Reasonable Accommodation — File 192092

CITY OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS PLANNING BOARD JOSEPH A. CI ']{ I, "ONE MAYOR October l 2, ~O I I Honorable Board ot'Aldenncn City I!<:til 93 Highland Avenue Somerville. jlAA 02145 Re: Ordinance regarding Providing (l Procedure for J~easonabk i\cC0Il1J1l0cllltioll in the City's Land Use ,md Zoning and Building Regulations PurSll::mt to the [:(lil' Housing Lrws Dear Honorable Board Members: I::nclosecl is Ordimlllce regarding Provicl ing a Proccdurc tl}J Rcason,lble Accommodation i11 the City' s Land Use and Zon ing and Bu ild ing Regulntions Pursuuut LO the Lli r l-lousi ng Laws. The Ordin,lJ1ce reflects changes J11,lcle in Legislative iV!ZlL(crs COl1lmittee. Please reel free 10 conlact me if' you Iwve any questions. Vcry twl y yours. David Shapiro /3..ssistant City Solicitor IrRvlLLE ern 11.\LL· ~ F-1J(.111 !I.l A\ L·' '11~~ILLL M·\S~ Cjll"'L~P.2113 (tll7)o_~·t>I)(lfl. ~., 25L~· n . ((,1;-'1'" -OIll·!A th17l1'2"'i-ID"U www.d.SOITl.·I"villf..mu.11S

--------- CITY OF SOMERVILLE ORDINANCE NO. 2010­ IN THE BOARD OF ALDERlVIEN: He it ordaineel by Lhe Boarel of Aldermen. in session tlsscl11blcel. th(\t the Code of Ordinances of the City of SOl11ervi lie, arc hereby amended as follo'vvs: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY or SOMERVILLE ADDING SECTIONS TO THE SOMERVILLE CODE OF ORDrNANCES. PROVIDING A PROCEDURE FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODAnON IN THE CITY'S LAND USE AND ZONINO AND BUILDrNG REGtJlAnONS PURSUANT TO FAIR HOUSINC L.AViS. See. 1. Purpose. It is the policy ofthejnrisdiction. pursuant to the rederal F<lir rlollsing /\l11endments Act of 1988 <lncl the Massachllsens Ftlil' I-lousing Act. C.L. ChJpter I.:' IB (hereafter ··tair housLng laws"). to provide incliviclll<lls with dlsabilitics rcasonable ,lecommocl<ltion in rules. policies, pr8cticcs and procedures to ellsure equnl ace-~':,~ to housLng and facilitate Lhe dcvelopment ofhol1sing for individuals wiLh disahiliLies. Tlli" ordinance establishes tl procedure Cor making requests for reasonable aecOl1ll11lllbLioll il1 IZll1duse. zoning and buiJding regulations. policies. practices and procedures of the jurisdiction to comply fully with the intent and purpose of ftlir housing 1'1ws. Sec. 2. fincli.n~s. The Board of Aldermen finds: The federal fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 and Massachusetts Fair Housing Act. G.L Chapter 151 B impose an atfirm8tive duty nn local governments to 111<~ke reasonable accommodation in their land use tlnd zoning regulations and practices when such accommoclation may be necessary to afford individuals with