Homes to see more regulation

Alicia Robinson

Drug and alcohol recovery homes will be more heavily regulated by

the city, after years of debate over how much the city can or should

control them.

The City Council voted 4-2 Tuesday to adopt new zoning standards

governing drug and alcohol recovery homes in the city. Councilmen

John Heffernan and Dick Nichols, sighting the apparent lack of

support at the meeting for the regulations, voted against the

changes.

With the vote, and the new zoning regulations, some group homes

will now have to apply for special permits, and the Planning

Commission will evaluate requests for new Federal Exception Permits,

which will be required for group homes serving seven or more people

in areas zoned for 1 1/2 and 2 units per acre and multi-family

residences. The commission will consider whether the facilities meet

the zoning code for traffic and other requirements. The regulations

also create a definition of “campus” for facilities with three or

more buildings devoted to common uses.

“[Recovery home proponents] were all opposed to our ordinance,

which tells me we’re on the right track,” Mayor Tod Ridgeway said

before the vote. “I think what is here tonight is reasonable.”

City officials wanted to preserve the character of residential

neighborhoods that are home to treatment centers, but they had to

obey various state and federal laws that restrict how much the city

can regulate the centers. State law says centers housing up to six

people can’t be regulated, and those serving seven or more people are

protected by housing discrimination laws.

Some neighbors hold the treatment centers responsible for noise

and litter in their neighborhoods and have asked for more protections

through city ordinances. But most who testified Tuesday spoke in

support of recovery homes and expressed concerns that the proposed

regulations would hinder their operations.

“I want to be responsive to both this community and the people

this council serves,” said Richard Perlin, with Newport Coast

Recovery. “Why don’t we try and approach this using the laws that are

already in place?”

The ordinance came with a stamp of approval from the Planning

Commission, which approved it 5-0 last month.

Heffernan said he opposed the measure, in part, because he thought

it exposed the city to legal liability.

“I think this is too big of a stick for the problem,” he said. “I

am not moved by the fact that this is a big enough problem, if not

many people would come down and support it.”

The council will hold a second reading of the ordinance on July

27.

* ALICIA ROBINSON covers business, politics and the environment.

She may be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at

alicia.robinson@latimes.com.