[Added 3-11-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-2]
The Town of Georgetown recognizes that supportive housing offers individuals opportunities for involvement in community life, while residing in safe, affordable housing.
The Town Council of the Town of Georgetown, Delaware, hereby declares it to be the policy of the Town to adopt, ratify and implement in the operations of Town government the antidiscrimination laws and policies embodied in Delaware and federal law, as to housing and zoning issues, including but not limited to the Federal Fair Housing Act and Amendments (FHAA), 42 U.S.C. Ch. 45, and the Delaware Fair Housing Act, 6 Del.C. Ch. 46. It is further the policy of the Town to provide an administrative procedure through which any disputes concerning the same may effectively and expeditiously be resolved with fairness and due process for all parties concerned.
Owners and operators of supportive housing facilities must obtain any necessary Town license(s) and register the facility with the Town Planning Department on forms provided for that purpose and certify compliance with all applicable ordinances. If a supportive housing facility is licensed by the state, it shall provide a current copy of that license. Owners and operators of supportive housing facilities must notify the Planning Department of any change of use, change in maximum number of residents, transfer or termination of a supportive housing use, and revise the facility registration as appropriate.
It is necessary and desirable to provide suitable sites for supportive housing facilities in residential areas and in various zoning classifications, provided that, in furtherance of the goals of de-institutionalization and dispersal, and to facilitate the full integration of residents of supportive housing facilities into the community, no supportive housing facility may be located less than 500 feet from any other supportive housing facility, measured from property line to property line. This provision shall not apply to any facilities considered single-family residences under this chapter.
Supportive housing facilities shall be expected to comply with all zoning and housing requirements (e.g., exterior appearance, occupancy limits, signage, etc.) in the same manner as other properties in the same zoning classification.
A. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code to the contrary, any individual, group or entity aggrieved by any action or regulation of the Town regarding a supportive housing facility may make a request for reasonable accommodation from any provision of the Code by which they are aggrieved, pursuant to the procedures set forth in this chapter.
B. 
It is the policy of the Town of Georgetown to provide individuals with disabilities reasonable accommodation in rules, policies, practices and procedures to ensure equal access to housing. This chapter establishes a procedure for making requests for reasonable accommodation in land use, zoning, policies, practices and procedures of the Town of Georgetown to comply fully with the intent and purpose of fair housing laws.
In order to make specific housing available to one or more individuals with disabilities, a disabled person or a person acting on his or her behalf at his or her request (collectively, the "applicant") may request a reasonable accommodation relating to the various land use or zoning rules, policies, practices and/or procedures of the Town applicable to such housing.
A. 
A request by an applicant for reasonable accommodation relating to land use or zoning rules, policies, practices and/or procedures shall be made in writing on a reasonable accommodation request form provided by the Town of Georgetown. The form shall contain:
(1) 
The address and current zoning for the property;
(2) 
The name, phone number and address of the owner of the fee interest of the property (if other than the applicant);
(3) 
The nature of the disability that requires the reasonable accommodation. In the event that the specific individuals who are expected to reside at the property are not known to the applicant in advance of making the application, the applicant shall not be precluded from filing the application, but shall submit details describing the range of disabilities that prospective residents are expected to have to qualify for the housing. The applicant shall notify the Town, in the event the residents at the location are not within the range described. The Town shall then determine if an amended application and subsequent determination of reasonable accommodation is appropriate;
(4) 
The specific type(s) of accommodation (e.g., waiver or modification of applicable rule or policy) requested by the applicant. To the extent practicable, this portion should include information concerning the impact of the reasonable accommodation on the adjoining properties and area, the number of people who are expected to be availing themselves of the reasonable accommodation, the estimated number of people in an average week who will be necessary to provide services to the person(s) with disabilities at the property on an ongoing basis, whether or not this type of reasonable accommodation is required to obtain a license from any state or county authority to operate, and any other information the applicant thinks would assist in determining the reasonableness of the accommodation;
(5) 
The applicant should also note, if known, whether this accommodation requires any additional licensure from the Town (e.g., business or rental license);
(6) 
Whether the accommodation requested may be necessary to afford one or more disabled persons equal opportunity to use and enjoy a specific dwelling, identifying such persons, if known;
(7) 
A statement by the applicant, along with any supporting information, about why such accommodation is necessary in order to meet the particular needs of the residents, or why the accommodation is of therapeutic benefit to the residents.
