Title
MOTION TO PASS PROPOSED ORDINANCE NO. 2026-01 ON FIRST READING.
PROPOSED ORDINANCE NO. 2026-01 IS AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF PEMBROKE PINES, FLORIDA AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES; AMENDING SECTION 155.203 “DEFINITIONS” TO ADD DEFINITIONS FOR RECOVERY RESIDENCE AND REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION; CREATING SECTION 155.535 “REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION APPLICATION FOR RECOVERY RESIDENCE”; RENUMBERING SECTIONS RELATING TO “NONCONFORMING USES”, TO ALLOW FOR FUTURE USES; PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
Summary Explanation and Background
SUMMARY EXPLANATION AND BACKGROUND:
1. Pursuant to recent State legislation, municipalities are required to adopt ordinances that provide a process for Recovery Residences to request reasonable accommodations from local land use regulations that may otherwise prohibit such residences.
2. In the creation of this Ordinance, the City has reviewed the State of Florida’s commissioned study, “Reforming State and Local Zoning for Community Residences for People With Disabilities and for Recovery Communities” (July 2024) by Daniel Lauber, AICP, as well as similar studies commissioned by Delray Beach (2017), Pompano Beach (2018), and Fort Lauderdale (2018). These studies emphasize the importance of community integration and normalization for individuals with disabilities. They conclude that clustering Recovery Residences within 660 feet of each other undermines these goals and creates unhealthy recovery environments.
3. The proposed Ordinance:
? Updates definitions related to Recovery Residences and Reasonable Accommodation.
o Recovery Residence: A residential dwelling that provides a peer-supported, alcohol- and drug-free living environment and is certified under Section 397.487, Florida Statutes or chartered as an Oxford House. A Recovery Residence does not include any other g...
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