The fate of a proposed women’s drug and alcohol recovery residence in Waterloo will be known soon. 

The meeting dates for the Waterloo Planning Commission and the Waterloo Zoning Board of Appeals to hear the matter take place Tuesday and Wednesday, July 20 and 21, respectively.

Both meetings will begin at 7:30 p.m., with the tentative location being the Waterloo High School auditorium.

Leisa and Adrian Martinez are petitioning for a special use permit to operate a recovery residence at 228 Mueller Lane, the former site of an independent senior living community known as Rosedale House.

Earlier this month, the Waterloo City Council amended city ordinance by adding recovery residences as allowable in a B-2 General Business District with a special use permit.

This came after the planning commission voted in favor and the zoning board voted against such an amendment.

Leisa and Adrian Martinez, who lost a daughter to substance abuse, have said Cornerstone Laine intends to “provide a Christ-centered, supportive residential recovery environment” for women ages 18 and above through a 90-day program that includes meals, peer support, 12-step programs and a bible study for $8,000.

Two scholarships will be available every 90 days.

The zoning amendment approved by the city council defines recovery residence as “a nonprofit facility that offers a sober, safe and healthy living environment that promotes recovery from alcohol and other drugs use associated problems. Clients must be voluntary, not required as part of a prison sentence, and only permitted to leave the residence under direct supervision of employees. The facility must have employees on premises 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The minimum planned program stay shall be 60 days, and the maximum planned program stay shall be 90 days. Location shall not exceed 24 residents at any given time. Visitors shall be limited to one visit per resident per week to minimize traffic effects on the area. The resident shall also meet the standard set forth by the National Alliance for Recovery Residences and be certified by the Illinois Association of Extended Care within 12 months.”

Leisa Martinez confirmed at a council meeting that the plan is to also purchase the lot behind 228 Mueller Lane for buffering and the entire Cornerstone Laine property would be fenced in.