TA2018002 BOS REPORT.PDF

Maricopa County — Formal (2020-10-21)

View PDF Item 8 Meeting page

Extracted text (via pymupdf) 17299 characters
June 10, 2020 
TA2018002 
Page 1 of 7 
Report to the Board of Supervisors 
Prepared by the Maricopa County Planning and Development Department 
 
 
 
Board Hearing Date: 
October 21, 2020 (Continued from June 10, 2020) 
 
Case #/Title:   
 
TA2018002 – Group Homes  
 
Supervisor District: 
All 
 
Applicant:  
Rod Jarvis of Earl & Curley 
 
Requests: 
Text Amendment to amend Chapter 2, Definitions; Section 501, 
Article 501.2.4; and Section 601, Article 601.2.3 of the Maricopa 
County Zoning Ordinance (MCZO) relating to Group Homes  
 
  
 
Municipal Comments: 
One comment from the City of El Mirage regarding the separation 
requirement. (No new municipal or agency comment since the May 
30, 2019 ZIPPOR meeting.) 
 
Support/Opposition: 
As of the March 12, 2020 Commission hearing there had been seven 
letters of opposition/suggested changes to the proposed text. There 
has been no new public comment since the May 30, 2019 ZIPPOR 
meeting; except that subsequent to the Commission hearing a 
comment of concern was provided by the New River Desert Hills 
Community Association, attached. 
 
Other: 
TA2018002 was continued from April, May and June 2020 Board 
hearings.  The Applicant has agreed to a further continuance to 
December 9, 2020, email attached. 
 
 
At the March 12, 2020 Commission hearing the Applicant proposed 
revised language to Art. 501.2.4.a to remove the phrase “BY A UTILITY 
RIGHT-OF-WAY OF AT LEASE 300 FEET, OR” and replace it with 
language to read, “NOT WITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, NO 
DISPERSAL/SEPARATION SHALL BE REQUIRED WHERE A GROUP HOME 
IS SEPARATED FROM ANOTHER GROUP HOME BY A FREEWAY OR 
CANAL.” Staff notes this proposed revision only addresses the Rural 
zoning districts and does not address the Residential zoning districts.  
 
However, this revised language was presented verbally and not 
provided in writing; therefore, staff requested the Applicant provide 
a written document showing the final version of the proposed text 
amendment 
in 
legislative 
edit. 
Applicant 
provided 
written 
document on March 20th. Subsequently on April 6th the Applicant 
provided a Final Revision draft. See both versions, attached. It is the 
Applicant’s intent for the revised language to apply to both Rural 
and Residential zoning districts.  If the Board concurs with the 
intended revision then a motion for approval should state revised

June 10, 2020 
TA2018002 
Page 2 of 7 
language per the “resultant wording” shown on the Applicant’s April 
6, 2020 version of the text amendment.  Prior to the May 6, 2020 
Board hearing, the applicant agreed to further continuance to the 
June 10, 2020 Board hearing. However, staff is concerned there still 
may be some inconsistency and confusion over the specific 
language now being proposed by the Applicant and would prefer 
the Applicant produce a document with comprehensive text 
amendment showing all sections of text being amended in 
legislative edit from the current ordinance language.  See Additional 
Comment below. 
 
 
Due to potential for a comprehensive text amendment related to 
group homes and group care facilities, the Applicant has agreed to 
a further continuance of this item to the December 9, 2020 hearing. 
 
Recommendation: 
On March 12, 2020, the Commission voted 4-3 to recommend 
approval of TA2018002 with the revised language proposed by the 
Applicant (at that time) – shown below in legislative format with 
language to be added to the ordinance underscored, language to 
be deleted from the ordinance struck-through: 
 
SECTION 201. DEFINITIONS 
 
Group Home 
A dwelling unit shared as a primary residence by NO MORE THAN TEN minors, handicapped or 
elderly persons, OR PERSONS WITH A DISABILITY, WHO LIVE TOGETHER as a single housekeeping 
unit, in a long term, family-like environment in which staff persons provide on-site THE care, 
training, AND/or support for the NEEDED BY EACH INDIVIDUAL residents. Such homes or services 
provided therein shall be licensed by, certified by, approved by, registered with, funded by or 
through, or under contract with the State. (Group homes shall not include homes for the 
developmentally disabled, defined as persons afflicted with autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy or 
mental retardation, as regulated by Arizona Revised Statutes, §36-582.)  
 
