Zoning Laws for Handicapped Homeowners Scrutinized

The city is scheduled to examine its policy on permiting homeowners to make their houses more handicapped accessible.

The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the .

Currently there are no zoning or development standards in place to allow homeowners with disabilities to make changes to their homes, according to a city staff report.

The Planning Commission will be discussing the need to make exceptions to zoning and development standards  to accommodate specific disabilities, the report states.

“It’s a no-brainer that the city should allow homeowners with a handicap to make these changes to our homes without a hassle,” said local Louis Jimenez, who has lived with polio for most of his life.

In 1995, the City Council adopted a development code that is periodically amended to improve clarity, make corrections with the changing state law, add or simplify regulations or modify provisions, the report stated.

Based on the city’s research, the accommodations granted are likely to be modifications to standards or procedures for small projects that have negligible impacts on the physical environment.

Most reasonable accommodation requests are likely to be for the construction of alternative access for residences, such as wheel chair ramps, elevator shafts and other necessary adjustments, the report said.

Without these modifications, some handicapped residents have trouble moving around their own homes.

“I find it hard sometimes to navigate the two small steps leading up to my front door," said Harold Jenkins, who suffers from multiple sclerosis. "I've often wondered if there are permanent changes I can make to help me without using a piece of plywood."