disabilities ,lJ1 equal oppoJ1unity to housing; A. The Office or Strategic Pl<lnning and Communitv Dcvelopmcnt must identify and develop a plan for removing government,ll constraints Lo housing tor individuals with disabilLties including Jocalland use and zoning cnnstraints or providing rctlsonablc accommodation; B. A 1~1ir housing reasonable accommodation procedure I'or individuals with disabilities ,md developers OflKHlsing for Lndiviuu,lls with disabilities to seek fcllef in the application of land lise. zoning and building regulations. pollcies, pri1ctices and procedl1l'es \vilt l'l1I'ther the .iurisdiction· s compliance with federJJ

:-Ind ~;t<lte fDIl" bOlbing lill"'s awl rmwilk greatl'r {lllpnrIUllili,,', lin the developmcnt of critic:lily needed housing 'or indi\'iclu:lls ,,'nh di~Llhtlitics. Sec. 3. Apr> icabll itV. Reasonable ,ICCOlllllltlL!,ltion in the I<1I111 use ,Ind 7.onill~ cllnte.\t means providing individuals with disabilitics or developers of housill!,! te'r I '-'Olrlc \, itll disabi Iiti,-'s, 'xibility in the application oj'land u~e aile! zOlling Zl1lcl hll' ling r'guIJtions. policies. prDctices Dncl procedlll'es, or CVCIl \v(living certain rcquircmcnls, "hen it is IlCCCSSJry to eliminate harriers In housing oppoln.l1liljc,~,. In ,lCcordance "ilh 41 United StaTes CnJe ~CC!ill!1 ,)(\(J':..II indl\ idual \\i[h ~l disability is ,1I111eOlle who h'I" ,1 physic,ll or I11l' 1 :11 i111.11I"1121l hili imi ,1111" m I'WI IIJjor lire ac1i"itit>: allyon\:' who i" r~'gJrclccl ,l'~ h;lvin!-' '\ll:h lIrIJ';;illll 'ilL 'r ;il, .·,'re \\"111 11 record of such illlp'lirlllelll. pLlrSu<lnl to 2·+ Cock oj' r clkrlll Rei:! ,1,1Iinlls "l:cllon I 00._0 I. A request (,ll' r,;;lsllllable ~lCCnll]lllod8Ii"1l IllJ) h,' II1~lll' )~ .Hl: in.!i\'; lutll \yil'h a disability. his or hel represelltativc. nr; t1C\'c!clper m prp i I'I' (,!'Iwusill"! I'ur illllividuuls with dlsahilities. when The applic:ltiol1 01' ,I land \I;::C. /unll1~ nr I'illlltli:l~ rc~ulation. policy. practic\:' nr procedure Jcts as ,1 hDrrier 10 f'Jir housing II 'l)mtlll1iljes. Sec.f :--Jotiee to the Pu bl ie 0" A"(Ii Iabi lit II" \CC(.llllllllld:lljlHl Pm('~;~,. Notice ol'lhe JVJi Illbility of reasollable JCCOlllIllCKl:llillll sh;.lI hc rro!llillelltly displayed at the Urtlce or Strategic Pl8nning. 81ld COllllllunil) I)c\·eloj1IllCIlI. ,JlI"ising the public of the avai lability o[ lhe pr0cellure tor eligible illlli\'iduak Forll!' i(lr I\:qucsting reasonable uceOllllllociatioll shall be av,lilable 10 the 11uhlic in Ihe Onicc of Str{ltegic Pbnning and Col1lllluni ty Deve lopmen!. Sc:C. ). Re(1H~stinQ Re<lsonablc Accomlllod,lIiol1, 1\. In order to make housillg (lV~lIl,lhk It) <Ill illdivi~:,I:t. "ill .. 