Avalon council introduces ordinance to streamline reasonable accommodation process for disabled residents

Kelly Rebuffo, the city’s contract planner, presented an ordinance to repeal and replace Avalon Municipal Code chapter 1‑8 to implement housing program 17 and streamline the city’s reasonable accommodation process for disabled persons.

“The reasonable accommodation process is intended to ensure that disabled persons have equal and effective access to city programs and services,” Rebuffo said, describing changes that remove public hearings to protect applicant privacy, allow the city manager or a designee to act as the initial decision maker, and establish a specialized hearing officer to hear appeals. The ordinance would make approvals tied to individuals (not the land) and keep accommodations “reasonable” so they do not upend city policy.

Council members asked whether forthcoming Civic Center housing units would be ADA‑ready; Jocelyn Francis said all first‑floor one‑bedroom units in the Civic Center housing project are being built to comply with ADA standards. Council also queried the 10‑day appeal window; staff said the shorter timeline (reduced from 15 days in prior practice) is intended to speed relief for applicants but that staff can provide extensions or reasonably accommodate longer appeal periods if needed.

Councilmember motioned to introduce the ordinance by title and waive further readings; a second was received and the council moved the ordinance to first reading. Staff recommended CEQA exemption findings for the ordinance as presented and will return with the final ordinance language for adoption.

Next steps: staff will return with any requested technical amendments and the final ordinance for adoption at a future meeting.