Planners to consider development changes

Tuesday’s Planning and Zoning Commission meeting may only have one item on the agenda, but it is an item that has been months in the making.

Commissioners will be asked to recommend passage or denial for an ordinance that would update the city’s code as it relates to manufactured home developments. The overhaul was prompted by a moratorium that was passed on June 20, shortly after commissioners recommended denial of a permit for a manufactured home development on the south side of town.

The meeting on Tuesday is the next step in a process that has included drafting regulations in July, a followup meeting on July 19 and a public comment period that ended in August.

The ordinance includes new definitions and changes to lot area and setback requirements, landscaping requirements and street requirements. The changes would reduce the maximum unit density from nine units per acre to six units per acre. The perimeter of the unit would also be required to be landscaped with shade and ornamental trees, and a minimum of three shrubs are required for each rental or sub-divided lot.

Under the new changes, manufactured home developments would also be required to have a resident manager if there are over 30 units, common areas for residents and new standards for building appendages and porches.

The developments could also only be considered by a special use review.

The manager is meant to help keep larger developments clean and to serve as a point of contact if issues arise, according to the staff report. The common areas are intended to provide residents more space and areas to park cars and boats, the report said.

Manufactured home developments would also be subject to inspection at any time under the ordinance.

The changes are being proposed alongside a set of building code changes specifically related to manufactured homes. However, as the building code changes do not have to be reviewed by the planning commission, those changes will be forwarded directly on to the Board of Directors for their meeting on Sept. 19.

According to the city’s staff report, city staff has only received one question from the public on the ordinance. A phone call was received that questioned whether the ordinance would effect the city’s current manufactured home developments. The changes will not effect any current developments as long as they do not change, according to the staff report.