The purpose of this chapter is the following:

(a)

To facilitate the development and maintenance of emergency shelters by designating zoning districts with capacity to meet the need for emergency shelters for the homeless and where such shelters can be allowed without discretionary approval by the town; and

(b)

To allow low barrier navigation centers as required by state law.

(Ord. No. 1034, § 11, 6-4-2024)

(a)

Emergency shelters are a permitted use in the Mixed-Use (MX-1) District. An emergency shelter shall comply with the standards of this section.

(b)

Performance and Development Standards. An emergency shelter shall meet the following performance and development standards:

(1)

On-site management and on-site security shall be provided during hours when the emergency shelter is in operation.

(2)

Adequate external lighting shall be provided for security purposes. The lighting shall be stationary, directed away from adjacent properties and public rights-of-way, and have a color temperature of three thousand five hundred Kelvin or lower (warm not cool). All exterior lighting shall be certified as dark sky compliant by the International Dark-Sky Association or have a Backlight, Up light and Glare (BUG) rating of B3 or less, U0 for area lighting (including outdoor parking areas), U2 or less for other outdoor lighting (including decorative luminaires), and G2 or less.

(3)

Off-street parking requirements shall be sufficient to accommodate the maximum number of staff working at the emergency shelter at the same time, provided that the standards do not require more parking for emergency shelters than for other residential or similar commercial uses within the Mixed-Use District.

(4)

The shelter must provide an interior waiting and intake area consisting of at least two hundred square feet.

(5)

Parking and outdoor facilities shall be designed to provide security for residents, visitors, employees, and the surrounding areas. Outdoor areas shall be designed to maintain lines of sight through the property and from adjacent properties. Lighting, fencing, and landscaping shall be designed to provide clear sight lines for authorized users of the facilities.

(c)

The agency or organization operating the emergency shelter shall comply with the following requirements:

(1)

Temporary shelter shall be available to residents for no more than six months.

(2)

No individual or household may be denied emergency shelter because of an inability to pay.

(3)

The maximum number of beds or clients permitted to be served (eating, showering and/or spending the night) nightly shall not exceed sixteen persons.

(4)

Staff and services shall be provided to assist residents to obtain permanent shelter and income.

(5)

Prior to commencing operation, the shelter operator shall submit to the Community Development Department a written management plan including, as applicable, hours of operation, admission hours, intake process, provisions for staff training, neighborhood outreach, security, screening of residents to ensure compatibility with services provided at the facility, and information on training, counseling, and treatment programs for residents.

(d)

No emergency shelter shall be located within three hundred feet of another emergency shelter site.

(Ord. No. 1034, § 11, 6-4-2024)

(a)

A low barrier navigation center project that complies with this chapter is a use by-right in areas zoned for mixed-use and nonresidential zones permitting multifamily uses. The provisions of this section shall apply to all low barrier navigation center projects.

(b)

A permit is required prior to the establishment of any low barrier navigation center project. Applicants for said permit shall file an application with the community development department, which shall process the application on a ministerial basis, without discretionary review or a hearing. The community development department shall notify a developer whether the developer's application is complete within thirty days, pursuant to California Government Code Section 65943. The town will act on the application within sixty days of its being complete.

(c)

The community development director, or that person's designee, shall approve a low barrier navigation center permit if the project meets the following requirements:

(1)

It complies with all requirements of Section[s] 18.31B.020(b), (c) and (d).

(2)

It offers services to connect people to permanent housing through a services plan that identifies services staffing.

(3)

It is linked to a coordinated entry system, so that staff in the interim facility or staff who co-locate in the facility may conduct assessments and provide services to connect people to permanent housing.

(4)

It complies with Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 8255) of Division 8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(5)

It has a system for entering information regarding client stays, client demographics, client income, and exit destination through the local homeless management information system.

(Ord. No. 1034, § 11, 6-4-2024)