Council adopts ordinance for small manufactured homes in R-5 zones

An ordinance amending the city’s R-5 zoning code to include small manufactured homes was adopted by the city council last night after some confusion as to whether or not the ordinance would apply to previously-granted variances.

The city’s planning commission recommended the council adopt the ordinance for the Stuart Springs Mobile Home Park, which is currently the only area in the city that is zoned R-5.

The council suspended the rules and read the ordinance three times before voting against approval on the first vote.

Councilman Danny Capps, who previously served numerous years on the planning commission, asked about spot zoning and if that would apply to anything in the current ordinance.

“In previous years, we have done spot zoning for people, granting them the ability to place a double wide mobile home in an area as long as the rules are followed. Since we have spot zoning for mobile homes that are not in R-5, would the variances for those lots be qualified under this as R-5 or would it still be the same zone even though they have a variance for a mobile home there?” Capps asked. “I’m curious if that would carry over to that variance because there is no limitation that says that after that house is gone it goes back to the previous zoning.”

At first, city attorney Marshall Wright said the zoning would remain for that area, after which the council voted against the ordinance.

Wright, however, later said he misunderstood Capps’ question and that the spot zoning would revert to the original zoning if the structure approved through variance was ever removed.

After that clarification, the council voted again on the ordinance and adopted it unanimously, allowing the small houses to be placed in Stuart Springs Park.

“I just don’t want them to pop up like flowers all over town. That’s my only concern,” said Capps.