Another Detox Center To Go Before Berkeley Zoning Board

BERKELEY, NJ — A special Zoning Board of Adjustment is set this month to consider a detox and substance abuse treatment facility at the Crystal Lake Healthcare Center.

The meeting, held Feb. 28 at 6:30 p.m., has Crystal Lake seeking a use variance in order to turn the second floor of the building into a detox center.

While hospitals are allowed in the zone the building is located in, detox centers are not. Those are allowed in the Forest Industrial Zone, which is a "small, remote zoning district."

Following the denial, Crystal Lake then filed a lawsuit against the board and township, arguing that they were being "arbitrary and capricious" in their denial and that members of the board based their denial on preconceived notions of "hostile and discriminatory stereotypes of persons seeking treatment for substance abuse disorder," the lawsuit says.

The building would turn its second floor into a 24-bed detox center. According to the lawsuit, patients can already seek substance abuse treatment at this location, but they have to do their detoxing off site.

According to the lawsuit, only private and voluntary patients from New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware will be accepted, following a background check. Patients will be constantly monitored by cameras and staff, and will not be able to leave the second floor.

Berkeley recently approved another detox center following a lawsuit. Read more: Chaos Erupts Over Detox Center Settlement At Berkeley Meeting