Municipal Code Amendments (Title 5 and Title 9) related to group homes, residential care facilities, and boarding houses

The City of Lake Forest is implementing municipal code amendments to Title 5 and Title 9 of the Lake Forest Municipal Code to regulate group homes, residential care facilities, and boarding houses. These changes include updating key definitions, explicitly prohibiting boarding houses within residential zones, and designating group homes as a permitted use across all residential and mixed-use zoning districts. Additionally, the amendments update references to Municipal Code Chapter 5.44 and establish new regulations and processing requirements for obtaining group home licenses. This initiative, managed by the Community Development Department's Planning Division, was formalized with a signing date of July 22, 2026, following a public hearing on July 7, 2026. The project is classified as exempt from CEQA review under the common sense exemption and specific state guidelines, as the amendments do not result in physical environmental changes. Primary administration for these updates is handled by Senior Planner Jennifer Mansur.