2018-39 Ordinance Vacating Public Rights-of-Way in the 400-599 Blocks East Central Avenue, 900-999 Blocks North Warren, 200-599 East Wabash, 400 Blocks East Central & East King, 200 Blocks East Central, 800 Blocks of North Warren & Water

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Item Coversheet Page 2 of 2 In 2017,the United States' Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency regarding the opioid epidemic that is affecting the country. In the late 1990s, healthcare providers began prescribing opioid pain relievers at greater rates, with the belief that patients would not become addicted to them. The increased prescription of these opioid medications led to widespread misuse of both prescription and non-prescription opioids. Many times, patients who were looking for pain relief became so addicted that they turned to drugs, such as heroin, to obtain the same pain relie£ Opioid overdoses and deaths have been increasing annually throughout the country,the state,and our community. Crossing Healthcare completed a Needs Assessment for the community in the first half of 2018. The data that was gathered on opioid use for the community is alarming. Between 2010 and 2014,Macon County experienced a 68%increase in opioid related hospitalizations. In contrast, the State of Illinois, as a whole experienced, a decline. Opioid deaths increased by 76.2 percent between 2013 and 2016. The response to this epidemic in terms of treatment of opioid dependency has been reactive to date and the need is greater than the supply. These facts led Crossing Healthcare, in cooperation with the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, to respond with urgency. The proposed Community Care Campus will provide an all-inclusive drug misuse rehabilitation facility to the Decatur area. The campus will feature an inpatient drug detox and treatment center,an outpatient treatment center,and a dormitory to assist those in outpatient treatment with transitional housing. Plans for this campus have been developed over the course of only a few months. Per Paragraph 2.2.2 of the same manual,"All property owners with land abutting a piece of property which is under consideration for vacation shall be served proper notice prior to City Council action on the request."Staff has sent out notification letters to the seven abutting property owners as well as published in the newspaper regarding the September 4, 2018 public hearing of the proposed right-of-way vacations before the City Council. In accordance with Paragraph 2.2.3 of the same manual, "Compensation shall be required, based upon an approved recent appraisal at the expense of the petitioner,whenever land comes out of public trust by vacation or disposition."However,since the City is a partner for this redevelopment project and the subject vacations are being proposed by the City as owners of those parcels,an appraisal of the effected parcels should not be warranted. The subject rights-of-way are no longer necessary to serve the general publia Staff is of the opinion that these vacations will not have an adverse effect on the general public.The best interests of the City of Decatur would be served by approving the proposed right-of-way vacations to allow the planned Wabash Community Care Campus redevelopment project. POTENTIAL OBJECTIONS: N/A INPUT FROM OTHER SOURCES: The proposed street and alleyway vacations have been reviewed by the City's Technical Review Committee; Planning, Engineering and Fire have approved the vacations. STAFF REFERENCE: Any additional questions may be forwarded to Raymond Lai at 424-2727 or rlai@decaturil.gov or Joselyn A.Stewart at 424-2782 or jstewart@decaturil.gov BUDGET/TIME IMPLICATIONS: None https://decatur.novusagenda.com/AgendaWeb/CoverSheet.aspx?ItemID=1675 8/31/2018