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Ocoee adopts procedures for certified recovery residences, asks staff to add distance limits
Summary
To comply with Florida's SB 954, Ocoee approved a text amendment creating a reasonable‑accommodation process for certified recovery residences; commissioners asked staff to return with an amendment mirroring existing group‑home distance requirements.
The Ocoee City Commission unanimously approved a text amendment to the city’s land‑development code to create procedures for certified recovery residences to request reasonable accommodations under state law, and asked staff to return with an amendment to add local distance restrictions similar to other group‑home rules.
Development Administrator McFarland told commissioners the change implements 2025’s SB 954 and establishes application, review, revocation and reinstatement procedures. McFarland said staff’s registry checks show there are currently no certified recovery residences operating within Ocoee.
Several commissioners said they would prefer to include local distance or spacing rules similar to the city’s group‑home regulations. One commissioner moved to approve the ordinance conditioned on staff returning with a parallel distance restriction; the motion carried unanimously, and staff agreed to draft the amendment and bring it back to the commission.
McFarland noted the city may still enact additional ordinances later; the text amendment creates a compliance pathway for applicants while preserving the commission’s ability to adopt further local requirements.
