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Richmond commissioners approve ordinance requiring certification for recovery residences
Summary
The Richmond City Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt Ordinance 25-14, establishing a local regulatory framework that requires certification for recovery residences and references recent Kentucky statutes and national standards.
The Richmond City Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt Ordinance 25-14 on second reading, establishing local certification and operating standards for recovery residences in the city.
The ordinance, described at the meeting as a comprehensive regulatory regime for “sober living facilities,” cites standards from Oxford House and the National Alliance for Recovery Residences and references state enabling statutes. A city attorney read the ordinance text aloud before commissioners voted.
City Manager (name not specified) said the city has seen unregulated sober-living facilities appear in recent years and that the state is implementing a certificate/licensing program for responsible operators. “We think it's a good thing,” the City Manager said, explaining that the local rules are intended to align with the state certification and address operators who do not follow recognized standards.
The ordinance text as presented refers to KRS 82.082 (home rule authority) and to KRS 222.5 and KRS 222.51 (as cited in the reading) and states it will take effect immediately upon enactment and publication as required by Kentucky law. The commissioners recorded their votes individually: Commissioner Newby — yes; Commissioner Brewer — yes; Commissioner Cole — yes; Commissioner Goebel — yes; Mayor Blythe — yes.
Why it matters: commissioners said the measure is intended to protect residents and raise operational standards for recovery homes within Richmond by tying local regulation to state certification and nationally recognized standards.
The ordinance will be published and become effective according to Kentucky statutory requirements. The board took no further related action at the meeting.
