12-14-2014 Planning Comm. Agenda

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NORTHWEST ASSOCIATED CONSULTANTS, INC. 4800 Olson Memorial Highway, Suite 202, Golden Valley, MN 55422 Telephone: 763.231 .2555 Facsimile: 763.231.2561 planners@nacplanning.com MEMORANDUM TO: Little Canada Planning Commission FROM: Stephen Grittman DATE: December 5, 2014 RE: Little Canada — Family Definitions FILE NO: 758.09 — 14.17 Background and Analysis Under the state statutes that regulate planning and zoning, there is a requirement that group homes of up to six persons receiving care are required to be considered single family uses for purposes of zoning. This means that the City is required to treat such group homes (if they meet certain requirements) just the same as any single family home. Until recently, the statute governing this section referred to group homes that were licensed by the State of Minnesota under Mn. Stat. 245A. However, recent changes have eliminated the licensing process, and now such homes are to be "registered" under Mn. Stat. 144D. That particular statute is not as simple as the previous reference, and there is now also a trend toward live-in caretakers, not specifically addressed by the planning law (462.357). Staff is proposing changes to the current zoning code definitions section as follows in the underlined sections: F. 1. Family. A person living alone or any of the following groups, provided that the members of the group live together as a single housekeeping unit and do not exceed the maximum occupancy limits under chapter 4 of the city code: a. An individual plus one (1) or more persons related by blood, marriage, adoption, guardianship or other duly -authorized custodial relationship, including foster children and bona fide domestic servants employed on a full-time basis by the family in the dwelling unit; or b. Two unrelated people and any children related to either of them; or 11