[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
The intent of this article is to provide for the safety, health and welfare of citizens of Amelia County who may be under the care and custodial protection of public and private agencies, and to otherwise promote the goals and objectives of the County in cooperation with other public and private human services providers, and to implement and comply with the provisions of § 15.2-2291 of the Code of Virginia 1950, as amended.
The purpose of this article is to provide for the safety, health and welfare of the citizens of Amelia County by regulating the use of property for the provision of human services as they relate to human disabilities and handicaps, and to provide for the regulation of the construction, use and location of such facilities, as may be required.
A. 
The provisions of this article shall apply to all facilities which are intended to be used as a place for the providing of services to humans who are handicapped and/or disabled, such facilities being hereafter located within the jurisdiction of Amelia County. Unless otherwise excepted herein, this article shall apply to all public and private facilities designed and intended to be used for, or carrying out and implementing, human services programs for the disabled and/or handicapped.
B. 
Nothing contained herein shall be construed to apply the provisions of this article to individuals who voluntarily elect to care for immediate family members or relatives in their private residence or in the private residence of the family member or relative receiving the care.
A. 
The Zoning Administrator shall require all individuals, corporations, agencies or other entities to apply for and receive a permit prior to building and operating a human services facility. Said permit shall be obtained in accordance with such rules and regulations as the Zoning Administrator and the governing body may require from time to time as being in the best interest of the safety, health and welfare of the citizens of Amelia County. Nothing in this section of this article shall be construed to relieve any individual, corporation, agency or other entity from complying with other provisions of this article or other provisions of this chapter.
B. 
Before the Zoning Administrator approves a permit, he/she shall certify that the program of services to be provided to the clients of the human services facility has been reviewed and commented upon by the appropriate state, federal or local agencies. Such comments shall be provided, in writing, to the Planning Commission and to the governing body as a part of the official record for their use in granting or denying such permit.
C. 
The Zoning Administrator shall require all applicants for rezoning request to build, operate or use a facility providing human services to provide, in writing, the advice and comments of applicable and appropriate state, federal and local agencies having a direct or indirect interest in connection with the type of service to be provided. The Zoning Administrator shall require each and all applicants to provide, as a part of the written comments, statements of the applicability and use of services and treatment programs, modalities, approaches and relevance thereof to the condition or conditions to be treated, cared for, or otherwise dealt with in the human services facility.
Nothing contained within this article shall be construed to prevent, prohibit, release, or otherwise abrogate compliance by any individual, corporation, agency or other entity with applicable laws and official acts of any state, federal or local agencies. It shall be the responsibility of the applicant to show compliance therewith.
Applicants requesting human services facility permits to build and operate a human services facility shall be limited to the R-2 Residential District, A-5 Agricultural District, RP-5 Rural Preservation District and RR-3 Rural Residential District. All applications shall be subject to the following conditions:
A. 
Owner(s) shall provide on premises supervised care 24 hours per day.
B. 
Owner(s) shall provide for mental health services and providers.
C. 
Owner(s) shall provide clinical backup support services.
D. 
Owner(s) shall provide for emergency services and post care programs.
E. 
The group home and/or human services facility shall have a maximum of one dwelling unit per lot or parcel of property as required by the designated zoned district.
F. 
Owner(s) shall meet all the requirements of all state, federal and local agencies regarding the location, construction and operation of a group home and/or human services facility.
G. 
Any other conditions that the governing body deems appropriate to provide for the health, safety and welfare of all citizens of Amelia County.
H. 
Group homes/human services facilities housing up to eight mentally and/or developmentally disabled persons, with staff, shall be considered as a single-family dwelling.