Neighborhood notice.pdfJune 24, 2009
Edmonds Planning Division
Courtesy Notice of Application
The City has received a reasonable accommodation request from Dr. Craig Brown, President of
the Center for Discovery, regarding establishing a staffed residential home at 7511 176t' Street
(File STF-2009-0011). According to the applicant:
The intended use of the premises is as a staffed residential home for up to a maximum of
six (6) children who are in need of assistance with eating disorders. The prototypical
resident of the premises would be an anorexic or bulimic girl between the ages of 11 and
17, who is an outstanding student and is from an upper middle class family. The normal
length of stay for the child would be between 30 and 60 days. The children would be
under 24 hour supervision and would not be allowed outside the facility without staff
accompaniment.
The subject parcel is zoned Single Family Residential (RS -12) where possible primary uses
include churches, primary schools, local public facilities, and most usually, single family
dwellings (ECDC 16.20.010). Per ECDC 21.30.010.A, "family means individuals consisting of
two or more persons related by genetics, adoption, or marriage, or a group of five or fewer
persons who are not related by genetics, adoption, or marriage and none of whom are wards of
the court unless such wards are related by genetics, adoption, or marriage to all of the members
of such group living in a dwelling unit." The term `family' also includes state licensed adult
family homes, state licensed foster family homes and group care facilities as defined in RCW
74.15.180, and group homes for the disabled required to be accommodated as residential uses
pursuant to the Fair Housing Act amendments (ECDC 21,30.010.B). A group home such as a
staffed residential facility for up to five individuals would be allowed by definition. By
proposing to have up to six residents in a group home in a single-family zone, the Center for
Discovery requires reasonable accommodation.
Chapter 17.05 ECDC was enacted to authorize staff, when necessary, to reasonably
accommodate the statutory rights of the disabled under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the
Fair Housing Act or the Washington Law Against Discrimination. Staff has determined that the
applicants will be providing residential care for the disabled. As part of the approval process, the
applicant is required to file a covenant with the Snohomish County Auditor's Office that contains
specific conditions; for example, the accommodation is personal to the owners and does not run
with the land, so if/when the Center for Discovery ceases operation at the site, the use at the site
will revert to those primary permitted uses defined in ECDC 16.20.010.
City of Edmonds caR Planning Division
The facility is subject to all other applicable City zoning requirements as well as building and
fire codes and will be reviewed and inspected for compliance with those codes. Staffed
residential facilities and similar residential treatment facilities are licensed by the State of
Washington pursuant to Chapter 246-337 WAC. With respect to staffing and activity at the site,
the applicant has indicated that a staff of 3 - 5 will work at the site during the day with 1 person
on the night shift; there will be no live-in staff at the home. Patient families may visit the site on
Sundays for 2 to 3 hours and patients may not have their own cars in order to keep the number of
trips to the site to a minimum.
Although not required by city code, this notice is being provided to owners within 300 feet of the
site. Pursuant to ECDC 17.05.050, a reasonable accommodation is not an administratively
appealable decision. Interested persons — that is, persons located within 300 feet of the building
site — may appeal the reasonable accommodation by filing a petition for review with Snohomish
County Superior Court within 10 days of the date of mailing of the written notice of decision.
The file is available for review in the Planning Division, located on the second floor of City Hall.
If you have any questions, please contact me at your convenience.
Sincerely, r
Mike Clugston, AICP
Planner
Development Services Department
.121 5th Avenue North, Edmonds WA 98020
Clugston@ci.edmonds.wa.us 1425.771.0220
CC: STF-2009-0011
City of Edmonds Street File
Property owners and residents within 300' of the subject site
Dr. Craig Brown, President, Center for Discovery