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3939
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MARVIN MANDEL, Governor
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House Bill No. 1955 - Zoning - Group Homes for
Mentally Retarded
AN ACT concerning
Zoning - Group Homes for the Mentally Retarded
FOR the purpose of requiring that group homes for the
mentally retarded be treated as single family
dwellings with regard to zoning and planning
regulations of the counties and Baltimore City and
other municipal corporations; providing for a
certain definition of a group home, and exempting a
certain county; and relating generally to group
homes.
May 26, 1977
Honorable John Hanson Briscoe
Speaker of the House of Delegates
State House
Annapolis, Maryland 21404
Dear Mr. Speaker:
In accordance with Article II, Section 17 of the
Maryland Constitution, I have today vetoed House Bill
1955.
This bill amends provisions of Article 23A
(Municipal Corporations), Article 25A (Chartered
Counties), and Article 66B (Zoning and Planning) to
require that except in Washington County, a group home for
the mentally retarded shall be considered as a single
family dwelling, subject to the same local laws and
regulations as any other single family dwelling within
the local jurisdiction.
The bill defines a "group home" as any facility
which (1) admits between four and eight nonrelated
mentally retarded persons who are residents of the
jurisdiction in which the facility is located, (2)
maintains the necessary facilities for their care or
treatment and provides a home—type environment for them,
and (3) is licensed by the Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene.
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House Bill 1955 arose from a recognition by the
General Assembly, which I share, that there are mentally
retarded persons now residing in the State hospitals who
could be cared for equally well or better in community
based group homes, if such homes existed. One of the
major impediments to the development of group homes has
been the application of zoning laws and regulations which
place group homes in a different and more restrictive
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