Youth center plans approved

FINDLAY — Findlay City Planning Commission approved plans Thursday for a youth center for Focus Recovery & Wellness Community at an existing house at 1908 N. Main St., between Rector and Lester avenues. Focus is a nonprofit agency, funded by Hancock County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services, to provide recovery support to those affected by mental health, substance use or trauma. It assists adults at 509 W. Trenton Ave. Its program for 10-to-17-year-olds, called the Loft, is offered at the Community Room at Glenwood Middle School. But it has outgrown that space, said Focus' Executive Director Brooke Nissen. Focus plans to open the new center for its youth programs in February or March 2026, Nissen said. The building was formerly offices for Family Resource Center. It has a 2,200-square-foot first floor and a 2,200-square-foot basement. Focus is planning to renovate the first floor to include a kitchen; a meeting room; offices; and arts/crafts/programming room; two youth lounges; and a utility room. It also will have a sensory control room. "We have a lot of children that are on the spectrum" – with autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and attention deficit disorder – "and they get really overloaded at times and at times are overstimulated," Nissen said in an interview. "A sensory room is designed to help calm them." Nissen said the youth center could have up to 24 children present at any given time. It maintains a staffing ratio of one staffer per eight children. It would operate from noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and four hours on weekends. Mayor Christina Muryn, chairman of the planning commission said Focus' use of the house as a youth center "makes sense." "It's been for decades serving as a very similar use. I'm glad to see the building being repurposed and giving a safe calm for our youth who are needing these services," she said. "I appreciate the work that you guys are doing. You've done a great job in the community." "Obviously it's not increasing the foot traffic significantly in this neighborhood. It's not being renovated in a way that would negatively impact the neighborhood," the mayor said. "It is a conditional use, so if we start to have problems, the permit can be pulled if they are not addressed – just so you are aware. From my perspective, this is an appropriate application." Separately, the city panel approved plans for construction of a six-pump gas station at 1100 W. Main Cross St., the site of an abandoned car wash. The vote was 3-1, with commission member Dan Clinger opposed. Clinger, commission member Kerry Trombley and some city administrators expressed concerns that fuel supply trucks could have difficulty maneuvering in and out of the small site. Trucks could temporarily interfere with traffic on West Main Cross Street, and have difficulty maneuvering on the site, they said. In addition, Trombley and Clinger cited an additional traffic hazard: motorists from nearby Glessner Avenue to the south trying to enter Main Cross Street. Trombley was willing to vote for the plan when two conditions were added: vehicles could only exit the site by making a right turn with a physical barrier, like a curb, preventing left turns to be installed; and gas station leaders must work with the city engineer on a plan for traffic flow on the gas station site. In addition, city planners stipulated that a 6-foot-high brick wall must be built on the east side of the site to shield nearby homes.