§ 47-18.31. Social service facility (SSF).

A.

Purpose. [Generally.] In the development and execution of this section it is recognized that there are some uses which, because of their very nature, are recognized as having serious objectionable characteristics, and that may result in adverse secondary effects on adjacent properties, particularly when several are concentrated together or are located in proximity to businesses of a community nature, residential areas, houses of worship and schools, or both thereby having a deleterious effect upon the adjacent areas. Special regulation of these uses is necessary to ensure that the location and concentration of these uses will have a minimal negative impact on the surrounding neighborhood. These regulations are intended to establish criteria by which their use will have a minimum adverse impact on the surrounding properties.

B.

Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:

1.

Addiction treatment center. Any outpatient service, providing diagnostic or therapeutic services for alcoholism, drug abuse, or similar conditions. Clinics, professional offices or similar uses that provide addiction treatment counseling to individuals as part of a larger practice are not addiction treatment centers.

2.

City block. A subdivision of land consisting of a cluster of contiguous lots, parcels or tracts within common boundary lines as typified by a block as identified on subdivision plats recorded in the official record book of Broward County, Florida.

3.

Food distribution center. Any building or structure, or a portion thereof, of which the interior, or portion of the interior, is used to furnish meals to members of the public without cost or at a very low cost as a social service as defined herein. A food distribution center shall not be considered a restaurant.

4.

Secondary social services. Social service such as counseling, education and referral, training, indoor recreational facilities and similar services supportive to the primary social services offered at a social service facility. Secondary social services may only be provided during day and evening hours as further defined in Section C.1.a and shall not include overnight accommodations.

5.

Social services. Any service provided to the public to address public welfare and health such as, but not limited to, the provision of food; hygiene care; group rehabilitative or recovery assistance, or any combination thereof; rehabilitative or recovery programs utilizing counseling, self-help or other treatment or assistance; and day shelter or any combination of same.

6.

Social service facility (SSF). A facility that provides social services as defined herein.

7.

Social service facility—General. All social service facility uses described in this section excluding those uses further defined as an addiction treatment center, or food distribution center. Medical uses such as physical therapy or similar uses are not social service facility—general uses.

C.

Development standards.

1.

General standards.

a.

Hours of operation. An SSF shall only operate between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. These hours may be extended if specifically approved by city commission resolution.

b.

On-site waiting areas. Any waiting areas shall be located on the premise where services are provided. The owner or operator must ensure that persons receiving service do not block public access to sidewalks, rights-of-way or private property, and that emergency access points are clearly identified and maintained. The owner or operator must demonstrate that adequate space is available to accommodate the expected number of persons using the facility.

c.

Outdoor uses. All exterior waiting areas and exterior activity areas associated with the social service facility shall be adequately buffered from abutting properties and streets with a fence, wall, or hedge that meets all ULDR requirements.

d.

Management plan. All social service facilities will provide a management plan indicating compliance with Section C.2, specific standards, as well as including but not limited to the following:

i.

Description of services provided;

ii.

Facility capacity;

iii.

Staff on premises;

iv.

Residential provisions;

v.

Security plan;

vi.

Transportation provided;

vii.

Restroom facilities;

viii.

Trash receptacles;

ix.

Lighting.

e.

No more than one (1) social service facility use shall be allowed within a city block.

2.

Specific standards. Each type of SSF use shall be subject to the following specific standards:

a.

Addiction treatment center (ATC). Shall be subject to the following:

i.

Shall not be any closer than five hundred (500) feet from any another addiction treatment center.

ii.

Shall not be any closer than five hundred (500) feet from a residential property as defined in Section 47-35 of the ULDR.

iii.

Shall not be located within five hundred (500) feet of the property line of any existing house of worship, any existing public or private school or day care facility, any existing public park or another social service facility.

b.

Food distribution center (FDC). Shall be subject to the following:

i.

Must provide an indoor dining area that meets all state, county and city requirements for food service establishments or similar uses.

ii.

Shall not be closer than five hundred (500) feet from another food distribution center.

iii.

Shall not be any closer than five hundred (500) feet from a residential property as defined in Section 47-35 of the ULDR.

iv.

FDC is permitted as an ancillary use to houses of worship within any zoning district in which houses of worship are permitted as a principal use. A FDC permitted as an ancillary use to houses of worship is not subject to the separation requirements of Section 47-18.31 of the ULDR.

v.

Shall provide restroom facilities or other similar facilities for persons preparing and serving food as well as for the persons being served food.

vi.

