By Reggie Ellis, The Sun-Gazette, October 2, 2019
As Tulare County’s largest city, Visalia deals with the brunt of many of the area’s most difficult problems. Visalia has most of the county’s violent crimes, homeless people and those dealing with drug addiction. As expected, the city is also home to most of the facilities, programs and organizations that deal with these issues.
This summer, methadone clinics, and the number of them in Visalia, became a topic in the broader discussions about homelessness, housing, blight quality of life at community meetings and city council meetings.
There are currently three methadone clinics in the entire county, two are located in Visalia and one is located in Tulare. The two in Visalia are operated by Aegis Treatment Centers and Bay Area Addiction Research and Treatment (BAART). The Tulare clinic is run by Kings View Substance Abuse Program. Residents began voicing their opposition to the clinics earlier this year when plans for a third methadone clinic in Visalia were submitted. Architect Larry Lewis submitted plans for a methadone maintenance treatment center at 109 NW 2nd Ave. adjacent to Oval Park. City staff said the applicant, Cornerstone Rehab Center LLC, will need a conditional use permit that will have to be approved by the Visalia Planning Commission, so there will be an opportunity for public comment.
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