Milton council hears first reading to update comp plan; staff seeks zoning fixes for ADUs, fire stations and signs

Milton — City staff brought the first reading of Ordinance 2122-25 to the Milton City Council on Monday, asking the council to update the comprehensive plan and to consider a set of small, technical zoning amendments.

The proposed comprehensive plan changes would update the six-year capital improvement project and funding-source figures and change parcels purchased by East Pierce Fire & Rescue to a Community Facilities designation on the comprehensive plan map, Planning Manager Stalenecker told the council. He said the planning commission has recommended the changes and staff expects to return with a public hearing and possible action at the council's next regular meeting.

Those map changes matter because the zoning map will be updated to match the comprehensive plan, Stalenecker said. “We need to update the comprehensive plan map to show that it is going to be changed to community facilities,” he said, noting East Pierce Fire & Rescue has purchased the parcels shown on the map.

Beyond the comp plan update, staff proposed a grouped set of smaller zoning fixes and clarifications under Item 6b. The package includes five primary changes: (1) adding language to the ADU definition to require that ADUs “meet all of the codes of a permanent structure including a permanent foundation”; (2) listing fire facilities as a conditional use in the Community Facilities zone; (3) restoring vehicle-repair uses in the city’s Business zone along State Route 99; (4) clarifying temporary sign spacing rules in the right of way to mirror rules already in place for private property; and (5) updating the zoning map to reflect the comp plan map change for the East Pierce Fire & Rescue parcels.

On ADUs, Stalenecker said the amendment is intended to prevent use of recreational vehicles and other temporary/mobile structures as ADUs. “...and meets all of the codes of a permanent structure including a permanent foundation,” he said. He explained that recreational vehicles are certified and licensed as RVs and do not meet the building-code standards that apply to permanent structures; tiny homes that are factory-built and certified as permanent structures could qualify if they are placed on a permanent foundation and meet the building code or applicable certification.

Council members pressed staff for clarity on the ADU language. Council Member Strader asked whether a trailer could be used as an ADU if placed on a foundation; Stalenecker replied that an RV would not qualify because it is certified as a recreational vehicle and does not meet the permanent-structure code. Council Member Freddy raised questions about framing and code requirements (for example, wall construction and insulation); Stalenecker said factory-built modular or manufactured units that meet the International Residential Code or state certification and are put on a permanent foundation would be acceptable.

On fire facilities, staff proposed adding fire stations to the use table as allowed in the Community Facilities zone only with a conditional use permit. Stalenecker said the conditional-use process would require a neighborhood meeting and a public hearing, providing an opportunity to add site-specific conditions. “It’s allowed, but it does have to have a neighborhood meeting. It does have to have a public hearing,” he said.

Staff told the council the sign-spacing clarification would prevent multiple temporary signs from being placed back-to-back in the public right of way and would effectively carry the private-property rule onto the right of way to limit sign clutter.

Stalenecker said there were no private applications requesting map or code changes this year and that staff focused on items that regularly affect permitting and grant coordination, such as keeping the six-year transportation list current for grant applications. He also cautioned that the six‑year CIP numbers may be updated again before final council action to ensure the most current figures are included.

The planning manager said the packet amendments were vetted by the planning commission, which recommended the package to council. Stalenecker said the council should expect the items to return for public hearing and possible action in October.

Next steps: The ordinance is at first reading; staff will finalize any updated CIP numbers, and the council will consider the zoning amendments and the map change at a public hearing at the next regular meeting.