03-02-2004 CC RPT 08 - Laserfiche WebLink

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"PeopleServing People" CITY OF RIVERSIDE City Council Memorandum Riverside ~t~Amef~a c~ HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: MARCH 2, 2004 ITEM NO.: 8 SUBJECT: PLANNING CASE P03-0570: PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING CODE (TITLE 19 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE) TO REVISE THE CURRENT REGULATIONS PERTAINING TO HOUSING FOR PROBATIONERS/PAROLEES, INCLUDING ADDING A REQUIREMENT FOR A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR HOUSING TWO OR MORE PROBATIONERS/PAROLEES. BACKGROUND: In May 2003, the City Council directed the Planning and Building Department and the City Attorney's Office to initiate a Zoning Code amendment to establish regulations for probationer/parolee homes. On January 22, 2004 the Planning Commission unanimously approved revised regulations requiring a minor conditional use permit (MCUP) for probationer/parolee homes with two to six occupants and a full conditional use permit (CUP) for more than six occupants. The same requirements were also approved for homeless shelters, which may include parolees or probationers. It should be noted that the Planning Department and City Attorney's Office staff met and discussed this amendment with various representatives from County Probation, State Parole, Federal Probation, sober living home operators, the City's Homeless Coordinator and the Police Department. Several changes were made to the amendment in response to concerns expressed by various affected parties. At the January 22 Planning Commission hearing, there was no opposition expressed to the amendment as currently written. The amendment requires that existing parolee/probationer homes or homeless shelters must submit for the required MCUP or CUP within 60 days of the effective date of the ordinance, and complete the MCUP or CUP within 180 days. The Planning Commission raised concerns that smaller homes may not have the necessary funds to comply with these deadlines. Many of these uses rely on grants which may take up to a year to process. The Commission requested staff to look into revising the amendment to address this concern for City Council consideration. The new language proposed in Exhibit 1 will permit the filing period to be extended up to one-year from the effective date of the ordinance for homes in good standing when financial hardship exists and a good-faith effort is made to secure funds, subject to approval of the Planning Department with Police Department input. FISCAL IMPACT: The fees for the MCUP and CUP applications to legalize existing and permit new parolee/probationer homes and homeless shelters are expected to cover the costs of processing the applications. 8-1