B. 
The applicant shall furnish the Town all information necessary for processing the reasonable accommodation request, including any additional information which the Town may request or deem necessary to complete and evaluate a reasonable accommodation request form.
C. 
The applicant is entitled to be represented at all stages of the proceedings identified in this section by a person designated by the applicant.
D. 
Should the information provided by the applicant to the Town include medical information or records of the applicant, including records indicating the medical condition, diagnosis or medical history of the applicant, the applicant may, at the time of submitting such medical information, request that the Town, to the extent allowed by law, treat such medical information as confidential information of the applicant.
E. 
The Town shall provide written notice to the applicant, and any person designated by the applicant to represent the applicant in the application proceeding, of any request received by the Town for disclosure of the medical information or documentation which the applicant has previously requested be treated as confidential by the Town. The Town will cooperate with the applicant, to the extent allowed by law, in actions initiated by the applicant to oppose the disclosure of such medical information or documentation.
A. 
The Town Manager, or his/her designee ("Town Manager/designee"), shall have the authority to consider and act on requests for reasonable accommodation. When a request for reasonable accommodation is filed with the Town, it will be referred to the Town Manager/designee for review and consideration. The Town Manager/designee shall issue a written determination within 30 days of the date of receipt of a completed application and may:
(1) 
Grant the accommodation request; or
(2) 
Deny the request, in accordance with law. Any such denial shall be in writing and shall state the grounds therefor. All written determinations shall give notice of the right to appeal and the right to request reasonable accommodation in the appeals process. The notice of determination shall be sent to the applicant by certified mail, return receipt requested, and by regular mail.
B. 
If reasonably necessary to reach a determination on the request for reasonable accommodation, the Town Manager/designee may, prior to the end of said thirty-day period, request additional information from the applicant, specifying in detail what information is required. The applicant shall have 15 days after the date of the request for additional information to provide the requested information. In the event a request for additional information is made, the thirty-day period to issue a written determination shall be stayed. A written determination shall be issued by the Town Manager/designee within 30 days after receipt of the additional information. If the applicant fails to provide the requested additional information within said fifteen-day period, a written determination shall be issued by the Town Manager/designee within 30 days after expiration of said fifteen-day period.
A. 
The following findings, while not exhaustive of all considerations and findings that may be relevant, must be made before any action is taken to approve or deny a request for reasonable accommodation and must be incorporated into the record relating to such approval or denial:
(1) 
Whether the accommodation requested may be necessary to afford one or more persons with disabilities equal opportunity to use and enjoy a specific dwelling;
(2) 
Whether the requested accommodation would require a fundamental alteration to the Town's zoning scheme; and
(3) 
Whether the requested accommodation would impose undue financial or administrative burdens on the Town.
B. 
A request will be considered reasonable only if the answers to the findings in both Subsection A(2) and (3) above is "no."
C. 
If a request for reasonable accommodation is approved, the written determination may specify any relevant standards and conditions that the supportive housing facility shall follow, including, but not limited to, the maximum number of residents based upon state law (e.g., Fire Marshal) and the Town Code, specifics of operation, and parking plan.
D. 
This section does not obligate the Town to grant any accommodation request unless required by federal or Delaware state law.
A. 
Within 30 days after the date the Town Manager/designee mails a written adverse determination to the applicant, the applicant requesting reasonable accommodation may appeal the adverse determination to the Board of Adjustment.
B. 
All appeals shall contain a statement of the specific grounds for the appeal.
C. 
The Town will provide the applicant with the necessary information as to how to file and process an appeal. Applicants are entitled to be represented at all stages of the administrative appeal proceeding by a person designated by the applicant.
D. 
Appeals shall be to the Board of Adjustment, which shall hear the matter and render a determination as soon as reasonably practicable, but in no event later than 60 days after an appeal has been filed. All determinations on appeal shall address and be based upon the findings identified in § 230-255 of this article.
E. 
An applicant may request reasonable accommodation in the procedure by which an appeal will be conducted.
The Town shall not impose any additional fees or costs in connection with a request for reasonable accommodation under the provisions of this article or an appeal of a denial of such request by the Town Manager/designee. However, nothing in this article obligates the Town to pay an applicant's attorney fees or costs.
The Town shall maintain records of all requests submitted under the provisions of this article and the Town's responses thereto.
The supportive housing zoning matrix is included as an attachment to this chapter.