Reynoldsburg board approves conditional use for 2213 Belcher Drive with licensing, staffing and exclusion conditions

The Reynoldsburg Planning and Zoning Board on Thursday approved a conditional-use permit for a proposed dwelling group at 2213 Belcher Drive, allowing Dantney Residence Care to operate a Class 2 residential adult-care home for up to five unrelated residents, provided the operator secures state licensure and complies with city conditions.

The board’s decision follows a lengthy public-comment period in which neighbors raised safety, proximity to schools and property-value concerns. After debate and two failed attempts to pass alternative motions, the board voted 4-1 to approve staff’s recommendations amended to state that no more than five unrelated persons may reside at the home (not including staff), that a licensed provider obtain and present the required state license before operation, that at least one staff member be on-site 24 hours a day per the city’s condition, and that potential residents with histories of violent criminal conduct, sexual predation, violent behavior, drug trafficking or robbery be excluded from residency.

Staff presented the application, noting the…