[Ord. No. 2327 §1, 3-18-2003]
A. Only
single-family detached dwellings may be used as group homes. Application
to and approval by the Zoning Officer is required prior to the use
of any single-family dwelling in the City of Pacific as a group home.
The following specific standards shall be met before such approval
is granted.
1. The prevailing lot size requirements, building bulk regulations and
yard setback requirements of the single-family residential district
in which the group home is to be located shall be satisfied by any
existing single-family residence structure to be converted to group
home occupancy or by any structure to be newly constructed for such
occupancy.
2. The owner or operator of a group home shall be duly licensed by the
Department of Mental Health of the State of Missouri or have accreditation
acceptable to that department pursuant to Sections 630.705 through
630.755, RSMo. Residents of group homes must be mentally retarded,
physically handicapped or developmentally disabled as defined under
Section 630.005, RSMo., and shall not exceed eight (8) persons in
number per group home. The number of resident house parents shall
not exceed two (2) persons per group home. The objective of this certification
of group home occupancy is to ensure that the occupancy of a group
home is maintained exclusively for persons with valid developmental
handicaps or disabilities at the above-stated maximum density per
group home. Specifically excluded are all other types of group or
conjugate living such as homes for the elderly, fraternity houses,
residences for nuns, priests or religious orders, residency for alcohol
or chemical abuse patients and "half-way houses" for criminals or
psychiatric patients.
3. In order to prevent excessive impact on any single neighborhood or
subdivision, no group home permitted in accordance with this Section
shall be located within two (2) miles of another such group home in
the City of Pacific.
4. The residential appearance of the group home structure and its lot
or site shall be maintained at all times in reasonable conformance
with the surrounding neighborhood or subdivision.