1 dis,],i ility. any eligible person <IS defined jn Sec. ~ lllay reqtlest a re<lSOIl, ,k ,KCPIllI p<!atloll in land usc, /onillg and huilding reg.tll,ltit111S. !poli(·ic:;. l'I'acli . ':, <llltl )rocedurcs. 1-3. Requests lor reasonable accnlllll10clatiuJl -;11'111 h" ill ".rlting i1nLi provide the toll.o\.-ving lnJ'orm<ltion: ( I) Ni1llle. Dclclress ,111(\ Il'k'phOlle Ilumber of iI~ iwli\'iclll< Il~, requesting rcason<l hie JCCOmllll 'dHti 011: (2) N,lI11e and address llf the properly owner(::»: (.\) /\ddrc<;s or lhe properlY for which L1CCOIllI110L1<.lrioll i:' n.::quesled:

(4) The current ilCtUill use ortllc pr(lperty (.5) The hosis ror the claim that the individual i~ C"ii<-idered disobled umler tile Act'>. (6) Descriptioll of tl1<.: I"ClIue~ll'd ~lccolllllHHJ;jllfll' ;'lld lilt· n:gtILllion(s). polic~1 or procedure ror \0 'hieh ,lccnillmodmillil i~, '~Hl~b;: ;lnd (n ReJsoll Ihat the requeslcd acc(lllllllodation 11l;1~' he nl":':l'~,:'dr~' for the illllividu<1l(s) \\ ith the disdbilit.', 10 lise and \.'l1lll\' Ih,-' chvellillg. O~) COpil'S of l1lem01'illlda. corresp(llldl:'nct:'. piclurcs. l,t:In') or background illl()J"lllatioll re<lsoll;lhl:' nee:' 'sar:' 10 reach a dl'ci'iil11l regarding the Ileed I()r lhe ~lccnllllllodatilll1: ,md (<J) Other supporli\'c infol"m,llioll deemed lleC<;",S,1I \ h.' Ilw \ Jlrict:' 01' Strategic Plillllling ~lJlcl COllllllllllity De\ l'I(lI'llll'lll In I.lelli ~r(' proper consicleriltion ()['lhe requt:'sl. consi~;ll'llt with ~;Iir h()u~ill'::' hw~, C. A request !()r reilsonahle <1ccoll1llwdati(l1l ill regulatioll:>. pol icies, pnlctjces and prcH.:edures 11Wy be riled :.II <.lily time rh;1l the (lCCOllllllodatiL)l1 may he Ilecessary to ensure equill ,lccess to hOllsing, A reJsolloble aeCOllllll()(Lnioll c10es 110L JITeeL on indi\-iduJI's obligations to CPlllply wilh nlher ~1ppllc;Jhle regulatIons nOI;H i~sue ill h..: I' 'qllt::'Led accolllllwclal ion I), 11',111 jJ1dividll;llll,,',><i~ .IS~ 'l[;lIIl2l' in nHlJ,ing rbe 1,'LIII,'",1 Inl II'. '~l)1 Hill1..' ,1cCOlllmodJ(iol1, lhe Officc or' <";t,-"regic PL1I111j 1~1I1d ('~lmI11 ,niry De\'elnpment \"'iLi provide ,1ssist;:l\lee In t:llsure tklt lhe proccss i_, ,IC'lL's:~ihle. Sec. 6. Revie\vill ll i\uthoritv. A, Requcsts felr reasonable aCC('ll1'l1C1C!:llio 1 -,hllil he 1\" :,,' .