Clovis neighbors fight assisted living and Alzheimer's care facility

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- UPDATE: Residents of a Clovis neighborhood sent a clear message Monday night "not in their backyard" and the city council now agrees with them.

The Clovis City Council voted four-to-nothing with one council member abstaining to deny an assisted living community from being built near Peach and Nees. People who live there didn't believe it was a good fit for their neighborhood.

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Residents of a Clovis neighborhood are saying "not in my backyard." They're opposed to an assisted living community being built in their neighborhood near Peach and Nees.

The issue has mobilized neighbors -- they've posted signs and launched petition drives, protesting a developer's plan to fill this now vacant lot on Nees Avenue with an 80 unit assisted living center for senior citizens and a 20 bed Alzheimer's care facility.

"The size and the place of the location makes it a bad fit," according to Kim Ewing.

She is just one of the neighbors in the Clovis Estates neighborhood adjacent to the proposed facility. She and others have a long list of complaints including traffic and noise. Neighbor Rod Lakovich is among those concerned about the economic impact on the neighborhood.

Lakovich said, "It has the potential for bringing down prices of the homes."

According to Lakovich, residents were assured this vacant land was zoned for just 10 single family homes.

"They are going to put some 200 people living there plus the traffic generated," said Lakovich. "We want it to be what it is zoned for."

Ewing argues the facility will destroy the character of their neighborhood.

Ewing said, "It's inserted right into the middle of an established neighborhood where its surrounded completely by residential single family homes and that's unheard of all over Clovis and Fresno there's not a facility that's been inserted into a neighborhood like this."

However, Clovis City Planners point out there are two nearby Assisted Living and Nursing homes on Alluvial Avenue that are adjacent to homes. They maintain the assisted living facility is a residential use in line with the city's goals of providing housing for all ages, incomes and lifestyles.

The Clovis Planning Commission has already approved the plan. The City Council could either approve it, seek modifications, or reject the proposal.