LYNNWOOD, Wash., June 10, 2023—Lynnwood City Council will host a Business Meeting at 6 p.m., Monday, June 12, to hold two Public Hearings—Moratorium on the Acceptance of Substance Abuse Clinic Applications and 2023 Comprehensive Plan— and discuss/vote on a Gun Buyback Program and to rename a local street.

The mayor is also expected to be given approval to sign a two-year $1.44 million contract extension with Feldman & Lee P.S. for public defender services that will terminate on June 30, 2025. The City of Lynnwood operates a Municipal Court and is required to provide indigent defendants charged with a crime legal counsel as they proceed through the judicial system.

The Lynnwood City Council Work Session will be held in-person and virtually by Zoom or Lynnwood, WA Video Archive (swagit.com).

Public Hearing: Moratorium on the Acceptance of Substance Abuse Clinic Applications

On April 17, 2023, the Lynnwood City Council approved, with a vote of 5-1, Ordinance No. 3441 to an immediate six-month halt of the acceptance and processing of all applications for substance abuse outpatient clinics within its boundaries. This ordinance was adopted through emergency action, which requires that a public hearing be conducted on that action within 60 days.

Because the City of Lynnwood Municipal Code Title 21, Zoning, has not been amended nor revised to address the desired location of substance abuse outpatient clinics within its boundaries, Council President Shannon Sessions requested of the Council to preserve the status quo for a six-month period to evaluate the appropriate location for substance abuse clinics and whether separation requirements between substance abuse clinics and schools and other uses are appropriate.

Following the controversy surrounding siting of the Lynnwood Comprehensive Treatment Center by Acadia Healthcare next to the Alderwood Boys & Girls Club earlier this year, Mayor Christine Frizzell shared that her City is taking active steps to evaluate proper location and adequate community involvement of essential public facilities and substance abuse clinics. She informed the public that on April 14, the City received an application on March 31, for a “Tenant Improvement Building: Remodel” similar to that of the Lynnwood Comprehensive Treatment Center.

Upon further research by her Development & Business Services team, it was discovered that the application was to renovate a suite located at 6101 200 Street SW, Suite 100, for a substance abuse outpatient clinic, Mayor Frizzell shared.

The suite Community Medical Services is seeking to renovate is 7,023 square feet, and according to realtor.com, was rented to the for-profit, CARF-accredited substance use disorder treatment program, at least four weeks ago with an asking rental price of $15,802 per month. For pictures of the interior of the facility, click here.

City Attorney Lisa Marshall shared with the council that because of the Growth Management Act (GMA) based law, RCW 36.70A.390, the city is entitled to a six-month moratorium with a one-year maximum to evaluate and develop zoning control for essential public facilities.

The final vote had Councilmembers Sessions, Hurst, Decker, Smith, and Altamirano-Crosby voting in favor of the emergency ordinance with Councilwoman Sutton voting against. Councilman Joshua Binda was absent from the meeting.

This public hearing is required as part of that previous approval. The City Council may, in its discretion, adopt additional findings after the public hearing.

Public Hearing: 2023 Comprehensive Plan Amendment List (PAL)

The Housing Authority of Snohomish County (HASCO) has submitted a comprehensive plan and concurrent rezone request be included on the docket for their properties at 5710 & 5714 200th St SW, commonly referred to as the Timberglen and Pinewood apartments. Questions from City Council are documented and attached below:

• CC PAL Public Hearing Presentation.pdf
• CC PAL Public Hearing Report.pdf
• Questions from CC May 15 2023 Work Session.pdf

On May 25, 2023, Lynnwood Planning Commission made recommendation to Lynnwood City Council to approve the 2023 Comprehensive Plan Amendment List (PAL) to further study the application.

On June 12, the City will conduct a Public Hearing on the 2023 Comprehensive Plan Proposed Amendment List and will take action at its City Council Business Meeting on June 26.

Renaming 196th Street SW Frontage Road to 196th Place SW

The short frontage road that lies on the north side of our principal arterial, 196th Street SW, and runs from 56th Avenue west and terminates at the old 196th Bridge at Wilcox Park is also named 196th Street SW. This causes confusion and one of the three business owners along the road has requested that the City change the name of the road to 196th Place SW. Staff has sent a letter to all three businesses and received back from all three their concurrence for the name change.

A resolution will be brought before the Council at the June 12, 2023, regular Council Meeting that makes this change.

City of Lynnwood Gun Buyback Program

The City Council is expected to vote on approving ARPA funds to facilitate a gun buyback event, hosted by the City of Lynnwood for its residents.

The Lynnwood Police Department is requesting $15,000 dollars in ARPA funding to facilitate a gun buyback event, hosted by the City of Lynnwood for its residents. The goal of this event is to address gun violence within the community and to reduce the likelihood of accidental injuries and suicides by firearm by providing residents an opportunity to voluntarily relinquish ownership of unwanted firearms in exchange for pre-paid gift cards.

The Mukilteo Police Department collected a total of 32 firearms in exchange for $2400 in gift cards at its second Gun Buyback Event on February 25, 2023. All exchanges were anonymous. Its first Gun Buy Back was in December of last year and collected 41 firearms in exchange for $2,850 in gift cards.

On December 17, 2022, the Everett Police Department held its first Guns for Gift Cards drive-thru event at the South Precinct giving residents the opportunity to relinquish unwanted firearms. Everett Police exchanged an incredible 241 firearms for VISA gift cards valued up to $300 (totaled $25,000).

If approved the event is tentatively scheduled for July and to take place at the Lynnwood City Hall parking lot between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Trade-in gift card values will range from $25 for non-working firearms and pellet guns, $100 for bolt-action rifles and shotguns, $200 for a working handgun, and $250 for AR or AK style rifles.