\L'd l~y the Ofti.ee of Strategic Planning and COllllllunity Development l~~,;IJ~ lht.' LTilCl"i~1 SL'1 forth in Sec, 7, B, Tile Office lit' Stmtegie 1)I,lI1nlll~ ,1Ilel ('olllillunil) k\'~~III'lllent shall is',uc a \vritlen decision on a requcst !lll' n:'asold~1e llccon Illlllhliun \0\ ilhin thirty (30) days ol"the date ol'the 8prlication and 11I,ly t:illlt:1' ~;';llll. gront \\'j h lllodiCicatiot1s, or dcny il request I-\.)r reDsonahle accoillmodation III ,lccnrdLlllee with the required I-indings set forth in Sec. 7. C. If necess(lry 10 re,leh a delerillinotion 011 the requl:~"t I,ll' 1-t:ll.l1llahle "ccomlllodation. the Ol'lice oj' Str,llc~ic Planning and lOIlUll mity Developlllenl rna~, request furthcr inrorlll,llinil lI'o11l Ihe ;lppliolll C. 1l~tL:llt with 1;1i, housing lu\,\s, -J "cil':'illg ill clctaill'he !!l!imll:llinnlh,ll L n" [Il11"cd. 11 lile 'venl Ih'lt.:t

reqtlest I'm ~lllLiitiomll il1l'\'l"Il;~1l10n i' J d\..k, 111I~ Illin \.. (I) d,". pnil1rJ 10 ;;'~\.le a decisiun is stayei. unlil the ,11'1'Iil';UH resl'()nd~ ]llllll: IC\jI"Sl. ::-;ec. 7, R~qured I· indin~s, The wrilten decision tu l,;l'Ilm, t:rZlnl \'. ilh ll1oclilil..lliolh \ I -11.'11\ J lll~,~1 I~)r reasonable llccoJ1ll11odation sllZlll be eonsislelll \\ ith I;lir hULl Ing 1~1\\'; .111'1 h bed on the fc)!Io\ving !;lClors (I) WhethtT the hOllsing, \\'bich is lhe SllhjcC nI'l 1L r~qll '-; 1'01' reasonable dCcOl1l11l0daLion, will he used h~' Zln indivicll!<tl \\ Ilh ,ii:-,Ibililies [1l'OleCled under r~lir hOllsing l;lW<>: (:2) Whether the reqll..:stcl nccnlllJllndatinn is nec('ss,lr~' !p lllLlke hOLlsing a\'~lilablc 10 an indivichJllI \\ itb l'i:;lbiliLi(~: 1"l'Oll:clcd !1 Hler Lhe bir hOLlsing la\\ s: (.~) 'IV hether the I Cqll c\Led ,ICCUm mod .Ilion \\ nLl:d 'I 1r l _,c :m und ue I~ n;.l1lcinl or ;ldministralivc burdell Ull thl' ,iurisdiclioll cllld: H) Whether (he requesLed ;ICCOll111ll;,btioIJ \\'Oldll rcquIll' ~l 1.'lllldarnental .,ileraLlon il1 Ihe n~lll rc 1/ 'I c jllrisdil'liOIl'" lill ~ I~C ;IIIJ :LUlling or building prc1grarn. Sec. 8, Wril1en [)t; -ision on the Request I'or rZedSOll<lble . n'nn lJlo<!:ltioll, A, lhe \Vrirt~ll decision on the: request 11'1' I'c(lsoni!hlc ;\cCOlHllll"lil{ioll shall explain in detail lhe basis or[he del'i:,ion, indudini-' Ihe Ofl'ict' 0:' Slrat gil' Planning and Community Developmell['s rindings 011 tile criteri~1 "et I(-n'th in ~ c. 7, All wrilten decisions shall give Ilotice or the applicanL' s right to appeLlI ilild 10 request reZlsonable accommodLltion ill the ;lppcals proc'.::;~ :..IS set !nnh belo\\'. 11lC notice n,'decisil\11 shall be sent [(1I'he ,1pplical1t Ii\ eenitiLrll)l' ii, 11, Tilt.: \vl'i ttell decision of thc Office 01: Strategic 1.lI;HlIlillg alld ('unlIllunity l)evC'[opmcJlt slwll bc tinZl! unless ::n <.lpplicant ill'! C:.l ~ it to the Zoning Bomd of 1\ ppeals, C. 'vVhile ,I requesl lor l'enSOll,lhk ;lCCOlllLll0d<.llilln i~ I'ending, ~1I1 bws and regulaLiolls otherwise applic,lhk Lo the )lropert\' lh;ll is lhe ;;ul jecr Ot'tllc request shu] I rcnw in ill I'lll) foree and dte:el. 1\, Within thiny (10) dLl):; (11'll1l:' dale nllhe onlcc ot'Str; l'~!ll: l'i,f11ning"lI1d l1l '1l1UllllY Developmelll-~, 'rill'11 J :ci:·;iol1,111 ;111'11 ,1111111.1\' :Ij'rca ~lll uc.!vnse l'cision, 1-\ Pl'cals "rom the ad\' -T~, ' Ii 'cisjol1 ;;11.,11 hL' I l;ltl..., in \\ riling,

