LYNNWOOD — The Lynnwood City Council has adopted a six-month ban on safe-injection sites. The vote took place Monday night.
The city follows Snohomish County, Darrington, Lake Stevens and Marysville in adopting temporary moratoriums. The term safe-injection sites refers to sanctioned spaces for using heroin and other illegal drugs.
Snohomish and Sultan have been considering similar measures. Everett is waiting to see what happens elsewhere.
In Lynnwood, the plan is to spend the next few months doing research and considering long-term options, said Paul Krauss, the community development director. Staff will confer with the city’s human services commission, an advisory group that has been working on issues related to opioids.
State law requires a public hearing to follow zoning measures treated as emergency actions. In Lynnwood, that has been scheduled for Feb. 26. The council could decide to uphold the measure, extend it or make it permanent. The issue also has to go before the planning commission before a final ruling can be made.
Meanwhile, the Marysville Planning Commission has recommended making permanent an existing six-month ban. The City Council is expected to take up the issue again in the coming weeks.
In Snohomish, the City Council on Jan. 2 discussed a possible six-month moratorium. A vote on that proposal is likely Tuesday, officials said.
A vote also is expected in Sultan on Thursday. That measure would last six months as well.
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @rikkiking.
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