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Pasco council extends six-month moratorium on secure community transition facilities
Summary
The Pasco City Council voted unanimously to extend a six-month moratorium on siting secure community transition facilities while staff completes mapping, overlays and legal review to protect neighborhoods and comply with state limits.
The Pasco City Council voted unanimously to extend a temporary moratorium on essential public facilities that includes secure community transition facilities, adopting Ordinance No. 4851 to continue the pause through Feb. 28, 2027.
City staff presented the extension as a narrow, time-limited action to let planners finish overlay maps, buffer criteria and legal review. "In order to complete that work, an additional six months moratorium is needed to complete that and bring it back to the city council," City staff member Raymond told the council. Council members said the moratorium is intended to buy time for detailed zoning work without implying an ability to ban facilities outright, which state law limits.
The hearing drew public comment urging firm protections for neighborhoods. After the public hearing closed, Mayor Pro Tem moved to adopt Ordinance 4851; the motion passed on a roll call vote with all members present voting in favor. The ordinance designates an effective date and provides interpretive authority and corrections as needed. The extension directs staff to return with proposed regulatory language and maps for council review.
The moratorium does not change state law governing where certain facilities may be placed; it pauses local permitting to allow the city to draft localized rules and buffers. Staff and council said the next steps will include public outreach, legal review and a return to council with draft code language and maps for formal amendment.
