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Stafford deals with issues of unrelated people who live together Date published: 6/18/2008
BY KAFIA HOSH
Stafford County officials have limited the number of unrelated people living in a single-family home and added a definition of a "family" to the county code. After a brief public hearing last night, the Board of Supervisors amended the zoning ordinance to allow for only four people not related by blood, marriage, adoption or guardianship to live in a residential dwelling. The 5-2 vote included a definition of a family as "a group of people living together as a single housekeeping unit." The ordinance does not include group homes, such as those for the handicapped or those licensed by the Department of Social Services. However, some supervisors were concerned the ordinance could marginalize certain groups of people. It first came to the board in April, shortly after the Illegal Immigration Task Force public hearings held earlier this year. At the hearings, several residents complained about overcrowded homes and driveways overflowing with cars. Some of them suspected illegal immigrants or day laborers lived in the homes. "I tend to agree that the perception could be, maybe, that this is directed toward a particular group, whether it be true or not," said Griffis--Widewater Supervisor Bob Woodson, who, along with Chairman George Schwartz, voted against the measure. But other supervisors said overcrowded homes are safety concerns that cause noise pollution and residential streets crammed with cars. "What we miss are the gross abuses of the occupancies on homes and the impact those gross abuses have on the neighbors," said Garrisonville Supervisors Mark Dudenhefer. Concerns also were raised about how the ordinance would impact unmarried couples living together with their children. "The reality is there's a lot of those situations out there," said Aquia Supervisor Paul Milde. "We need to give exceptions to parents of the same child." Supervisors amended the ordinance to allow for two unrelated heads of households to live together with any number of offspring, foster, step or adopted children. Patrick Walsh, one of just a handful of speakers at the public hearing, said the ordinance could adversely affect unrelated immigrants who live together to eventually become self-sufficient and to people who rent out rooms in their homes. "People taking care of people, do we really need to destroy that aspect?" he asked. "People are just trying to get by these days." The original proposal was more stringent, allowing no more than three unrelated people to live together. The Planning Commission recommended denial of the resolution. Kafia Hosh: 540/735-1977
Read more stories about Caroline Date published: 6/18/2008
I'm glad the government finally decided what a family is for me. If they would only tell me what to think life would be so much easier.
It's good if it'll push illegals somewhere else
There are many archaic laws on the books concerning social mores in Virginia that are never enforced. This ordinance will just enable local officials to take action against the most egregious violators. If one lives in a neighborhood where there are none of these overcrowded flop houses, it's easy say you don't want the government to stick it's nose into people's private lives. As soon as one of these places pop up next door, you'll be screaming for some intervention by that same government.
is that they are trying to define what a relationship is or what a house is or what marriage is. If the real problem is number of cars in a driveway or illegal immigration, then the ordinance should state that and not take away people's rights by defining something else or forcing people to prove their blood relationship to their family.
So according to this ordinance, two unmarried couples could not share a 2 bedroom house? I think politicians are getting too much into our business!
why can't you put a limit on cars in yards , is it a sale lot, they can't be having a reunion everyday, sound like the county is passing the buck
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