TITLE: Title
Request-to-Set a Public Hearing on Land Use Ordinance Amendments Relating to Boarding and Rooming Houses
PURPOSE: The purpose of this agenda item is for the Board of Aldermen to consider setting a public hearing on text amendments to the Land Use Ordinance relating to definitions and permit requirements for boarding houses and rooming houses.
body
DEPARTMENT: Planning
CONTACT INFORMATION: Patricia McGuire - 919-918-7327; Christina Moon - 919-918-7325; Bob Hornik - 919-929-3905
INFORMATION: The Town communicated with residents from the Lloyd-Broad neighborhood in the late summer and fall of 2017 related to the renovation of an existing home on Lloyd Street. On November 28th, the Board of Aldermen discussed possible modifications to regulations related to size and scale of residential buildings and occupancy/definitions of family; and subsequently, work on Land Use Ordinance amendments got underway. On February 20th, the Board received additional information from the Lloyd-Broad neighbors relating to these topics. Some concerns identified during the discussions had to with the definition of family and the related issues associated with increasing housing sizes. The Board requested that staff explore ways to tackle these issues.
A draft ordinance has been prepared that clarifies the definition of a boarding or rooming house in relation to both the number of rooms available to be rented as well as the number of unrelated individuals living in the overall dwelling unit. The ordinances goes on to amend the definition of family by distinguishing a potential group of unrelated individuals in a boarding house as something different from the standard family unit. As written these ordinance provisions will apply to all residential occupancies.
The change to the definition of family has brought attention to a need for the Town to establish provisions for reasonable accommodations per the Americans with Disabilities Act. A draft ordinance will be presented to the Board on this topic in May.
The Board of Aldermen must receive public comment before adopting amendments to the Land Use Ordinance. Orange County and Planning Board review are also needed.
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: Public hearings involve staff and public notice costs associated with advisory board and Board of Aldermen review.
RECOMMENDATION:r Staff recommends that the Board of Aldermen consider the attached resolution, setting a public hearing for June 5, 2018 and referred the proposed amendment to Orange County and the Planning Board.