Wabash board approves variance for women's recovery home at 305 Manchester Avenue

The Wabash Board of Zoning Appeals voted 4‑0 to grant a variance allowing Wabash Recovery Services Inc. (Waypoint) to use 305 Manchester Avenue as an additional women's recovery boarding house. Director Jackie Helsner said the property would house 11 residents across four upstairs bedrooms with a house manager on the main level and that their existing home has operated in Wabash since 2022 without neighbor issues.

"We are requesting a variance at 305 Manchester Avenue. We're essentially duplicating what we've already done at our original Waypoint home," Helsner said, describing the organization's need because the current home is full and maintains a wait list. Staff explained the city's zoning table does not include a specific 'recovery home' category; the closest match is a boarding house, which requires a variance in a general business district.

Board members asked for clarification on zoning classifications (R‑1 through R‑4) and whether the property sits in a business district; staff said the lot is zoned general business and that the board must treat the request as a boarding house variance. At least one neighbor raised privacy concerns for residents at the proposed location, saying it sits closer to the street and provides less privacy than Waypoint's other property. After discussion the board voted to approve the variance by a 4‑0 tally.

The variance allows Waypoint to proceed with plans to adapt 305 Manchester Avenue for use as a women's recovery home; any required building, safety and occupancy permits remain subject to the normal review process.