Council enacts 365‑day moratorium on group‑living regulations and updates occupancy language to comply with HOME Act

Grand Junction City Council on July 7 adopted a 365‑day moratorium on enforcement of the city’s group‑living regulations and moved forward with amendments to Title 21 of the Zoning and Development Code to comply with the state HOME Act. Planning staff said the actions address uncertainty created by House Bill 24‑1007 (the HOME Act), which prohibits local governments from limiting the number of people who may live together in a dwelling based on familial relationship and allows local occupancy limits only where based on demonstrable health and safety standards. Nikki Veil House, the city planning manager, told the council the moratorium will prevent new applications for group‑living uses and suspend enforcement of the city’s group‑living regulations while staff and legal counsel evaluate options and develop conforming standards; the moratorium will expire on adoption of further code amendments or after 365 days, whichever occurs earlier. City Attorney John Shaver added the moratorium gives staff time to research alternatives that meet the HOME Act limits and to pursue legislative relief the city is monitoring at the state level; he said staff will also explore health‑and‑safety occupancy standards that would comply with the statute. Council then passed the moratorium ordinance by roll call, with Council Member Ballard moving and Council Member Stout seconding; the measure passed 7–0. Council later approved a separate ordinance that replaces “family”‑based definitions with “household” or “unit,” changes single‑family/multifamily wording to single‑unit/multi‑unit/duplex, and adds a household‑occupancy provision stating occupancy will not exceed limits established by applicable health and safety standards or state/federal law. Planning Commission recommended the text amendment 6–1. Council adopted the text change ordinance in a subsequent vote (recorded 6–0 in the transcript; one member had recused earlier in the meeting before the zoning item). Council members acknowledged resident concerns about existing group‑living facilities and asked how many such properties exist; staff said there are roughly 37 group homes in town and that general complaints about such properties are infrequent. Council emphasized that the moratorium and code revisions are being driven by state law rather than a local choice, and members said staff should seek ways to provide reassurance to neighbors through appropriate health‑and‑safety standards if legally permissible. What the moratorium does: it temporarily stops new group‑living applications and suspends enforcement of the city’s group‑living rules while staff develops legally compliant regulations or awaits state legislative changes. The code amendments replace familial language with neutral household/unit wording and allow the city to adopt any health‑and‑safety occupancy measures that are lawful under Colorado statute.