Hotchkiss Planning Commission Working on Mobile Home Regulation Revisions

Not everyone in Hotchkiss (or many) live in a castle and have a Rolls Royce. Should older trailers be discouraged or are they Hotchkiss’ affordable housing sector?   Tom Wills photo

Hotchkiss Planning Commission minutes

September 23, 2015

Present:  Chair Sharon Schmidt, Chad Lloyd, Secretary- Tom Wills, Lindee Cantrell, Sean Cantrell and Mayor Wendell Koontz. The applicant for the review, Ann Robertson and a companion, were also present.

Chair Sharon Schmidt called the meeting to order at 6:32.  6:33 – Lindee and Sean Cantrell arrived.

The minutes of the August 26, 2015 meeting were approved as written.

1. Public Hearing – Variance Review/ Additional Business use on existing Water/Sewer Taps – Ann Robertson- 204-206 East Bridge Street

The public hearing was called to order and Chair Schmidt asked Mayor Wendell Koontz to conduct it.

Ann Robertson presented a request to add an additional commercial use to her building located on the north east corner of 2^nd and Bridge Streets.  A variance was needed in lieu of purchasing a half water and sewer tap due to former (1996) owners Forest and Margaret Wheeler having agreed to a deed restriction/covenant limiting the number of uses when an addition (separated, but connected, building) was built. This agreement was made in lieu of purchasing additional water and sewer taps.

Robertson, who is a licensed massage therapist, wishes to open an office in the rear of 204 East Bridge.  The area, which was once the Hotchkiss Marshal’s office when the building was the Town Hall, already has a bathroom with sink and toilet and there are no plans for additional fixtures.

There were no other members of the public present to support or oppose. All neighbors had been notified of the variance request.

Tom Wills presented a planning memo giving an overview of the recent history of the building.  The structure(s) currently includes one commercial use (Locksmith/ Embroidery) and an upstairs apartment as per the covenant.  He noted that he and Public Works Director Mike Owens were in agreement that the new use would not add significantly to the utility usage of the building(s). He recommended that the variance be recommended for approval, but only for the use requested or something similar in the future.  He said that the reason for this was that commercial water and sewer taps were determined by the required size of the water line and that the new use would not require an upgrade to the tap size.  Any future use that used a significant new amount of water, or any new residential use, would require the purchase of a half water and half sewer tap.

Wendell Koontz moved that the Planning Commission recommend that the variance to the covenant be approved as proposed with the condition that the Town was only approving the specific use of a massage therapist’s office or the equivalent.  The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

Mobile Homes/Parks Regulations Revisions

Tom Wills presented an updated draft of additions/revisions to the Mobile Home and Travel Home Regulations (Chapter 10-7) that would address non-conforming mobile homes and other items.  Upon further review of the chapter he recommended that some language be changed to acknowledge the present Planning Commission and clarify the review procedure for both new mobile home parks and new travel home parks.

There was extensive discussion on the subject of older mobile homes.  The Commission is struggling with the best way to serve the wishes of the great population of the Town regarding mobile homes. Currently the Town allows the importation of any mobile home in “good condition” that meet the National Mobile Home Construction and Safety Standards of 1974 ((42 USC 1501), or if made before 1976, the Colorado Housing Act of 1970 (CRS 24-32-701), or if made prior to the 1970 Act if inspected and approved by a certified engineer as meeting or exceeding the standards of either the State or National requirements of 1970 and 1974 respectively.

There were several proposals to update this including:

1. Encourage newer mobile homes and a constant up-grading of that portion of the Town’s housing by adopting a year range beyond which no homes could be brought into the town. 30 years was mentioned. There was concern that such a floating or arbitrary standard would have the effect of making many existing homes “non-conforming” and subject to applicable restrictions.  (Note: this could be applied only to new mobile homes proposed for siting in the town while the existing homes could still be judged by the existing standards. – TW)
2. That the standards remain the same but an inspection be required of mobile homes upon change of ownership and/or change of residents, in the case of rental units, to determine if the units remained in good and safe condition, fire safety issues, and proper setbacks were being observed, etc.
3. The requirements remain the same.

Other/New Business

There was some discussion of recent reviews of new uses and variances that have not fully lived up to conditions placed upon the approvals.  The Town may send additional reminders or in the case of an auto repair business, issue citations.

Mayor Koontz asked if there was agreement that the Town should send a letter to existing trailer parks reminding them that by Town code they need to be kept in good condition including the interior streets.  The commission was in agreement.

The meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted – Tom Wills – Secretary/Planner