Johns Creek council adopts zoning rules defining and limiting group homes, sets 1-mile spacing

The Johns Creek City Council on March 24 approved a zoning text amendment (A-25-0002) establishing a definition and standards for group home use in residential districts.

The ordinance instructs staff to regulate group homes through an administrative permit process, limits typical occupancy to four unrelated residents yet allows up to six occupants if the home is owner-operated, requires all non-bedroom areas to be common use, mandates one parking space per two bedrooms and caps visible on-site vehicle storage at four vehicles, and imposes a one-mile straight-line minimum separation between group homes.

Director Ben Song introduced the amendment, saying the city previously lacked a specific definition and needed standards to address ambiguities in how unrelated occupants and service operators are treated. "We wanted to provide an additional standard to make sure that there is that separation of similar uses, from neighborhood to neighborhood," Song said, explaining the 1-mile spacing and the four- vs. six-person caps.

Council discussion focused on balancing neighborhood character, enforcement and federal Fair Housing Act constraints. Councilmember DiBiase questioned the rationale for the six-person cap and whether an owner-operated allowance could effectively permit larger household combinations; Song said the allowance responds to scenarios where an owner provides care and that the cap reflects experience in other jurisdictions and in Johns Creek. "We wanted to make sure we're being consistent and treating everyone consistently in terms of occupying a single-family dwelling," Song said.

One council member voiced concern about increasing the cap to eight for certain zones, saying larger occupancies could begin to resemble commercial operations in residential areas; others emphasized enforcement tools in the ordinance, including the ability to request lease agreements and to cite noncompliance. After debate the council moved to approve the text amendment and the motion passed.

The ordinance adds a clear administrative path for staff to investigate suspected commercial-style operations in single-family neighborhoods and gives the city a regulatory framework to address complaints while citing the need to remain consistent with fair-housing law. The council did not adopt a higher occupancy cap during the meeting; the adopted language remains at four unrelated occupants with the limited six-person owner-operated exception.

The amendment will be codified in Article 19, Section 19.305 of the zoning ordinance and is intended to provide City staff the authority and standards to review applications, enforce spacing and occupancy limits, and pursue citations where necessary.

The measure was approved by the council during the March 24 meeting; next procedural steps for implementation will be handled by planning staff and the city attorney’s office.