Plans for a 150-bed detox facility are sparking debate in San Marcos, because of its proposed site.
The facility would be built on property of the United Methodist Church at 800 W. Mission Avenue in San Marcos. The Montessori School of San Marcos is also on the church land. Palomar College, San Marcos Middle School and Palomar College are nearby.
"The top concern of ours is the safety of the students," said Steven Messinger, co-owner of the Montessori School. Messinger said the school and the facility would share a parking lot and street entrances.
"What will some of the students see and witness as they come and go?" he asked.
The church partnered with Interfaith Community Services, which would build and operate the residential recovery and wellness campus.
But the proposal is dependent on grant funding through California’s Proposition 1, a 2024 initiative to fund behavioral health treatment facilities, housing support and mental health services. Proponents called it a much needed tool to combat California’s homelessness crisis.
"If we're fortunate to receive funding, then we'll enter into a deeper community engagement cycle. Construction won't begin until next year. The site, at the earliest it would open would actually be 2028," said Greg Anglea, the CEO of Interfaith.
The project is known as the San Marcos Recovery and Wellness Campus. Anglea said it will address a dire need for more substance abuse treatment.
Opponents of the plan have launched an online petition asking the city of San Marcos "to pause the proposed construction ... and instead relocate the project to a more suitable site in San Marcos away from schools, day care, children, youth and adolescents."
But city leaders say if Prop. 1 funding is awarded, they will have no jurisdiction over where the facility is located.
"The city generally has land use decisions over all things that happen in the city. Unfortunately, that has eroded with the state taking land use control when the citizens voted for Prop. 1," said San Marcos mayor Rebecca Jones during a recent city council meeting.
The online petition asks for "a pause to the approval of funds under Prop 1 and delay any start to construction until relocation of the facility to a more appropriate location — one that both supports treatment and protects our students."
San Marcos parent Jamie Benson is one of the more than 1,400 hundred people who have signed the petition as of Thursday afternoon. Her two children are set to attend San Marcos Middle School. She wanted to know more about the people who would be served by the proposed center.
"How do these people get admitted to the facility? Are they just coming out of prison? You know you're not allowed to have any sex offenders near a school campus," Benson asked.
Anglea said the recovery facility would have 24-7 staffing and security, but would not offer walk up services. He said a person getting services at the campus would be "somebody who comes into a program like this, applies for it, schedules an appointment, completes an intake and is safely brought in to a residential setting."
If the funding is awarded, Anglea said Interfaith will be holding opportunities for public feedback.
"If it does get funded, then ... we just have to think about what are the next steps to continue to honestly fight against this," Benson said.
Prop. 1 awards are expected to be announced in the next few weeks.
