O’Fallon Council Approves Group Home for Adults With Disabilities

The  on Thursday unanimously approved a conditional use permit request from to operate a local .

Now, three adults with developmental disabilities can call 228 Westridge Dr. home while getting the support they need to live independently.

Emmaus Homes is a non-profit organization, which provides 24-hour support services for adults with developmental disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, down syndrome and autism.

During the June 14 public hearing regarding the permit, Dave Kramer, chief operating officer of Emmaus Homes, spoke about how the organization helps these individuals.

“We are providing the accommodation, which allows them to live as independently as possible,” he said, adding that Emmaus staff members help out with cooking, cleaning, handling finances or making healthy choices. 

O’Fallon Patch previously reported how group homes have been a controversial issue in St. Charles County. Local governments cannot ban them, but can place restrictions on how close they are to each other.

In O'Fallon, group homes must be one-mile apart.

requires a conditional use permit and homes can be no closer than 1,000 feet from each other. St. Peters, and Cottleville have 2,500-foot requirements.

In January, against a proposed Emmaus group home there, citing concerns that their property values would decline. The permit for the home in Lake St. Louis was approved later that month.

No O’Fallon residents spoke up for or against the home during the June 14 public hearing.