Eatonville council amends code regarding drug paraphernalia

Despite some concerns about the intent and impact of the change, the Eatonville Town Council at its April 26 meeting passed an ordinance amending the town’s municipal code regarding drug paraphernalia.
In short, Ordinance 2021-3 added the worded “knowingly” to read as follows: “It is unlawful for any person to knowingly possess drug paraphernalia, as defined in RCW 69.50.102, as now or hereafter amended and adopted by reference. Possession of drug paraphernalia with knowledge is a civil infraction under EMC 1.12.020, and penalties for violating this Chapter shall be assessed as outlined in EMC 1.12.030.”

Councilmember Robert Thomas proposed postponing voting on the ordinance — which had its first reading at the last town council meeting — until the next meeting in order to hear the police chief’s thoughts on the matter, but that motion did not pass.
The change was prompted by a 5-4 Washington State Supreme Court ruling in February that the law making simple drug possession a crime was unconstitutional because it did not require prosecutors to prove the defendant knowingly possessed drugs.
In other business, the Town Council approved the first reading of Ordinance No. 2021-4, amending Title 10 of the Eatonville Municipal Code by adding a new chapter 10.40 titled “Golf Carts.”
A first reading of Ordinance 2021-5, amending Eatonville’s Comprehensive Plan, was also passed. The amendment requested by petitioners Baublits Memorial LLC and Jaegga LLC for work on land at the 300 block on the east side of Washington Avenue (SR-161) and north of Lynch Creek Road East would rezone the parcel from its current multi-family land use designation to commercial.
Finally, the Town Council passed a proclamation that May 1 through Dec. 31, 2021, be known as the Pierce County Library System’s 75th diamond anniversary.