Handicapped: Person with a Disability (Disabled Person): 
A person who: 1) Has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of 
such person's major life activities; 2) Has a record of having SUCH impairment. However, 
"Handicapped" shall not include current illegal use of or addiction to a controlled substance (as 
defined in § 102 of the Controlled Substance Act [21 United States Code 802]).; OR 3) IS 
REGARDED AS HAVING SUCH AN IMPAIRMENT.  (ANY ONE OF 1-3 IS HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO 
AS A "DISABILITY."). WITHOUT LIMITATION, A PERSONS WITH ADDICTION TO ALCOHOL AND/OR 
ILLEGAL DRUGS, WHO IS SEEKING TO RECOVER FROM SUCH ADDICTION AND IS NOT USING 
ALCOHOL OR ILLEGAL DRUGS, SHALL BE CONSIDERED TO BE A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY, AS 
DEFINED IN UNITED STATES CODE 28 C.F.R. § 36.105(B)(2)(2017).   
 
ARTICLE 501.2.   USE REGULATIONS: A building or premises shall be used only for the following 
purposes: 
4.  
Group homes for not more than ten persons, subject to the following 
performance criteria:

June 10, 2020 
TA2018002 
Page 3 of 7 
a.  
Dispersal: No such home shall be located on a lot with a property 
line within 1,320 feet, measured in a straight line in any direction, of 
the lot line of another such group home. NOTWITHSTANDING THE 
FOREGOING, NO DISPERSAL/SEPARATION SHALL BE REQUIRED 
WHERE A GROUP HOME IS SEPARATED FROM ANOTHER GROUP 
HOME BY A FREEWAY OR CANAL. 
b.  
If licensing is required by the State of Arizona, for the use, proof of 
such licensure shall be provided available to the Department of 
Planning and Development prior to the use being established. 
Group Homes for addiction recovery shall comply with all standards 
set forth in ARS Section 36-2061, et seq. 
c. 
Residents shall not be Aadjudicated Persons. 
d. 
Resident staff, if any, are included with the ten-resident limitation. 
e. 
If staff are not in residence, at least one staff member shall be on 
duty at the group home at all times. 
f. 
There shall be no sign or other exterior indication of a group home 
visible from any public street. 
g. 
All parking for the Group Home shall be on site. 
h. 
Prior to occupancy of a Group Home, the owner, or owner’s 
representative, shall submit an application for zoning certification, 
on a form provided by Maricopa County, accompanied by: a floor 
plan, a notarized statement detailing qualifications, copies of any 
required state of Arizona licenses, and an affidavit of compliance 
indicating use of the subject site as Group Home. The Zoning 
Administrator shall have 30 days from the date of submission of such 
application to conduct a review of the application. Any Zoning 
Certification not specifically denied, citing specific reasons for such 
denial, in written notice to the applicant, shall be deemed granted. 
If such application is timely denied, the applicant may correct any 
deficiencies and resubmit same, subject to the review period set 
forth above. 
 
ARTICLE 601.2.   USE REGULATIONS: A building or premises shall be used only for the following 
purposes: 
 
3. 
Group homes for not more than ten persons, subject to the following 
performance criteria:  
a.  
Dispersal: No such home shall be located on a lot with a property 
line within 1,320 feet, measured in a straight line in any direction, of 
the lot line of another such group home. NOTWITHSTANDING THE 
FOREGOING, NO DISPERSAL/SEPARATION SHALL BE REQUIRED 
WHERE A GROUP HOME IS SEPARATED FROM ANOTHER GROUP 
HOME BY A UTILITY RIGHT-OF-WAY AT LEAST 300 FEET IN WIDTH, OR 
BY A FREEWAY OR CANAL.

