By Landon Bench

WELLSVILLE -- A recommendation to approve a new ordinance allowing the business license for a group home in Wellsville was made by the Planning and Zoning Committee to the City Council yesterday.

Approximately one year ago, Logan River Academy considered purchasing a home in Wellsville to convert into a group home. This was met by opposition from many citizens. Several public hearings were held, where many citizens gave their input and opposition to the group home.

Another Logan River location is just 3/10 of a mile away from homes and very close to Willow Valley Middle School. Logan River Academy is a treatment program for adolescent youths with "behavior difficulties." The homepage Web site for LRA has been recently been changed from "designed and structured to help teenagers who are having behavioral and emotional difficulties" to "having difficulties in the home, community and school."

"Since LRA cannot disclose the reasons a youth is enrolled in their program, it is easy for my imagination to assume the worst," concerned resident Geoff Cox said.

A Mr. Halloc, attorney for Logan River Academy, the company seeking the original location of the facility, said he was attending the Planning and Zoning meeting "mostly as an observer" but thought the ordinance was "drafted fairly" although he may not agree with everything in it.

The Wellsville City Council will be discussing the allowance of this new ordinance in the near future, probably next Wednesday.

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