It is the purpose of this chapter, pursuant to fair housing laws, to provide individuals with disabilities reasonable accommodation in the application of the city's rules, policies, practices and procedures, as necessary to ensure equal access to housing. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a process for individuals with disabilities to make requests for, and be provided, reasonable accommodation, when reasonable accommodation is warranted based upon sufficient evidence, from the various city laws, rules, policies, practices and/or procedures of the city, including land use and zoning regulations.

(Ord. 2896 § 1 (part), 2007)

As used in this chapter:

A.

"Applicant" means a person, business, or organization making a written request to city for reasonable accommodation in the strict application of land use or zoning provisions of this title.

B.

"City" means the city of Whittier.

C.

"Code" means the Whittier Municipal Code.

D.

"Department" means the community development department of the city.

E.

"Director" means the director of community development of the city.

F.

"Disabled or handicapped person" means an individual who has a physical or mental impairment that limits one or more of that person's major life activities; anyone who is regarded as having such impairment; or anyone who has a record of having such an impairment, but not including an individual's current, illegal use of a controlled substance.

G.

"Fair housing laws" means the "Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988" (42 U.S.C. Section 3601, et seq.), including reasonable accommodation required by 42 U.S.C. Section 3604(f)(3)(B), and the "California Fair Employment and Housing Act" (California Government Code Section 12900, et seq.), including reasonable accommodation required specifically by California Government Code Sections 12927(c)(1) and 12955(l), as any of these statutory provisions now exist or may be amended from time to time.

H.

"Minor reasonable accommodation" means any deviation requested and/or granted from the strict application of the city's laws, rules, policies, practices and/or procedures of the city, including land use and zoning regulations of this title, and which can be removed or terminated in sixty days or less after the need for the reasonable accommodation ends.

I.

"Major reasonable accommodation" means any deviation requested and/or granted from the strict application of the city's laws, rules, policies, practices and/or procedures of the city, including land use and zoning regulations of this title, resulting in a physical modification to the property which cannot be restored or terminated within sixty days or less after the reasonable accommodation is terminated.

(Ord. 2896 § 1 (part), 2007)

The department shall prominently display in the public areas of the planning and building and safety department at City Hall a notice advising those with disabilities or their representatives that they may request a reasonable accommodation in accordance with the procedures established in this chapter. City employees shall direct individuals to the display whenever they are requested to do so or reasonably believe that individuals with disabilities or their representatives may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation.

(Ord. 2896 § 1 (part), 2007)

A.

In order to make specific housing available to an individual with a disability, a disabled person or representative may request reasonable accommodation, pursuant to this chapter, relating to the application of various land use, zoning, or building laws, rules, policies, practices and/or procedures of the city.

B.

If individual or representative needs assistance in making a request for reasonable accommodation, or appealing a determination regarding reasonable accommodation, the department will endeavor to provide the assistance necessary to ensure that the process is accessible to the applicant or representative. The applicant may be represented at all stages of the proceeding by a person designated by the applicant as his/her representative.

C.

A request for reasonable accommodation in laws, rules, policies, practices and/or procedures must be filed on an application form provided by the department, shall be signed by the owner of the property, and shall include the following information:

1.

A description of how the property will be used by the disabled individual(s);

2.

The basis for the claim that the fair housing laws apply to the individual(s) and evidence satisfactory to the city supporting the claim, which may include a letter from a medical doctor or other licensed health care professional, a handicapped license, or other appropriate evidence which establishes that the individual(s) needing the reasonable accommodation is disabled/handicapped pursuant to the fair housing laws;

3.

The specific reason the requested accommodation is necessary to make particular housing available to the disabled individual(s); and

4.

Verification by the applicant that the property is the primary residence of the person for whom reasonable accommodation is requested.

D.

A filing fee in an amount as determined from time to time by resolution of the city council, but not to exceed the reasonable estimated costs to the city in processing the application.

(Ord. 2896 § 1 (part), 2007)

A.

The director shall have the authority to consider and act on any application for a minor reasonable accommodation. The director shall issue a written determination within thirty days of the date of receipt of a completed application and may: (1) grant the accommodation request, (2) grant the accommodation request subject to specified nondiscriminatory conditions, (3) deny the request, or (4) may refer the matter to the planning commission, which shall render a decision on the application in the same manner as it considers an appeal.

B.

