OFFICE OF
THE CITY COUNCIL
117 WEST DUVAL STREET, SUITE 425
4TH FLOOR, CITY HALL
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 32202
904-630-1377
LUZ Special Committee Meeting Minutes
June 20, 2017
4:45 p.m.
Topic:
Proposed Zoning Code changes for Rooming and Boarding Houses
Location:
City Council Chamber, 1st floor, City Hall – St. James Building, 117
West Duval Street
In attendance:
Council Members Danny Becton (Chair), Jim Love, Doyle Carter (arr. 5:14p), Al
Ferraro, Reggie Gaffney, Joyce Morgan
Also:
Folks Huxford, Bruce Lewis, and Kristen Reed – Planning & Development
Department; Susan Grandin – Office of General Counsel; Jessica Matthews,
Crystal Shemwell, and Adri Maguire Segui– Legislative Services Division; Dan
MacDonald – ECA Dist. 11; Yvonne P. Mitchell – Research Division
Meeting Convened:
5:06 p.m.
Chairman Becton called the meeting to order.
Ms. Susan Grandin commented that her findings showed that
rooming houses and boarding houses are not commonly utilized as much in today’s
era. She reviewed the definitions of each term as written in the Zoning Code. A
boarding house is a residential facility where meals are prepared and served to
the residents; whereas, the residents in a rooming house have shared access to
the kitchen and/or bathroom. Ms. Grandin
suggested that the committee considers
the most appropriate zoning district(s) for these types of houses. The biggest
concern in regards to these types of houses is the illegal operation of large
residential dwellings. The current Zoning Code only allows up to five unrelated
individuals to live in one dwelling. According to Ms. Grandin, Jacksonville
Fire & Rescue would prefer that rooming/boarding houses be required to
obtain a Certificate of Use. This would require the owner to comply with Zoning, Building, and Fire Codes.
The following are the proposed changes:
- Section 656.369 Springfield
Performance Standards and Development Criteria – add the words ‘and
boarding houses’ and ‘or boarding house’ behind the word ‘rooming houses’
for clarity; include a limit of
occupants for a rooming/boarding house; and require twenty-four hour,
on-site management.
- Section 656.306 Medium Density
Residential Category – add language to require that boarding houses
in RMD-D and RMD-E meet the
performance standards and development criteria for boarding houses and
rooming houses.
- Section.307 High-Density Residential Category - add
language to require that rooming/boarding houses in RHD-A meet the performance standards and
development criteria for boarding houses and rooming houses.
- Section 656.311 Residential
Professional Institutional Category – discuss fraternity and sorority
houses for definition and compliance, and
add language to require that rooming houses meet the performance standards
and development criteria for boarding houses and rooming houses.
- Section 656.399.18
Riverside/Avondale Zoning Overlay: Zoning District Regulations – add the
words ‘boarding houses and rooming houses” to the criteria for a bed and
breakfast.
- Section 656.401 Performance
Standards and Development Criteria – add criteria for boarding houses and
rooming houses.
It was suggested that the dates listed in Section 656.369 be
researched and referenced within the Code. Chairman Becton requested committee
members to review the handout and provide comments to Ms. Grandin. He informed
the committee that he would sponsor the bill once the changes have been
completed. CM Gaffney stated that he wanted to be a co-sponsor of the bill.
Chairman Becton thanked the committee for a successful year.
There being no further business, the meeting was
adjourned.
Meeting Adjourned: 5:34 p.m.
Minutes: Yvonne P. Mitchell, Council Research
06.23.17
Posted 1:00 p.m.
Tapes: LUZ special
meeting– LSD
06.23.17
Materials: Zoning Code handout
06.23.17
*
The written minutes
for this meeting are an overview of what was
discussed. Please review the audio to hear the actual dialogue from this
meeting.