Neighbors can weigh in on sober house rules

St. Paul is getting closer to defining what a sober house is and whether those houses for recovering addicts need zoning regulations.

The city has released a draft study on the houses, which became the subject of controversy last fall. The City Council in October approved a one-year moratorium on building permits and certification for the houses, although a provision allows for new applications subject to City Council approval.

Residents will have a chance to weigh in during a panel discussion March 3. The goal is not only to get feedback on the study but also to hear neighborhood concerns, said Luis Pereira, a city planner working on the report.

Any sober house regulations would have to comply with the federal Fair Housing Act, because chemically dependent people are considered disabled and constitute a protected class.

The issue arose after neighbors voiced concerns about the concentration of sober houses in some areas and the number of people living in them. Council members said both neighbors and sober house residents need protection.

"Defining what a sober house is and who's responsible if a problem arises is important," Fourth Ward Council Member Russ Stark said.

City staff members are recommending an ordinance that lays out a specific definition of a sober house and that sets some new zoning standards.

The study says the city could require operators to fill out a questionnaire that specifies the number of residents allowed, number of bedrooms, a parking plan and other property information.

The city could also require a separation of at least 300 feet between houses with seven or more residents.

The study advises against requiring licensing of the houses or notifying neighbors. "As it is a draft, our thinking continues to evolve," Pereira said.

Sober house operators do need to be sensitive to concentration issues and to neighbors' concerns and worries, said John Curtiss, president of the Minnesota Association of Sober Homes and The Retreat recovery center in Wayzata.

"I think some of the standards and conditions outlined in it [draft study] are OK with us, and some are not. And that's part of the process," he said. "Just because you have a dependency doesn't mean you can't live where you want to live."

Many of those worries are perception, said Curtiss. The people who live in sober houses want to live in safe environments and work, pay taxes, volunteer and try to keep one another sober, he said.

"There's nothing mysterious about sober people deciding to live together," he said.

If restrictions are put into place, Curtiss said he hopes they're enforced uniformly across the city.

"As a District Council, we're grappling with the issue," said Jim Marti, president of District Council 13, which includes Merriam Park.

"Frequently sober houses are good neighbors. Concerns oftentimes are taking place with no knowledge of how things work," he said. But if they turn out to be bad neighbors, he said, there's now little recourse through the city.