Title
AN ORDINANCE CONCERNING ZONING--DEFINITIONS--GROUP RESIDENTIAL FACILITY for the purpose of amending the definition for the use "Group Residential Facility" in the Zoning Ordinance.
Background
This bill will amend the definition for the use "Group Residential Facility" in the Zoning Ordinance to include the term "building."
LEGISLATIVE NOTE:
On June 3, 2021, the County Council, sitting as the Committee of the Whole, considered CB-33-2021. The Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee Director provided an overview of the bill, stating that legislation will amend Section 27-107.01(a) of the Zoning Ordinance to enlarge the definition of the use “Group Residential Facility” to include the term “Building.” The Committee summarized comments received on legislative referral on the bill as follows:
The Planning Board offered comments in support of the legislation, noting that the bill would impact a property located at 3000 Lottsford Vista Road Bowie, Maryland, and that the proposed legislation would expand the number and types of structures that would be permitted under the use, since permitting other structures to be re-used as group residential facilities will promote self-sufficiency for our dependent populations in the County.
The Planning Board also noted that the new Zoning Ordinance defines Group Residential Facility as “A residential facility operated by a responsible individual or organization,” explaining that “the term ’residential facility’ is sufficiently broad and covers the terms ‘dwelling unit’ and ‘foster home’ listed under the current definition. In addition, the ‘residential facility’ term can be interpreted to cover the conversion of an existing building into a group residential facility. Therefore, if CB-33-2021 is enacted, there is no need to revise the definition in the adopted Zoning Ordinance.”
The Chief Zoning Hearing Examiner submitted comments on the bill, pointing out that the proposed new language, “building,” is not...
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