Nurse Issue

Monroe Township Requirement for Nurses in Planned Retirement Communities (PRC)

April 8, 2025:  Monroe Township Council Meeting

First reading of amendment O-4-2025-010 (PRC-2 Nurse Ordinance) that passed the council.  There is a second reading scheduled for April 28 for final passage.  If passed there
https://www.monroetwp.com/images/O-4-2025-010.pdf

There was another amendment, O-6-2024-013, introduced at the June 26, 2024 – meeting.  That amendment was tabled.
https://www.monroetwp.com/images/pdfs/O-6-2024-013A.pdf

History of the Nurse Issue:

Short version: Rossmore, Concordia, Clearbrook were built under the PRC or PRC-G ordinance which does not have a provision for nursing services.  This ordinance is for properties of at least 400 acres.  When there were no properties that met the 400-acre requirement the township created the PRC2 zoning designation.  That is where the nurse requirement came into play.  PRC2 has a provision that if the number of homes exceed 600 the 24/7 nurse requirement gets triggered.  That occurs with the closing of the 150th hose.

In 2009, our group of advocates (Stonebridge Concerned Residents “SCR”) at the time notified Lennar, the developer, they needed to put in the nursing facility.  For a year they did their best to change that ordinance to no avail.  Having a 24/7 nurse is currently mandated by a township law and shouldn’t be.  The decision to have a nurse or not should rest entirely on the board of Directors with the support of the residents.  All the boards up to now have had no choice.  However, changing that ordinance may be on the agenda on Wed June 26, 2024.  Residents should attend that meeting.

Link to PRC ordinance: https://ecode360.com/35514239

In the PRC-2 ordinance is the section [a] requiring nurses”

“Medical facility. Minimally, the medical facility shall be equipped with instruments and equipment necessary for responding to emergency situations and for those duties routinely performed by a registered nurse.”

[a] 

If the PRC-2 development consists of 600 or more residential units, there shall be a medical facility on the premises staffed by a registered nurse on a 24 hour per day basis, with staffing to commence upon the issuance of the one hundred and fiftieth (150) certificate of occupancy.

[b] 

If the PRC-2 development consists of less than 600 residential units, there shall be space available and furnished for use as a medical facility if the need arises.

Link to PRC2 ordinance: https://ecode360.com/35514933