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Staff previews proposed crisis recovery center definition and zoning limits; committee asked for refinements
Summary
Staff proposed adding a crisis recovery center definition and restricting locations (removing multifamily zones and adding a quarter‑mile separation from public schools) to the city code; committee asked staff to map private daycares/charter schools and consider licensing provisions before sending to planning commission.
Planning staff presented a draft code approach to define and regulate crisis recovery centers and asked the committee for direction before preparing ordinance language for the planning commission.
Community Development Director Keith Nevin said current city code classifies many behavioral‑health and recovery services under a broad “convalescent center” definition. After presentations by Connections Healthcare and Emerald City Behavioral Health on a proposed facility at 822 S. 330th Street, staff proposed a distinct definition for ‘‘crisis recovery center’’ that would cover secure or semi‑secure facilities providing triage, stabilization, short‑term (24 hours up to seven days) observation and linkage to services for people in acute behavioral‑health and substance‑use crises. Staff said such facilities operate more like an emergency department accepting walk‑ins and first‑responder drop‑offs rather than typical outpatient counseling offices.
Nevin proposed limiting where crisis recovery centers are allowed by: removing multifamily zones from the list of allowed locations and imposing a one‑quarter‑mile separation from public schools (defined as facilities operated by Federal Way Public Schools). He said the proposed changes would leave a narrower set of commercial and office areas where such facilities could locate.
Committee members asked whether the separation should also include private day cares and charter schools; Nevin said adding private schools and commercial daycare centers is possible but might reduce available sites substantially and staff will research those uses. Members also discussed licensing for crisis recovery centers (similar to licensing for emergency shelters and permanent supportive housing), and noted existing behavioral‑health and outpatient providers in the city, most of which do not provide overnight beds.
The item was informational; committee members asked staff to refine the mapping (including commercial daycare and private schools) and to draft licensing provisions before moving a formal ordinance to planning commission.
