Lynnwood extends clinic freeze

Published 6:07 am Tuesday, February 26, 2008

LYNNWOOD — Holding out hope that new state requirements on methadone clinics eventually will stop a clinic from locating near the Alderwood Mall, the Lynnwood City Council Oct. 13 extended an interim ordinance outlining where such clinics can go.

The ordinance, originally adopted last November, prohibits such a clinic from being located within 250 feet of a school or public park. The law was adopted after a San Diego, Calif.-based company applied with the city to open a clinic in the Alderwood Professional Building, 18631 Alderwood Mall Blvd.

A Snohomish County Superior Court judge ruled in April that the application must be processed under the city’s zoning laws that existed when it came in, which means it would not be subject to the new law. The city is appealing the decision. Arguments were made about two weeks ago and a decision could take six months or more.

On Oct. 13, however, city attorney Greg Rubstello said the discussion was not about the application, but about the city’s process for locating any methadone clinic.

Council members, opting to wait and see what happens in court and how some new state regulations might affect their decision, extended the interim ordinance six months. It would have expired in the middle of next month.

The state Department of Social and Health Services’ Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse has been revising its rules for methadone clinics. DSHS officials said Oct. 13 the new regulations aren’t as new as they might seem.

Those new regulations are requirements that clinic operators provide plans to mitigate any negative impacts clinics might have, and that they submit a community relations plan.

“These are already required under federal law,” said Dennis Malmer, certification policy manager for the state’s Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse.

Malmer confirmed that the new regulations will be applied to the proposed site in Lynnwood, but they likely won’t change the location.

“I think the court’s going to render the decision here on this site,” he said.

Malmer said the proposed site in Lynnwood has “been one of the most difficult, by far.” But the state’s new regulations will help cities and clinic operators in the future.

“We won’t have another Lynnwood,” he said. “Maybe this just goes back to (the fact that) opiate-treatment facilities haven’t been welcome in Snohomish County.”

Ivan Hyde of Lynnwood commended the City Council for its work to resolve the location of the proposed clinic, saying that its efforts have prompted the state to change its ways.

“You have the state authorities now playing catch-up because of the work that you’ve done,” Hyde said.

Victor Balta is a reporter for the Herald in Everett.