Politics & Government

Wilmington Detox Center Opponents Ask For Help With Legal Costs

Concerned Citizens of Wilmington estimates it will need more than $10,000 to fight the proposal in the legal system.

Betterment LLC's proposal to build a detox center at 362 Middlesex Avenue has divided Wilmington residents for 18 months
Betterment LLC's proposal to build a detox center at 362 Middlesex Avenue has divided Wilmington residents for 18 months (File photo by Dave Copeland | Patch)

WILMINGTON, MA -- Concerned Citizens of Wilmington, the group leading a fight against a proposal to build a drug treatment center on Middlesex Avenue, launched a fundraising campaign Thursday to help pay for legal bills. The group estimates it will need more than $10,000, and asked "like-minded residents" to consider contributing through a fundraising Website it set up.

"Our best chance to end this issue lies in our current case being tried in land court," the group said on its Facebook page. "If we win in land court, the detox at 362 Middlesex is forevermore a dead issue. If we lose in land court, Bettering LLC can return in 2 years to start this process all over again."

Betterment LLC, the group that wants to build the 48-bed, short-term detox center, has filed an appeal of a Wilmington Zoning Board of appeals decision against the project in Massachusetts Land Court. The company is arguing that when it submitted a preliminary subdivision plan on Sept. 27, 2017, it implemented a "zoning freeze" and that, as a result, the town has no choice but to issue a special permit for the project.

Find out what's happening in Wilmingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Meanwhile, Betterment is also threatening to sue the town in federal court for violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act and Federal Housing Administration rules. And Betterment may have a viable case: in November 2017 the town's own attorney raised similar concerns ahead of a town meeting vote to limit where facilities like the detox center could be located.

Special Town Meeting passed the new rules in December 2017 and, contrary to town counsel's warning, the Massachusetts Attorney General signed off on the new rules.

Find out what's happening in Wilmingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).



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