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ZOA No. 2025-01: Group Home Ordinance (Citywide) <br />June 23, 2025 <br />Page 6 <br />5 <br />1 <br />0 <br />8 <br />Provision Costa Mesa Proposed Ordinance <br />Requires special use permit for group homes with 6 or <br />fewer occupants in single-family residential zones <br />Yes Yes <br />Requires special use permit for group home with 6 or <br />fewer occupants in multiple-family residential zones <br />Yes Yes <br />Requires conditional use permit for group homes with 7 <br />or more occupants in limited zones <br />Yes Yes <br />Requires operator’s permit for group homes with 7 or <br />more occupants <br />Yes Yes <br />Prohibits group homes with 7 or more occupants in <br />single-family zones <br />Yes Yes <br />Prohibits integral uses Yes Yes <br />Operational and Development Standards <br />Separation requirement for group homes with 6 or <br />fewer occupants in single-family zones <br />No No <br />Separation requirement for sober-living homes with 6 <br />or fewer occupants in single-family zones <br />Yes (650 ft)Yes (650 ft) <br />Separation requirement for group homes with 6 or <br />fewer occupants in non-single-family zones <br />Yes (650 ft)Yes (650 ft) <br />Separation requirement for group homes with 7 or <br />more occupants in multiple-family zones <br />Yes (650 ft)Yes (650 ft) <br />House manager required for group home Yes Yes <br />Group home use is required in both primary dwelling <br />and ADU, when present <br />Yes Yes <br />Parking restriction Yes (500 ft)Yes (500 ft) <br />48-hour notice prior to eviction Yes Yes <br />Prohibits “care and supervision”Yes Yes <br />Property owner written approval Yes Yes <br />Additional requirements for sober-living home (i.e., <br />Good Neighbor Policy) <br />Yes Yes <br />ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT <br />Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) and the CEQA Guidelines, <br />the adoption of this Ordinance (“Project”) is exempt from CEQA review pursuant to <br />sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because it will not result in <br />a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. The <br />Project is also exempt from CEQA pursuant to section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA <br />Guidelines as it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility the ordinance will <br />have a significant effect on the environment. The amendments provide definitions and <br />standards to regulate the location, operation, and licensing of group homes and do not <br />authorize new development or changes in density or intensity of land use. Moreover, the <br />Project is categorically exempt from further review per Section 15301 (Class 1 – Existing <br />Facilities) of the CEQA Guidelines. This exemption applies to the operation, repair, <br />maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private <br />structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving <br />negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. The Project merely establishes <br />administrative and land use oversight procedures for group homes already operating or <br />