New substance abuse center outrages residents in Boca Raton neighborhood

It's a community that prides itself on being family-friendly and close knit, but many residents in Boca Isles want nothing to do with a potential new neighbor.

"It'll only bring more crime to the neighborhood," said Carletta Nonziato Murphy who has called Boca Isles home for the past 5 years.

Across the street from the entrance of Boca Isles, clinical therapist Lisa O'Toole of Florida Family Care wants to expand her psychotherapy clinic by offering substance abuse therapy to people convicted of driving under the influence.

Neighbors like Chris Patterson fear crime will only go up. "The neighborhood is so saturated with drug treatment facilities as it is, we feel if we bring this in, it's just going to saturate our community more with additional crime."

In the past 90 days, Boca Raton police have responded to nearly 100 criminal incidents within a half mile of where Patterson lives.

According to the application submitted to the city, Florida Family Care would offer a 60 minute therapy session, once a week, to no more than 15 DUI offenders at a time.

"I'm really surprised at the reaction, there seems to be a lot of misinformation," said O'Toole.

She insists what she is asking the city to approve is nothing out of the ordinary. She currently provides outpatient substance abuse services in Boynton Beach, Coral Springs and Margate.

"Our fear is that it's for DUI offenses, once that door is opened what happens from there then it becomes for drug offenders as well and we have plenty of that in our neighborhood," Patterson said.

The Boca Raton City Council will have the final say on whether to approve the rezoning proposal, but not before the public has its chance to weigh in. A public hearing is scheduled for December 16th inside Boca Raton City Council chambers.