Commissioners keep buffer for larger group adult foster homes, remove spacing for owner‑occupied family foster homes

The Planning Commission discussed removal of a 1,500-foot spacing requirement for adult foster care after staff said requiring that large buffer can create an access barrier for aging residents.

Commissioners distinguished between small, owner‑occupied adult foster care family homes (typically up to six residents) and larger group-home business models (small group homes up to 12 residents and large group homes up to 20 residents). Several commissioners said the original public-policy purpose of family foster care is to intermingle those homes within neighborhoods; one commissioner said removing spacing for the owner-occupied family-home model is acceptable but cautioned that allowing large business-model group homes to cluster would defeat the neighborhood intent.

Why it matters: the spacing rules determine whether multiple licensed foster-care operations can cluster in small neighborhoods or whether they must be dispersed. At the meeting staff noted enforcement difficulties because state licensing lists are not consistently shared with the city.

Outcome of the discussion and direction: - The commission generally agreed to retain a 1,500-foot spacing requirement for larger group-home types (business-model operations) while eliminating the spacing requirement for owner‑occupied family foster homes in single-family districts. - Staff noted that enforcement can be difficult when the state issues foster-care licenses without zoning review; the commission asked staff to consider how zoning and licensing records can be reconciled.

Ending: staff will revise the draft to keep distancing for the larger group homes while allowing the family-style owner-occupied foster homes without the 1,500-foot buffer, and will document enforcement issues for the commission to consider.