The Sober House Zoning Study was initiated by City Council resolution in May 2005, directing PED to do a study of “sober houses”, after the Council was informed that the number of sober houses locating in the city was on the rise. A sober house has been commonly referred to as a private residence for individuals in recovery from chemical dependency. People recovering from chemical dependency are considered “disabled” under the Federal Fair Housing Act (FFHA), a federal law that prohibits discrimination against individuals on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability.

On October 10, 2007, the City Council passed an interim ordinance that applied to all new sober houses. The interim ordinance expires on September 9, 2008.

On March 3, 2008, the Neighborhood Planning Committee of the Planning Commission hosted a panel discussion that included representatives of sober house residents, sober house operators, and three neighborhood representatives.

The Neighborhood Planning Committee of the Planning Commission met and discussed the Sober House Zoning Study and draft ordinance at four meetings from February to May 2008 (2/13/08, 3/26/08, 4/9/08, and 5/7/08). The Committee made several changes to the draft ordinance, and recommended that the Planning Commission set the public hearing on the draft ordinance for June 13, 2008.

The Planning Commission held a public hearing on June 13, 2008, and made a recommendation on the ordinance on June 27, 2008.

The Saint Paul City Council held a public hearing on the draft ordinance on Wednesday, July 2, 2008.

The adopted ordinance identifies a sober house as a distinct land use, as well as specifies zoning standards and a parking requirement for the use. The zoning standards include a minimum 330 foot separation requirement for property containing one or more sober houses, and specify the conditions under which a conditional use permit is required.

Sober House Zoning Study
Ordinance adopted by the City Council on July 9, 2008

The adopted ordinance replaces the interim ordinance 30 days after it is published in the Legal Ledger.  The adopted ordinance was published in the Legal Ledger on August 4, 2008, and will go into effect on September 3, 2008.

Questions can be directed to Luis Pereira, city planner, at