GREEN COVE — The Board of County Commissioners voted to approve alternative purchasing procedures for a new Substance Use Disorder Recovery Center on Tuesday.

The original plan for the center was to remodel a parcel of land identified on Bear Run Boulevard. The land consisted of a county-owned medical facility and tax collector buildings, both vacant. 

Due to the parcel being located in a flood zone, county staff said that FEMA regulations require them to keep the project costs below 50% of the structural value of the property, which they said is roughly $330,000. 

As they are not able to do that, staff said they are resuming looking at three other options.

Option one consists of purchasing a commercial parcel and renovating an existing building at 3166 County Road 220. The project would cost approximately $4 million and take around 9 to 12 months. 

Option two consists of building a brand-new center at Bear Run Boulevard. This project would cost approximately $6.3 million and also take around 24 to 28 months.

Option three would allow staff to continue searching from any additional alternative commercial buildings to purchase. 

Commissioners noted a benefit of choosing option 1: The center would be a short distance from Clay Behavioral Health Center, just half a mile away. 

“It’s kind of a good location for this building, because it’s right down the road,” District 1 Commissioner John Sgromolo said. “So, it'll help residents, as far as a lot of people do go to Clay Behavioral for counseling services and substance abuse situations.” 

Clay Behavioral CEO Irene Toto spoke in support of the location. She said the center would be a huge help, as currently they refer patients to Gateway in Jacksonville for detoxification. 

“It’s very close. We think it’ll really improve efficiencies. As a nonprofit, we know a little bit about being efficient. So, we love this plan,” Toto said.

Funding for the endeavor is sourced from the following: a $3 million grant, $1 million opioid settlement funds and $500,000 of Capital Improvement Plan funds. 

The board agreed to move forward with option 1 and further explore negotiations.