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Select Board weighs zoning, certificates of occupancy for in-home residential care facilities
Summary
Town staff told the Select Board that several state-licensed residential care providers are operating inside single-family homes and the town has declined to issue expanded certificates of occupancy pending review. The board asked staff to compile a location list and consider whether change-of-use review or planning-board review is required.
A town staff member alerted the Select Board to an emerging issue: state-licensed residential care facilities operating within houses across the town. Staff said the town has refused to grant expanded certificates of occupancy that would endorse a new use without further review and will provide the board with a list of such facilities for follow-up.
"The NFPA, the the main the state fire marshal's office through the through the, licensing requirements are required to do a life safety review of these buildings that these folks are now residing in and sign off on those," the staff member said, describing current state licensing and life-safety review responsibilities. Board members discussed whether the change of use requires planning-board review, whether the land-use ordinance addresses different types of residential care, and whether enforcement steps might later be necessary if facilities are out of compliance.
Several members emphasized they were not opposed to the facilities but said operators must comply with regulations. Staff said the town will assemble a list of suspected locations and return with recommendations on zoning review and potential enforcement.