I) 11'Jn indiviuualnccus [v;$istJnc~ in filil.~ an arpl.";JI, n: 11 ,Id':crs' decision. the lUllillg i30clrd ()f Appeols v"ill pro\'ielc .1~,<.i~,tJnce In 1'l1"llr~ 111~ltLhe appe'.11s I1rOCl'S~ is accessible. c. All [I ppc<.lIs shall con tai n (I SL,l k men t of the grnund~ ror rhe ;1)!~e'll. f) N'llhin~.:' in this prncedurc . hall pr"'illdc ~111 ;H!grie\'~ I llhl1\ i,tu~1! l'rclill s 'cking <1ny ()the I' :.l.llC nr reder,lI relllclh' 1\: IiI~I hk Sec. 10. F,'\'. Thc fee ~<)r all [1pplicLition for re<.lsonzlhle ,lCCllll11110dation ,;1;111 Office of Strategic PLJIlning and COIlll1lunity J)cvl'loplllCIII. Sec. 11. Other Requireillents. 1-\. I\n Jppro\'t'd requesL hlr rcasol,..hk [ICCOIllIllOc![IIIOIl 'c;'lihjccl to Ih~ dppticant"s compliance v"ith all other Jpplicahle /.unillg re~ubliolls. r~. A modil~cJtion Jppl"Oved Linder this Cll:lptcr is cnlbldcr.>1 ,1 pcrsonal ,Iccomlllocl[ltion J<1r I hc indi vicluol tlppl icallL alld ,1\11•.':; Il(ll rilll \\ il.h 1:1' lalld. C. Where appropriate. lhe Ofliee oI"SlralL'~jc PI<Hll1jn~~ anu COIllIllLlnit~i I)e\'clopillellt mJy eomlitioll it;-, ,llpro\'()1 on [Illy or ,dlllflhc folloYving: III 11:'lk'ction nl"lhe pml"),'rl: r cri'Hlicall~,.1. ,pL'cilll.! I, .11 \~'ril'y compliance ,\ ilh this ::.cction ,11\' ,111\' comlilillJlS (l1·~1l11r(\\,JI. (:2\ RemovJI nl'lhe impnl\'ClllL'lllS. " Ilc'rl' rel11 1 al Wou 1111 cOllstitute [lJ) unreasonable lin<lllci~!i hl!rden. \Vh'n Ihe nc.~t1 In!" \ 'I ieh l~c (ICCOlllmlKlatiOll W,I') !..;r;lI11cd I l) Il)"H~cr C:':I.' ': (3) Time limits and/or (:'xplriltion of the ,1ppI"l1\:11 i['11L' 'll'ed for vvhich lhe ,ICCC)lllmOualioll \V(l~ granted no longer c\ i~:~': (4) R.c'CordDlion Ofilllcl'd res[riclioll n:qttirill!..:' rClllll ;.! (\1 Ill' accommoclating I;:Jtme once the n':l.d I~lr nt; inll"'r c:-.:i 'r, '1 (S' McasmEs to reduce the impell'l Oil ~UITOLII Iii • lr~( .. : (h\Mc()sures in cOllsiJ~r;lllon ol'thc' phy-sical allrihutc 1 ~ Ihe property alld ",I ILllll\.. ~': (7) Othcr reasonahle ,1ccoml1lo(\<lli()lls tiwi 11111\'1 J"Ovllk ,Ill equivalellt level of hUII:rlt <111u/or that \"ill Illlt 1\:~lrll ill ~1ll e11l'111lWIHnl:Jlt into required

.,..:1 hacks. l':\ccl'danct' 01' 1ll,-I"illlllll1 !lei ·IiI. 111I Cl)\I..~rag..: ll)" " H.Jr area ratio requirell1ents specilictllt1l" lhl' 1-:(111(' djstr:cl: :l:ld