A potential group home in a Palatine neighborhood has residents concerned that the village's requirements for such facilities are not strong enough.

"To all of a sudden one day find out that, 'Well my neighbor is no longer living there and instead I have a business next to me that's going to have transient people constantly moving in every six months or so," said Palatine resident Brian Garcea. "I can't believe that anyone in this room would say 'I want a group home right next to me in the middle of a bunch of single family homes.'"

Group homes are protected by the Federal Fair Housing Act. The homes can serve a variety of populations, including people with disabilities, individuals recovering from substance abuse or people who have suffered abuse.

Palatine has 12 such homes, including WINGS, which serves homeless and abused women and children and the Little City Foundation, which serves autistic children and those with developmental disabilities.

Garcea was one of several residents to speak on the issue at Tuesday's Plan Commission meeting. Although the village is considering making some changes to its zoning requirements for group homes, Garcea and others said they did not believe that the changes go far enough.

For example, Garcea said that Palatine should limit group home populations to four, and any number above that would require village council consideration. The village allows up to eight residents.

Most of those in attendance at the meeting live in a neighborhood near Dundee Road and Northwest Highway, close to a property that NeuroRestorative, a residential rehabilitation provider based in Carbondale, has made inquiries about.

NeuroRestorative focuses on rehab for people with brain and spinal chord injuries. Among the populations it serves are veterans and military personnel.

Although the potential of NeuroRestorative locating in the neighborhood was the subtext of the hearing, it was not mentioned during the meeting because the ordinance changes would apply throughout the village.

Frank Annerino said he began looking into Palatine's zoning requirements when he heard about NeuroRestorative's plans.

"Palatine is actually quite lax by comparison [to neighboring communities]," Annerino said. "Palatine lets pretty much anyone with up to 8 people open a group home."

Annerino said he is not against group homes, but believes that tougher restrictions need to be in place. Although it is unclear how many people would occupy the NeuroRestorative home, Annerino said if it were only four people he would be OK with that.

"They open up these large group homes because its a business and they are in it to make a profit," Annerino said, adding that NeuroRestorative attempted in increase the size a group home in Des Plaines from five to 8 without increasing staff. "And so they want to always increase their profit margins. More people. Fixed costs stay fixed. More money."

NeuroRestorative's plan to increase the size of its Des Plaines group home was rejected in June amid complaints of parking and traffic woes.

One change Palatine is considering for its requirements for group homes does address parking. The change would require group homes to provide a parking spot per staff member per shift and to provide parking for each resident who has a car on site.

The remaining changes the village is considering primarily have to do with bringing the requirements in line with existing building codes and language contained in the Federal Fair Housing Act.

Palatine Attorney Bob Kenny balked at the idea of reducing the population limit of the homes from eight to four, believing that the requirement would not stand up in court if challenged.

Several residents who spoke said that by not having as stringent requirements as surrounding communities, Palatine was inadvertently encouraging their locaition in the village since locating elsewhere would be more difficult or might even require a court challenge.

The Plan Commission did not vote on any of the proposed changes. The public hearing was continued until Feb. 21. The Plan Commission is a recommending body; the Palatine Village Council will have the final say on any changes.