Council approves variance for South Point medical spa

SOUTH POINT — The village council approved a variance at a special meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 11 to an ordinance regarding the former elementary school in South Point.

Mayor Jeff Gaskin said the council approved the variance to allow Dr. Colton Copley, an emergency room physician, Lawrence County commissioner and South Point resident, to open a medical spa in the location at the intersection of Ninth and Margaret streets.

Gaskin said the special meeting drew a large crowd of about 50 people and the discussion took about 90 minutes.

“We put out 40 chairs, and it was standing room only,” he said.

Residents of the neighborhood opposed to the variance were represented by an attorney and the council heard from an attorney in favor of the variance as well, he said.

Gaskin said the meeting functioned as an appeals board hearing and that the mayor served as a moderator and had no vote in breaking ties in the council.

The subject first arose at the regular monthly meeting of council on Feb. 4. Gaskin said Copley was denied his application for occupancy. The council then agreed to continue the matter to the special meeting.

Copley told The Tribune the business, Luxe Medical Spa, will focus on health and beauty and have cosmetic and wellness offerings.

He said the cosmetic side will feature things such as filler and botox, while the wellness side will include nutrition, lab work and weight loss offerings. 

He said the spa side will expand to offerings such as facials.

Copley said it is his hope to provide services that more commonly available to customers in “more thriving, larger cities.”

“Hopefully, people won’t have to drive to get them,” he said.

In other village business:

Gaskin said the village should have its new fire truck by spring. He said village leaders will make a trip soon to Amlin, where Sutphem is constructing the truck.

The vehicle cost the village $998,995. Gaskin said the village will make payments on the truck for $107,000 per year for 15 years. He said this was approved at one of the special meetings council had in January.