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A. Purpose. Emergency shelter standards are intended to allow temporary shelter (six (6) months or less) to be provided to homeless persons or others in need of shelter while ensuring that the shelter(s) is operated in a manner that is compatible with surrounding areas, in accordance with Government Code Section 65583.

B. Applicability. An emergency shelter is a permitted use in the Administrative Professional (A-P) Zoning District and where A-P uses are permitted (e.g., Planned Development Districts). The standards in this section shall apply to those districts.

C. Standards. The applicant shall provide information to show that the following standards for emergency shelters have been satisfactorily addressed:

1. Property Development Standards. The shelter shall conform to all property development standards of the zoning district in which it is located except as modified by these performance standards.

2. Shelter Capacity. The shelter shall contain a maximum of twenty (20) beds and shall serve no more than twenty (20) persons nightly.

3. Resident and Employee Parking. Emergency shelter parking standards shall comply with Larkspur Municipal Code Chapter 18.56.

4. On-Site Waiting and Intake Areas. Shelters shall provide five (5) square feet of interior waiting and client intake space per bed. Waiting and intake areas may be used for other purposes as needed during operations of the shelter.

5. On-Site Management. Management must be provided on site during hours of operation. Contact information for administrator and liaison shall be posted both inside and outside the facility for emergency purposes.

6. 

a. Management Plan. Prior to commencing operation, the applicant shall provide a written management plan to the Community Development Director or their designee for approval. The management plan shall include the following components:

i. A resident identification process and the type of clientele served. Include provisions for serving sex offenders and/or parolees.

ii. Description of training, counseling, social services, or other types of services that will be provided on site.

iii. Identification of administration and liaison personnel.

iv. Description of neighborhood outreach and communication strategies.

v. Identification of a transportation system that will provide clients with a reasonable level of mobility including, but not limited to, access to social services and employment opportunities.

vi. Clear operational standards and rules (e.g., standards governing expulsions, provision of meals, and lights-out).

b. The management plan shall further comply with the following standards:

i. The provider shall not discriminate in any services provided.

ii. The provider shall not require participation by clients in any religious or philosophical ritual, service meeting or rite as a condition of eligibility.

iii. If the provider plans to provide a drug or alcohol abuse counseling component, appropriate state licensing shall be obtained.

iv. The provider shall demonstrate experience in successfully running social-service-related facilities.

7. Proximity to Other Emergency Shelters. Emergency shelters shall be at least three hundred (300) feet apart.

8. Length of Stay. The length of stay per individual shall not exceed six (6) months.

9. Facility Lighting. 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 of an intensity compatible with the neighborhood.

10. Laundry Facilities. The shelter shall provide laundry facilities adequate for the number of clients.

11. Smoking Area. An on-site smoking section shall be provided in compliance with Larkspur Municipal Code Chapter 6.16.

12. Accessibility. All public use and common use areas shall be designed and constructed to comply with accessibility standards in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

13. Parking Facility Security. Parking facilities shall be designed to provide security for residents, visitors, and employees.

14. Landscaping. Prior to commencing operation, the applicant shall provide a landscaping plan to the Community Development Director or their designee for approval.

15. Yard Area. Yard area must be enclosed by either a natural barrier (e.g., a mature hedge) or a fence. There shall be no space for outdoor congregating within fifty (50) feet of a residentially zoned or developed property or in front of the building, and there shall be no outdoor public telephones.

16. Outdoor Activity. For the purposes of noise abatement in surrounding residential districts or residentially developed properties, outdoor activities may only be conducted between the hours of eight a.m. and ten p.m.

17. Common Facilities. The development may provide one or more of the following specific common facilities for exclusive use of the residents and staff:

a. Central cooking and dining room(s).

b. Recreation room.

c. Counseling center.

d. Childcare facilities.

e. Other support services. (Ord. 1062 § 14, 2022; Ord. 1030 § 2(12), 2018; Ord. 981 § 3, 2011)