Methadone

CLINIC TO PROTEST ORDER TO STAY SHUT

Horry County's first methadone clinic will fight a county order that it not
open before the county's zoning board of appeals rehears the clinic's case
in January.

The clinic, which has not officially opened but has hired employees and
begun arranging appointments, plans to protest the order before Circuit
Judge John Breeden at 2:30 p.m. today in Georgetown.

The county doesn't want the clinic to open before the board meets. Until
then, the clinic's approval is in question.

If Breeden reverses the county's order, the clinic could open before the
Board of Adjustments and Zoning Appeals decides its fate.

Opponents of the methadone clinic, ready to open near Fantasy Harbour,
called the county's order another victory in their fight to keep the clinic
out of Horry County.

The clinic's advocates have insisted it will provide a vital service to the
Grand Strand's recovering drug addicts, many of whom now drive daily to
Charleston, Columbia or Wilmington, N.C.

Residents and the parents of children who attend nearby Bridgewater Academy
say they're concerned the clinic will bring drugs and crime to the area.

Methadone is an addictive narcotic used to treat addiction to heroin,
OxyContin, morphine and other opiates.

S.C. Rep. Thad Viers, who persuaded the county's Board of Adjustments and
Zoning Appeals last week to rehear the case, said the county made the right
move by ordering the clinic to close until the board rehears the case.

"They operate at their own peril," he said. "Technically, the clinic is not
legal anymore."

The clinic's attorney, Reynolds Williams, said he thought Breeden had
already made it clear that the clinic must be allowed to open while the
county reconsiders its approval.

Last month, Breeden ruled that the board had the authority to reconsider
its own decisions, even 17 months after it initially voted to approve the
clinic. But Breeden indicated then that he didn't think the clinic should
be shut down pending that reconsideration.

County officials said they don't want the clinic to open before the rehearing.

"The county wants to protect the status quo," said Janet Carter, the
county's Planning Director and assistant attorney.

Now, it will be up to Breeden to decide whether the county has the power to
block the clinic from opening before the rehearing.

The clinic has hired employees and spent about $500,000 since receiving its
approval to open in July 2002. The clinic still is not open, though it is
arranging appointments for clients.

The zoning board will take up the issue Jan. 12. At that meeting, the board
will listen to both sides before deciding whether to let its earlier
approval stand.

The zoning board approved the clinic in July 2002 with little fanfare.
Since then, however, public outcry over the clinic prompted Viers to ask
the board to reconsider. About 100 people came to last week's meeting to
speak against the clinic.

The clinic's attorney has argued that reversing the approval now would set
a precedent that could threaten any property owner.

Viers and others have speculated that the clinic might sue the county if
the approval is reversed.