EVERETT — The Everett City Council voted Wednesday to extend the footprint of specified zones that courts can ban people accused or convicted of drug crimes from entering.
The zones, known as “Stay Out of Drug Areas” or SODA zones, cover large portions of the city, primarily along busy roads. The newest zone is located along Colby Avenue between Pacific Avenue and 36th Street, just south of Everett’s downtown core.
Municipal court judges issue SODA orders against individuals, banning them from entering certain zones on a case-by-case basis, said Lacey Offut, an attorney with the city, at Wednesday’s council meeting. The goal is to keep people charged or convicted of drug crimes from entering parts of Everett that have high rates of drug trafficking, she said.
The orders do not typically ban individuals from entering every SODA zone citywide, Offut said. Individuals with a SODA order can also request exceptions, when needed, to enter SODA zones that they are banned from.
City staff requested the newest SODA zone along Colby because there were 55 calls for service related to substance abuse and 66 drug or narcotic-related arrests in the area over the past two years. Since September 2023, there were 37 suspected overdoses in the area. Two were fatal.
The council voted 6-1 to approve the extension. Council member Liz Vogeli was the sole vote against the measure.
The city renewed the SODA Zones in June as part of a mandatory review process every two years. Everett first adopted the zones in 2007 and expanded their reach in 2017.
Will Geschke: 425-339-3443; william.geschke@heraldnet.com; X: @willgeschke.
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