Overdose Prevention Center Service Assessment

At a glance

• What: The city's work on a possible overdose prevention center with Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform: service assessment, community survey, site search, zoning and legal questions.
• Status: Work session on 2026-09-28; no vote. A letter of intent on a possible site was signed, holding the property for 90 days for a feasibility study. Staff said the site may not be a good fit. The Planning Commission is expected to take up zoning in October, and final approval rests with the City Council.
• Open questions: Location, security, federal legal risk, operating cost and funding beyond the state pilot.

Sources

• 2026-09-28 - City Council (video, auto-captions)
• Agenda, Planning Commission, October 27, 2026: https://burlingtonvt.api.civicclerk.com/v1/Meetings/GetMeetingFileStream(fileId=21441,plainText=false)

Log

2026-09-28 - City Council

Work session update from Kara Alnasrawi and Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform. Councilors raised siting, services, data and legal-risk questions.

2026-10-27 - Planning Commission

Agenda item 5 (1 hour): staff to present proposed Comprehensive Development Ordinance amendment ZA-27-02 on Overdose Prevention Centers, with the Commission to discuss and possibly refer it to City Council. Outcome not yet recorded.

2026-11-04 - Ward 3 NPA

• Ward 3 residents heard the community service assessment and discussed funding from opioid settlement money, a planned evaluation of EMS calls, crime, police calls and syringe litter, and the recovery bed shortage. The use is not yet an approved zoning use.