The Crestwood Board of Aldermen last week approved an ordinance that changes the city zoning code’s definition of “family.”

Aldermen voted 7-0 Feb. 9, with Ward 3 Alderman Paul Duchild absent, to expand the definition at the request of the Equal Housing Opportunity Council of St. Louis.

Officials have said the new wording is less restrictive and better reflects current local and national trends.

“Family” now is defined in the code as an “individual or any number of related persons, or a group of not more than three unrelated persons, or unrelated non-transient adults and their dependents, including foster children, living together as a single nonprofit housekeeping unit, sharing a common kitchen facility, but not including group quarters such as dormitories, fraternities, sororities, motels, hotels, rooming houses or boarding houses.”

The code previously defined family as an individual or “two or more persons who are related by blood, marriage or adoption” or three or fewer unrelated persons living together by joint agreement on a nonprofit, cost-sharing basis.