All in the Family?

What makes a ?

That’s what the Florissant city council began to consider during Monday night’s council meeting.

Previously, the planning and zoning commission approved a recommendation for the definition of family to be made consistent in the building and zoning codes, which it currently is not.

The council held a public hearing on the request and expected to hear from building commissioner Philip Lum; however, Lum was not present.

The council did receive an earful from former Ward 6 City Councilman and mayoral candidate . 

“The primary recommendation at this time is to delete several words from one section of that and to reorganize it a bit,” he said. “But primarily, to delete wording and to allow two unrelated individuals to live as part of the family. Part of the reason that was added was to address various situations that the city was dealing with.”

Garrett further explained the proposed amendment to the codes would exclude a number of special cases, including a caretaker for an elderly couple, a live-in nanny or a foreign exchange student.

Although Lum wasn’t available to speak during the hearing, City Attorney spoke briefly on the topic regarding his knowledge of the situation.

“It’s amazing how the definition of family can get so complicated,” Hessel said. “All of us would think it should be so simple, but it’s not.”

Hessel as well as Ward 7 City Councilwoman referenced Black Jack’s amended definition of family, which was amended in 2008, as a possible resolution.

McKay suggested the council and administration consider how their definition was worded in writing their new consistent definition.

Black Jack's current housing and zoning code defines family in four different ways, including:

“An individual living as a single non-profit housekeeping unit in a dwelling unit; two or more persons related by blood, marriage, adoption or foster care relationship living together as a single non-profit housekeeping unit in a dwelling unit; a group of not more than three persons who need not be related by blood, marriage, adoption or foster care relationship, living together as a single non-profit housekeeping unit in a dwelling unit; or two unrelated individuals plus the biological, adopted or foster children of either such individuals, living together as a single, non-profit housekeeping unit in a dwelling unit.”

Ultimately, without Lum present, the council decided to postpone the hearing as well as the first reading of the bill until the March 14 council meeting.

Other Approvals 

The council approved a number of other bills on Monday night, including: 

• An amendment to a special use permit issued to Asher Rohra that would allow car sales as well as a parking lot for car sales at #2 Menke Place. At the Feb. 14 City Council meeting, Rohra said he would be running an Internet car sales business, where people would have to make an appointment to come to the lot and check out the car.
• An ordinance that would allow the permit transfer from A&U Bar-B-Que to Mario’s Pizza Café, which would open at 472 Howdershell.
• An ordinance that clarifies conflicting language of ordinance No. 7753. Previously, this ordinance established a new pay plan grading system for city employees that would allow a 2 percent pay raise for all eligible employees on their date of hire.