sr-020965-6gCITY OF SANTA MONICA
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INTER-DEPARTMENT MEMO
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DATE: January 26, 195 ..!~:5
T0: CITY COUNCIL :' ~',~v~~~ ~ ~~@} ~~F$ Vµ
FROM: ROBERT G. COCKINS, City Attorney '-_"~'
SUBJECT: REPORT ON SYNANON
The Mayor has requested that I submit a report to
the Council on the present status of Synanon. At the moment
there are pending two cases: City of Santa Monica v. Synanon,
and certain individuals, to restrain Synanon and the indivi-
duals from violating our zoning ordinance, and Synanon has a
case against the City of Santa Monica seeking a declaration
that our zoning ordinance is unconstitutional.
At the present time the evidence in our possession
indicates that Synanon is not operating here in Santa Monica
as a hospital or sanitarium for persons under the influence
of narcotics; that such persons presently are being sent to
San Diego and that the only persons presently in residence
here in Santa Monica are individuals who are completely
"clean" and who live in what in essence is a boarding house
or a club, both of which are permissible under the ordinance.
They do conduct discussions of their problems, but
there is no treatment of persons under the influence nor are
such persons accepted in the Santa Monica facility.
Synanon has purchased a very substantial piece of
acreage in Tomales Bay, Marin County, nn which there is
presently located a hotel. It is contemplated that this
will be the main area for the care of persons under the
influence and attempting to "kick the habit."
It had been contemplated that this office would
take depositions of some of the residents at Synanon last
summer and early fall; however, the taking of these deposi-
tions had to be postponed because of the sudden influx of
Pan litigation which required a tremendous amount of time.
My information from the Chief of Police is that they have
MEMO TO CITY CC~UATCIL
January 26, 1865
Page 2
nad no trouble from Synanon residents and that they have
been behaving themselves. It is our intention to proceed
shortly with the taking of depositions to determine if
our present information is correct.
However, we are presently of the belief that
Synanon in Santa Monica is operating as a boarding house
or club and not as a sanitarium for persons under the
influence of narcotics and, therefore, to pursue the action
at this time would be fruitless and to no avail.
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ROBERT G. COCKINS
City Attorney
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