Shall provide equipment and procedures for the lawful disposal of waste and wastewater at the property.

vii.

Shall provide equipment and procedures at the property for hand washing.

viii.

Shall have one (1) person, who will be present at the location at all times that food is being prepared and served, who has received food service manager certification under Section 509.039, Florida Statutes.

ix.

Shall have adequate storage of food at a temperature of:

(a)

41°F or below; or

(b)

135°F or above.

x.

Shall provide service of food within four (4) hours of preparation.

c.

Social service facility—General (SSF-G). Shall be subject to the following:

i.

Shall not be any closer than five hundred (500) feet from any another social service facility.

ii.

Shall not be any closer than five hundred (500) feet from a residential property as defined in the ULDR.

3.

Exceptions to regulations. Social services may be provided in response to a declaration of a state of emergency by the city and such provisions of service shall not be subject to these requirements.

4.

State agency approval. When one is required, evidence of preliminary state agency approval, such as a temporary license, probationary license, provisional license, interim license, conditional license, or a current state agency license shall be provided to the department.

D.

Table 1—Allowable Uses by Zoning District. Permitted and conditional uses, by category. The location of all social service facilities shall be determined as designated below:

Zoning District	ATC	FDC	SSF-G
RS-4.4	N	N	N
RS-8	N	N	N
RC-15	N	N	N
RD-15	N	N	N
RM-15	N	N	N
RML-25	N	N	N
RMM-25	N	N	N
RMH-25	N	N	N
RMH-60	N	N	N
MHP	N	N	N
RO	N	N	N
ROA	N	N	N
ROC	N	N	N
CB	N	N	N
B-1	N	N	N
B-2	N	N	N
B-3	C	P	C
I	N	N	N
CF	C	P	P
CF-H	C	P	P
CF-S	N	C	C
CF-HS	N	P	P
P	N	N	N
T	N	N	N
U	N	N	N
PRD	N	N	N
ABA	N	N	N
SLA	N	N	N
IOA	N	N	N
NBRA	N	N	N
SBMH	N	N	N
RAC-CC	C	C	C
RAC-AS	C	C	C
RAC-UV	C	C	C
RAC-RPO	C	C	C
RAC-TMU	C	C	C
SRAC-SAe	C	C	C
SRAC-SAw	C	P	P
ID	C	C	C
GAA	N	N	N
AIP	N	N	N
PEDD	N	N	N
CR	N	N	N
CC	N	N	N
H-1	N	N	N
X-Use	N	N	N

 

Legend:

P: Permitted.

C: Conditional Approval Required. See Sec. 47-24.3, Conditional Use Permit.

N: Not Permitted.

E.

Level of Review.

1.

Permitted Use SSF. Those SSF facilities listed as a permitted use in the zoning district as indicated in Table 1 shall be subject to review by the Development Review Committee in accordance with the standards of ULDR Sec. 47-24.2.

2.

Conditional Use SSF. The review process for a conditional use permit for a SSF shall be the same as required for a site plan level III approval, as provided in Section 47-24.2, Site Plan Development Permit, subsection A.3.c. The general conditional use criteria as stated in 47-24.3, Conditional use permit requirements, shall not apply to SSF. The following review criteria shall be applied in considering an application for a conditional use permit for any SSF.

No conditional use SSF shall be approved unless it is demonstrated that each proposed facility or use has met all of the requirements of this section, including those requirements in the specific zoning district in which the proposed SSF is to be located, in addition to the following:

a.

Meet the criteria listed above.

b.

Site plan approval.

c.

Abatement of nuisance. The activities on the property of the facility shall not create or cause a nuisance to adjacent properties or surrounding community or a public nuisance or a violation of City Code by creating adverse conditions such as noise, odor, health hazard, glare or unlawful activities.

d.

Compatibility with the character of the area. The intensity of use of the proposed facility shall not adversely impact upon existing uses or change the character of the area in which it is located. This includes ensuring the use is compatible with the neighborhood within which it is located and that will be impacted by the use and mitigating any adverse impacts which arise in connection with the approval of the use or any continuation thereof. Conditions for approval may relate to any aspect of the development, including but not limited to height, bulk, shadow, mass and design of any structure, parking, access, public transit and landscaping requirements.

(Ord. No. C-97-19, § 1(47-18.30), 6-18-97; Ord. No. C-14-42, § 1, 10-21-14 ; Ord. No. C-15-10, § 3, 3-3-15 ; Ord. No. C-17-44 , § 1, 11-7-17)