City Council

12A. URGENCY ORDINANCE ADOPTING PROPOSED CHAPTER 20.250 OF THE\nSTANTON MUNICIPAL CODE ALLOWING GROUP HOMES FOR THE BENEFIT OF\nTHE DISABLED AND CORRESPONDING AMENDMENTS TO TITLE 20 OF THE\nSTANTON MUNICIPAL CODE\nOrange County has seen a significant increase in the number of residential homes being\nutilized as alcohol and drug recovery facilities for large numbers of individuals (“recovery\nhomes”). Recovery homes might provide services that require licensure by the State (as\n“alcoholism or drug abuse recovery or treatment facilities”), or they might not (referred to\nhere as “sober-living homes”). Recovery homes are considered residential facilities, or\n“group homes,” for the disabled, which are protected under state and federal law. Certain\ngroup homes that provide medical and mental health care and supervision are also\nregulated by the State; however, group homes that do not provide such care to their\nresidents are largely unregulated.\nThe State has recognized the need to prevent overconcentration of residential facilities\nthat impairs the integrity of residential neighborhoods and leads to the institutionalization\nof such neighborhoods, which undermines the benefits of deinstitutionalization.\nThe City desires to protect group homes for the disabled and ensure that benefits of\ndeinstitutionalization for such communities are not impeded by overcrowding and the\nproliferation of group homes. The City’s current regulations do not adequately address\nthe current and immediate threat to the public health, safety, or welfare based on the\noverconcentration of residential facilities. The proposed regulations will preserve the\ncharacteristics of residential neighborhoods, provide opportunities for the disabled to\nreside in a residential zone that is enjoyed by the non-disabled, and provide a broader\nrange of housing opportunities to the disabled.\nRECOMMENDED ACTION:\n1. City Council determine that, pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act\n(CEQA), the project is exempt from CEQA pursuant to sections 15060(c)(2),\n15060(c)(3), 15378, and 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines; and\n2. Adopt Urgency Ordinance No. 1173, entitled:\n“AN URGENCY ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF\nSTANTON ALLOWING GROUP HOMES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE\nDISABLED; AND FINDING THE ACTION TO BE EXEMPT FROM THE\nCEQA UNDER STATE CEQA GUIDELINES §§ 15060(c)(2)-(3); 15378;\n15061(b)(3).”