City staff were optimistic earlier this year that a two-year review process of the Human Services Facility Siting Ordinance would conclude Monday night. But after the fourth council workshop in two years, it appears the council is still not ready to approve — or consider — a draft ordinance.
The controversial aforementioned ordinance was first implemented in 1991 to regulate where services, including soup kitchens and day centers, could locate. A formal review of the ordinance began in July 2016 to address potential discrimination based on physical abilities and familial status, both protected in the Fair Housing Act.
The issue has spent the last several months before the Planning Commission, which forwarded a draft proposal to the council Monday. Essentially, the proposal would repeal the Human Services Facility Siting Ordinance in its entirety and amend the existing land-use code to allow service facilities to locate anywhere like services are allowed. For example, shelters could locate wherever commercial lodging is allowed and food or clothing pantries could locate where sales-oriented retail businesses are allowed. A new category, community centers, is proposed for facilities like day centers.
But the draft ordinance also calls for conditional-use permits for shelters, soup kitchens and day centers. Performance standards were also proposed. These standards include requiring either indoor or covered outdoor seating open to customers at least one hour before check-in, a litter-control plan to manage a 200-foot radius, an indoor-only storage area for belongings and restrooms to serve the expected number of clients at peak times.
