Planning and Zoning – February 22, 2024

Meeting Minutes

P&Z Members in attendance:

☒ Caleb Davis, Chair     ☒ Wade Purdom, Co-Chair     ☐ David Hollabaugh     ☒ John Cranor
☒ Rob Woywod    ☒ Scott Fuller           ☒ Bill Benage
☐ Adam Isaac        ☐ Ron Self (via phone)

Chair Davis called the meeting to order at 5:32 p.m. Roll call: Commission members present are noted with an “X” in the boxes above. Also in attendance: Acting Zoning Administrator Clare Marley, Associate Planner Tess Vogel, Assessor Olivia Drake, Panhandle Health District employees Jason Peppin, Jeremiah Johnson, and Kathryn Kolberg, and members of the public.

Consent Agenda: Commissioner Purdom moved, and Commissioner Woywod seconded the motion, to amend the consent agenda to allow public testimony but have any discussion or decisions deferred to the March 2024 meeting. The Chair declared the motion approved on a unanimous voice vote.

Commissioner Cranor moved, and Commissioner Woywod seconded the motion, to approve the January 25, 2024, minutes as written. The Chair declared the motion approved on a unanimous voice vote.

Public Testimony: John Poland voiced his concerns regarding RV parks and RVs being used as individual living units, noting safety and sanitary issues that arise. Mr. Poland read from a previously submitted letter that outlined his concerns and recommendations and requested the Commission begin a text amendment regarding RVs.

Public Workshop: Ms. Marley and Ms. Vogel presented to the Commission an overview of current land use codes related to subdivision standards and procedures, including sanitary restrictions and the Panhandle Health District process, application processes, lot design, and private road standards. Placement permit transferability and expiration dates were also discussed.

SUBDIVISION WORKSHOP –
PANHANDLE HEALTH DISTRICT DISCUSSION –
Panhandle Health District (PHD) members Mr. Peppin, Mr. Johnson, and Ms. Kolberg provided an overview of their responsibilities regarding land development and challenges they face with land divisions and sanitary restrictions. The major concern of PHD is land being divided or boundary lines being adjusted without sewage disposal sites being evaluated and sanitary restrictions being lifted, sometimes leaving unbuildable lots/parcels. The P&Z Commission requested planning staff continue to work with PHD through the subdivision ordinance update. The group suggested that all land divisions should go through a platting process and require at least a rough site evaluation and PHD sign off on the final plat to help protect future buyers who may not understand what the sanitary restrictions mean. Staff planners covered the current subdivision exemptions. PHD staff stated they would be happy to continue working with planning staff and are available to attend future workshops or meetings.

APPLICATION PROCESS & LOT DESIGN STANDARDS –
The Commission discussed if having set regulations for lot design would be burdensome on landowners and if “common sense” would be enough for the Commission or the BOCC to make decisions on files. Ms. Vogel explained that without a set standard, lot design would be open to interpretation. The Commission voiced interest in allowing requests for deviations to design standards to be considered with land division applications so a landowner would not have to go through a separate variance process. Flag lots exclusions and depth-to-width ratios were not desired by the Commission, who requested planning staff provide definitions and examples of “flag lots” for the next workshop. Ms. Marley provided the differences between a plat and a record of survey for the Commission. The Commission generally agreed that land divisions (that are not exempt) need to be platted and adjustments of platted lots need to be replatted. They discussed options for unplatted parcel line adjustment/boundary line adjustments, but wished to discuss further at the next workshop.

PRIVATE ROAD STANDARDS –
Ms. Marley presented the updated private road standards options for land divisions. The Commission also requested that deviations be permitted to be applied for regarding private road standards but agreed that the roads would have to be built and completed prior to the recording of the final plat. The Commission preferred planning staff to be the individuals to visit the sites to document the built roads. Ms. Vogel and Ms. Marley stated that planning staff would be able to visit the sites and take photos but would not be able to determine any road specifications or engineering design, and the Commission agreed that planning staff would be the ones to confirm built roads.

PERMIT TRANSFERABILITY & EXPIRATION WORKSHOP –
Ms. Marley provided an overview of the proposed changes and the Commission requested allowing for extensions on placement permits like other land use applications.

Updates & Announcements: Ms. Vogel reviewed the past year’s permits and violations, noting the total number of permits applied to date for the 2024 year. Ms. Marley provided updates and announcements regarding upcoming BOCC and P&Z Commission meetings in March.