Many Oppose Proposed Drug Treatment Facility

By JAMES C. LOUGHRIE  Valley Press Staff Writer

This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press 
on Wednesday, March 8, 2006.
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LEONA VALLEY - A drug treatment program affiliated with the Church
of Scientology had its hearing Monday night.

It was not a hearing by a governing body with the county or a state
licensing agency; it was conducted a voluntary committee of
townspeople who laid out information learned about Narconon. 

For Green Valley resident Michael Huff, any drug rehabilitation center
is welcome. 

"If Narconon does what it takes to ensure the public's safety and help
addicts who pay a lot and volunteer to get better, the world's all the
better for it," the retired Marine Corps officer said. 

For Leona Valley resident Steve Cronk, any rehabilitation center would
defeat the purpose of why he moved out of Lancaster. 

"I think that a lot of people who live here have been here so long
they lost sight of what's happened on the other side of the hill," he
said, referring to Palmdale and Lancaster. 

"Anyone who believes this will not have an effect on the area is
nave." 

Many residents at Monday's meeting at the Leona Valley Community
Center did not seem to be in favor of Narconon, but now the decision
is in the county's hands. 

The Los Angeles County Regional Planning Commission is tentatively
scheduled to vote on the facility March 15. 

If approved there, the facility could be appealed by any person within
15 days of Narconon's receiving the approval notice from the county. 

James Bell, who works in the county Department of Regional Planning,
said the appeals would go in front of the Los Angeles County Board of
Supervisors. 

"Supervisor (Michael D.) Antonovich is very interested in hearing the
concerns of local residents who live near the Narconon property or in
these communities," said Paul Novak, an Antonovich aide. Since the
hearings began, Novak said, several people have called to voice their
opinions, mostly opposed to the facility. 

"They have been doing that, and I expect they will continue doing
that," he said. 

The group was almost evenly split Monday as to who was in favor or
opposed to the facility. 

However, Leona Valley residents accused Narconon backers of packing
the meeting with Scientologists. 

At the meeting, people opposed to Scientology approached the podium,
accusing the Narconon planners of lying. 

They were shouted down by people in the crowd, some of whom were not
recognized by Leona Valley residents. 

Clark Carr, president of Narconon, said he thought it was a fair
meeting. 

"This was democracy in action," he said. 

"We really want to learn the concerns of the residents." 

But Carr said residents' fears have been expressed before in other
communities and Narconon has won over residents by being a good
neighbor. 

"We have 135 centers in 45 countries, and this is our 40th
anniversary; we know how to live within a community," Carr said. 

After hearing from the committee members, Narconon representatives and
townspeople, the residents are to fill out survey cards and submit
them to their respective councils. 

Leona Valley Town Councilmember Jan Powell, who chaired the Narconon
committee, said the survey responses will result in a letter, to be
written by the end of this month, which will go to Antonovich. 

jloughrie@avpress.com