2018/02/07 Council Agenda Packet

MEMORANDUM TO: Planning Commission FROM: Allan Giffen,Planning Director DATE: October 31,2017 SUBJECT: Planning Commission Public Hearing, Code Amendment for"Opiate Substitution Treatment Facility" Public Hearing/Decision Meeting: The November 7,2017 Planning Commission meeting has. been advertised as a decision meeting for the proposed amendment to the zoning code. Background Information: In March,2016,the Planning Commission agreed to initiate consideration of an amendment to the Zoning Code regulations for opiate substitution treatment facilities. The current regulations allow only one in the city,and only in a C-1 (General Commercial)or E-1 (Evergreen Way)zone,south of SR 526. There is one facility in Everett, located in the vicinity of Evergreen Way and 100th Street SW,which is operated by Therapeutic Health Services(THS). THS is operating at the maximum capacity allowed by the State of Washington at its south Everett location, and would like to locate a second facility in Everett. In addition to the treatment facility in south Everett,there are two other facilities operated by other entities in Snohomish County—one in the Canyon Park area of Bothell,and one on the Stillaguamish Tribe reservation near Arlington. Previous Planning Commission Workshops: The Planning Commission has discussed the code amendment at workshop meetings on April 5,2016,May 2,2017, and June 20,2017. The minutes for those discussions are attached as Exhibit 1. At the May 2,2617 public workshop,Mr. Jon Berkedal,representing THS,testified that Snohomish County asked THS to locate a new program based on data that showed where the - major populations lived that had addictions to opiates. Data indicates that the largest concentration of persons needing service reside in north Everett,Marysville and Tulalip. City staff had proposed amending the zoning code to allow a second facility in the Broadway Mixed Use(BMU)zone,north of 24th Street. At the May 2,2017 meeting,the commission directed staff to prepare an alternative that would also allow an opiate substitution treatment facility in the downtown B-3 (Central Business District)zone. At the June 20,2017 meeting,the Downtown Everett Association commented about concerns of the impact of adding more social service uses on downtown businesses,and in particular the impact of allowing an opiate substitution treatment facility downtown would have on the City's efforts to revitalize downtown with additional housing and commercial development. A letter from the Downtown Everett Association dated May 23,2017 is included in the correspondence in Exhibit 2. At the June 20 meeting,staff recommended that the Planning Commission not take Staff Report - Page 1