here for 50 years and I am very disappointed by this," Morrell said. "This does not comply with the long-range plan and you know it. We have a beautiful building that would be good for a business, but it is not good for something like this. It will also drive the property values down in the area and that is wrong."
Barbara Crossno owns land directly north of the property.
"I own 100 acres by the property and this is where I plan on living the rest of my life," Crossno said. "State Highway 152 is where we should be generating our revenue from for the city and this wouldn't generate any sales tax for Mustang. I support something like this, but I don't think it should be right off the highway."
Other residents spoke in favor of the facility, stating that there was a need for the service in the community.
"I support this facility and being a mother myself, I have heard stories of our children hurting," said Becky King. "I would like to see Mustang say, 'We will be the first place that puts our children first.'"
Cornelius also addressed the City Council.
"This really is an opportunity for our community," he said. "It is an opportunity to hear their stories and mentor these young people."
The property's owner, Todd Martin, said he did not believe the facility would be detrimental to the city in any way.
"You know, some people are talking about generating revenue," Martin said. "That building has not generated any revenue since Cosby Rance left and has sat empty for several years now. I have been approached by several businesses that wanted to move in there but I did not think they would be beneficial to the city. This meets all the requirements for C-5 development and would be valuable to our community."
Ward 2 Councilwoman Kathleen Staples said she wanted to stress that the permit was reviewed every two years.
"Since nothing like this has been in the state, or here, I think it is very important that we make sure they are doing what they are supposed to," Staples said.
Ward 4 Councilman Terry Jones said he supported the facility.
"I would very strongly approve this," Jones said. "I think it is good for the community and I can't think of a better building for it."
Ward 6 Councilman Jess Schweinberg said he received many calls from residents about the proposed facility.
"Since this is in my ward, I got a lot of phone calls about this," Schweinberg said. "Social media was also burning up in favor of this. I think the first time we looked at this, we just didn't have enough information to approve it."
Staples made a motion to approve the permit, which was seconded by Jones. The Council went on to approve it with a 7-0 vote.
Cornelius said he was pleased to be able to move on with the new facility.
"I was discouraged when I was declined the first time, but when I saw the support for it online, it made me feel good," he said. "The next step is for us to look at renovations to the building. The building is in great shape there is already an educational component there so I don't think it would take long to get it to where it needs to be."
Cornelius said the facility will employee between 20 and 25 people.
"I think it will be called the 'Mustang Treatment Center' but the name is still up in the air," he said. "We initially wanted to open it up in February, but it may be a little later in the spring."
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