June 10, 2020 
TA2018002 
Page 4 of 7 
b.  
If licensing is required by the State of Arizona, for the use, proof of 
such licensure shall be provided available to the Department of 
Planning and Development prior to the use being established. 
Group Homes for addiction recovery shall comply with all standards 
set forth in ARS Section 36-2061, et seq. 
c. 
Residents shall not be Aadjudicated Persons. 
d. 
Resident staff, if any, are included with the ten-resident limitation. 
e. 
If staff are not in residence, at least one staff member shall be on 
duty at the group home at all times. 
f. 
There shall be no sign or other exterior indication of a group home 
visible from any public street. 
g. 
All parking for the Group Home shall be on site. 
h. 
Prior to occupancy of a Group Home, the owner, or owner’s 
representative, shall submit an application for zoning certification, 
on a form provided by Maricopa County, accompanied by: a floor 
plan, a notarized statement detailing qualifications, copies of any 
required state of Arizona licenses, and an affidavit of compliance 
indicating use of the subject site as Group Home. The Zoning 
Administrator shall have 30 days from the date of submission of such 
application to conduct a review of the application. Any Zoning 
Certification not specifically denied, citing specific reasons for such 
denial, in written notice to the applicant, shall be deemed granted. 
If such application is timely denied, the applicant may correct any 
deficiencies and resubmit same, subject to the review period set 
forth above. 
 
Additional Comment: 
To reiterate, the Applicant has agreed to an additional continuance 
to the December 9, 2020 Board hearing. 
 
On April 8, 2020 the Board voted 5-0 to continue TA2018002 to May 
6, 2020.  On May 6, 2020 the Board voted 5-0 to continue TA2018002 
to June 10, 2020.  The previous report to the Board was prepared with 
the 
text 
amendment 
language 
from 
the 
Applicant 
as 
recommended by the Commission.  However, on April 6, 2020 the 
Applicant provided staff with an update to the proposed text 
amendment language. This is listed below in legislative format with 
language to be added to the ordinance underscored, language to 
be deleted from the ordinance struck-through, and revised 
language from the Commission recommendation highlighted:  (If 
the Board desires this version of the text amendment to be 
approved, motion should speak to “Approval per the Commission 
recommendation but with revisions as highlighted in today’s staff 
report.)

June 10, 2020 
TA2018002 
Page 5 of 7 
SECTION 201. DEFINITIONS 
 
Group Home 
A dwelling unit shared as a primary residence by NO MORE THAN TEN minors, handicapped or 
elderly persons, OR PERSONS WITH A DISABILITY, WHO LIVE TOGETHER as a single housekeeping 
unit, in a long term, family-like environment in which staff persons provide on-site THE care, 
training, AND/or support for the NEEDED BY EACH INDIVIDUAL residents. Such homes or services 
provided therein shall be licensed by, certified by, approved by, registered with, funded by or 
through, or under contract with the State. (Group homes shall not include homes for the 
developmentally disabled, defined as persons afflicted with autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy or 
mental retardation, as regulated by Arizona Revised Statutes, §36-582.)  
 
Handicapped: Person with a Disability (Disabled Person): 
A person who: 1) Has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of 
such person's major life activities; 2) Has a record of having SUCH impairment. However, 
"Handicapped" shall not include current illegal use of or addiction to a controlled substance (as 
defined in § 102 of the Controlled Substance Act [21 United States Code 802]).; OR 3) IS 
REGARDED AS HAVING SUCH AN IMPAIRMENT.  (ANY ONE OF 1-3 IS HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO 
AS A "DISABILITY."). WITHOUT LIMITATION, A PERSONS WITH ADDICTION TO ALCOHOL AND/OR 
ILLEGAL DRUGS, WHO IS SEEKING TO RECOVER FROM SUCH ADDICTION AND IS NOT USING 
ALCOHOL OR ILLEGAL DRUGS, SHALL BE CONSIDERED TO BE A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY, AS 
DEFINED IN UNITED STATES CODE 28 C.F.R. § 36.105(B)(2)(2017).   
 
ARTICLE 501.2.   USE REGULATIONS: A building or premises shall be used only for the following 
purposes: 
4.  
Group homes for not more than ten persons, subject to the following 
performance criteria:  
a.  
Dispersal: No such home shall be located on a lot with a property 
line within 1,320 feet, measured in a straight line in any direction, of 
the lot line of another such group home. NOTWITHSTANDING THE 
FOREGOING, NO DISPERSAL/SEPARATION SHALL BE REQUIRED 
WHERE A GROUP HOME IS SEPARATED FROM ANOTHER GROUP 
HOME BY A UTILITY RIGHT-OF-WAY T LEAST 300 FEET IN WIDTH OR BY 
A FREEWAY OR CANAL. 
b.  
If licensing is required by the State of Arizona, for the use, proof of 
such licensure shall be available to the Department of Planning and 
Development prior to the use being established. 
c.b. 
Residents shall not be Aadjudicated Persons. 
c. 
Resident staff, if any, are included with the ten-resident limitation. 
d. 
If staff are not in residence, at least one staff member shall be on 
duty at the group home at all times. 
e. 
There shall be no sign or other exterior indication of a group home 
visible from any public street. 
f. 
All parking for the Group Home shall be on site.