The zoning administrator shall have the authority to consider and act on any application for a major reasonable accommodation, or any minor reasonable accommodation request referred to it by the director. The zoning administrator shall consider an application at the next reasonably available public meeting after submission of an application for reasonable accommodation, after the submission of any additional information required pursuant to this section or after referral from the director and shall issue a written determination within thirty days after such public meeting. The zoning administrator may: (1) grant the accommodation request, (2) grant the accommodation request subject to specified nondiscriminatory conditions, or (3) deny the request.

C.

All written determinations shall give notice of the right to appeal and the right to request reasonable accommodation on the appeals process, if necessary. The notice of determination shall be sent to the applicant by first class mail.

D.

If necessary to reach a determination on any request for reasonable accommodation, the director may request further information from the applicant consistent with this chapter, specifying in detail what information is required. In the event a request for further information is made, the thirty-day period to issue a written determination shall be stayed until the applicant reasonably responds to the request.

E.

If, based upon all of the evidence presented to the director or the zoning administrator, the findings required in this chapter may reasonably be made, the director, the zoning administrator, the planning commission or the city council, as applicable, shall grant the requested reasonable accommodation.

F.

A reasonable accommodation that is granted pursuant to this chapter shall not require the approval of any variance as to the reasonable accommodation.

G.

The reasonable accommodation shall be subject to any reasonable conditions imposed on the approval that are consistent with the purposes of this chapter to further fair housing. Such conditions may generally include, but are not limited to the following restrictions:

1.

That the reasonable accommodation shall only be applicable to particular individual(s);

2.

That the reasonable accommodation shall only be applicable to the specific use for which application is made; and/or

3.

That any change in use or circumstances which negates the basis for the granting of the approval shall render the reasonable accommodation null and void and/or revocable by the city.

H.

All reasonable accommodations granted by the city shall be subject to the requirement that they be recorded with the county recorded as to the applicable property record. The recorded notice of the reasonable accommodation shall include all of the following:

1.

A termination provision requiring that the reasonable accommodation be terminated within a specified reasonable period of time after the circumstances leading to the granting of the reasonable accommodation are no longer present;

2.

A notice provision requiring the following:

a.

That notice be given to the city when there is any material change in the disability/handicap leading to the granting of the reasonable accommodation;

b.

That notice be given to the city when there is any sale or transfer of ownership of the property upon which the reasonable accommodation is applicable.

(Ord. 2896 § 1 (part), 2007)

(Ord. No. 3159, § 3(Exh. A), 11-12-24)

The following findings must be made in order to approve a request for reasonable accommodation:

A.

The housing, which is the subject of the request for reasonable accommodation, will be occupied as the primary residence by an individual protected under the fair housing laws.

B.

The request for reasonable accommodation is necessary to make specific housing available to one or more individuals protected under the fair housing laws.

C.

The requested reasonable accommodation will not impose an undue financial or administrative burden on the city.

D.

The requested accommodation will not require a fundamental alteration of the zoning or building laws, policies and/or procedures of the city.

(Ord. 2896 § 1 (part), 2007)

A.

Within ten days of the date the city issues a written determination, any person aggrieved or affected by a decision on an application requesting the accommodation may appeal such determination in writing to the planning commission or to the city council, as applicable.

B.

All appeals shall contain a statement of the grounds for the appeal.

C.

No such appeal shall be accepted unless there is, paid contemporaneously with the filing of such letter, a filing and processing fee in a sum to be set by resolution of the city council. Upon receipt of a timely filed appeal, together with the filing and processing fee, the secretary of the planning commission or the city clerk shall set the matter for a de novo hearing before the planning commission or city council, as applicable, at its next reasonably available public meeting.

D.

The planning commission or the city council, as applicable, shall hear the matter and render a determination as soon as reasonably practicable, but in no event later than sixty days after an appeal has been filed, or after an application has been referred to it by the director. All determinations shall address and be based upon the same findings required to be made in the original determination from which the appeal is taken.

E.

An applicant may request reasonable accommodation in the procedure by which an appeal will be conducted.

F.

An applicant requesting the accommodation may appeal an adverse determination or any conditions or limitations imposed by the planning commission's decision to the city council, in accordance with this section.

(Ord. 2896 § 1 (part), 2007)

(Ord. No. 3112, § 4, 2-25-20)

Notwithstanding any provisions in this chapter regarding the occurrence of any action within a specified period of time, the applicant may request additional time beyond that provided for in this chapter or may request a continuance regarding any decision or consideration by the city of the pending appeal. Extensions of time sought by applicants shall not be considered delay on the part of the city, shall not constitute failure by the city to provide for prompt decisions on applications and shall not be a violation of any required time period set forth in this chapter.

(Ord. 2896 § 1 (part), 2007)