Sometimes The Good Guys Win

You’ve all heard it before–the not-in-my-neighborhood law. In previous posts, I’ve written that our clubhouse, Granite Pathways, was taken to court for daring to open in a nice area, with trees and parks instead of the inner city. After going before the variance board three times and given permission to remain at the site, a small group of neighbors sued the city. This week, the superior court judge ruled in our favor and went even further by saying a variance wasn’t even required since the clubhouse is housed in a church and good deeds are part of their mission. Also the judge, after viewing the site, did not see anything which would affect local property value or cause harm to the neighborhood. (At the hearing, the lawyer for the plaintiffs said this was not about mental illness, but kept emphasizing that people with schizophrenia, paranoid schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder would be there.) Who was he trying to kid! So, in effect, the group blew big bucks for nothing and we at Granite Pathways no longer even have to abide by the terms of the variance.

So hooray for us and a big thank you to the many good people (members, staff, church members, our lawyers who worked pro bono, and supportive neighbors too) who made it possible for people with MI to feel welcome and valued. BTW, the plaintiffs can still appeal the verdict, but the chance of it being reversed is nil. For anyone interested in finding out more about GP, please go to their website: www.granitepathways.org .