June 10, 2020 
TA2018002 
Page 6 of 7 
g. 
Prior to occupancy of a Group Home, the owner, or owner’s 
representative, shall submit an application for zoning certification, 
on a form provided by Maricopa County, accompanied by: a floor 
plan, a notarized statement detailing qualifications, copies of any 
required state of Arizona licenses, and an affidavit of compliance 
indicating use of the subject site as Group Home. The Zoning 
Administrator shall have 30 days from the date of submission of such 
application to conduct a review of the application. Any Zoning 
Certification not specifically denied, citing specific reasons for such 
denial, in written notice to the applicant, shall be deemed granted. 
If such application is timely denied, the applicant may correct any 
deficiencies and resubmit same, subject to the review period set 
forth above. 
 
ARTICLE 601.2.   USE REGULATIONS: A building or premises shall be used only for the following 
purposes: 
 
3. 
Group homes for not more than ten persons, subject to the following 
performance criteria:  
a.  
Dispersal: No such home shall be located on a lot with a property 
line within 1,320 feet, measured in a straight line in any direction, of 
the lot line of another such group home. NOTWITHSTANDING THE 
FOREGOING, NO DISPERSAL/SEPARATION SHALL BE REQUIRED 
WHERE A GROUP HOME IS SEPARATED FROM ANOTHER GROUP 
HOME BY A UTILITY RIGHT-OF-WAY AT LEAST 300 FEET IN WIDTH, OR 
BY A FREEWAY OR CANAL. 
b.  
If licensing is required by the State of Arizona, for the use, proof of 
such licensure shall be available to the Department of Planning and 
Development prior to the use being established. 
c.b. 
Residents shall not be Aadjudicated Persons. 
c. 
Resident staff, if any, are included with the ten-resident limitation. 
d. 
If staff are not in residence, at least one staff member shall be on 
duty at the group home at all times. 
e. 
There shall be no sign or other exterior indication of a group home 
visible from any public street. 
f. 
All parking for the Group Home shall be on site. 
g. 
Prior to occupancy of a Group Home, the owner, or owner’s 
representative, shall submit an application for zoning certification, 
on a form provided by Maricopa County, accompanied by: a floor 
plan, a notarized statement detailing qualifications, copies of any 
required state of Arizona licenses, and an affidavit of compliance 
indicating use of the subject site as Group Home. The Zoning 
Administrator shall have 30 days from the date of submission of such 
application to conduct a review of the application. Any Zoning 
Certification not specifically denied, citing specific reasons for such 
denial, in written notice to the applicant, shall be deemed granted.

June 10, 2020 
TA2018002 
Page 7 of 7 
If such application is timely denied, the applicant may correct any 
deficiencies and resubmit same, subject to the review period set 
forth above. 
 
 
Presented by: 
 
 
Darren V. Gerard, AICP, Planning Services Manager 
Reviewed by: 
Matthew Holm, AICP, Planning Supervisor 
 
Attachment: 
 
Email from Applicant agreeing to Continuance (1 page) 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
Note: The following items are not attached but can be provided upon request: 
 
 
 
TA2018002 document emailed from Applicant stamped received 4/6/20 (7 pages) 
 
 
TA2018002 document from applicant stamped received 3/20/20 (2 pages) 
 
 
NRDHCA comments (1 page) 
 
 
3/12/20 P&Z Packet (74 pages)  
 
3/12/20 Draft P&Z Minutes (26 pages)

From: Rod Jarvis <rjarvis@EarlCurley.com>  
Sent: Friday, September 25, 2020 3:43 PM 
To: Darren V. Gérard (PND) <Darren.Gerard@Maricopa.Gov> 
Subject: Re: TA2018002 
 
Yes, please—thanks, Darren 
Sent from my iPhone 
 
 
On Sep 25, 2020, at 1:58 PM, Darren V. Gérard (PND) <Darren.Gerard@maricopa.gov> wrote: 
  
Rod: there is a 12/9 BOS date, is this the date to which you would like to be continued? 
  
Darren V. Gérard, AICP 
Planning Services Manager 
Planning & Development  
602‐506‐7139 
Darren.Gerard@maricopa.gov 
  
[snip]