PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (AP) — A West Virginia city has approved a moratorium on residential drug treatment facilities.
The Parkersburg City Council voted 8-1 Tuesday to approve an ordinance that bars new centers until June 30, 2022, The Parkersburg News and Sentinel reported.
The vote came after multiple people spoke in support of and in opposition to the proposal during a public forum. In addition, the American Civil Liberties Union sent city officials a letter saying the ordinance violates provisions of federal law.
“I think what city council did was stick up for the folks in the community that have legitimate concerns,” Parkersburg Mayor Tom Joyce said.
Concerns include that facilities are locating in residential areas without notifying neighbors and impacts on property values, the newspaper reported. Joyce has also noted that there are a plethora of such facilities in the city, with residential treatment facility beds now at 283 compared to 30 in 2017.
Part of the reason for the ordinance is to allow city and state lawmakers time to draft laws that will balance the need for recovery facilities with the interests of community members, City Attorney Blaine Myers said.
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