Daily Sitka Sentinel

New Regs Will Allow Tiny Homes in Sitka

By HENRY COLT
Sentinel Staff Writer
    More than a dozen members of the public went before the Sitka Planning Commission Wednesday to comment about a zoning code amendment on tiny homes.
    While some expressed concerns, the majority of those at the meeting were in favor of the amendment, which would allow the small housing structures to be located in certain zones.
    At the end of the discussion panel members voted 3-2 in favor of the amendment, with Victor Weaver, Darrell Windsor and Stacy Mudry in favor, and Randy Hughey and commission chairman Chris Spivey against. Planning Director Amy Ainslie said today that Hughey’s only objection was to the requirement for a conditional use permit in some zones.
    Under the zoning code amendment as approved, tiny homes in some zones will be required to have a “chassis,” a framework with wheels that will allow the home to be moved like a trailer.
    Ainslie explained today that the amendment has four parts:
    – to create a legal status for tiny houses on chassis.
    – to allow tiny houses on chassis in mobile home/manufactured home parks.
    – to allow tiny houses on permanent foundations in mobile/manufactured home parks.
    – and to allow a single tiny house on chassis to be placed in zoning districts that allow the placement of a single manufactured home.
    She explained that the only difference between what was passed and the original proposal was that item four will be a conditional use, meaning that a permit will be required.
Other Business
    The commission approved five other items at Wednesday night’s meeting:
    – a zoning map amendment at 4513, 4521 and 4533 Halibut Point Road changing the industrial zoning district to the C-2 general commercial and mobile home district, requested by Chris McGraw and Charles McGraw.
    “Their intended and hoped uses for the area include infrastructure and services for cruise ship passengers,” Ainslie said at the meeting. She added that this infrastructure might include a restaurant, a brewery and passenger staging areas for tourist excursions.
    – a final plat for a minor subdivision at 1306 Halibut Point Road in Lot 1A, Little Critter Subdivision, requested by the Sitka Community Land Trust.
    – a platting variance to connect more than four lots to a private utility system in a minor subdivision at 2370 Halibut Point Road in the R-1 MH single-family, duplex, and manufactured home zoning district, requested by Michael Tisher.
    – a final plat for a hybrid minor subdivision, also requested by Tisher, that will create five lots at the same 2370 HPR location.
Tiny Homes
    More than a dozen people spoke on the tiny home proposal.
    “By passing these recommended code changes you’re going to provide a lot of much needed clarity that will allow people to invest in this option who really, really want to,” said Chandler O’Connell of the Sitka Conservation Society.
    Robert Woolsey said tiny houses could play an important role in helping the younger generation – “people like our kids” – afford to live in Sitka.
    Mathew Jackson said, “I think (the four decision points) will give people looking for affordable housing more options and flexibility.”
    Connor Nelson called attention to a possible lack of construction standards for tiny homes. “If someone wants to put a small home on a lot, then build it to the standards the rest of us have to,” he said.
    Karen Hegyi, via email, came out in favor of the amendment,  but also cautioned, “Something intended for use by young adults with few possessions can easily morph into expansions, and sheds, and the need for parking vehicles and boats as more possessions and vehicles are acquired.”
    Jason Condon, via email, wrote, “I understand that tiny homes are not normal, but they could be a viable option for a younger generation with priorities that don’t include a large house with three bedrooms and two baths.”
    He added, “Houses serve different purposes for different stages in our lives.”
    Speaking to the Sentinel about tiny homes today, Ainslie said, “This is the first step in making sure that tiny houses can even exist in Sitka. Right now they don’t have a legal status. They don’t have a designation in either our building codes or our zoning codes. So this is a first step in making these structures an actual structure type.”