Lorain planning commission holds manufactured-homes zoning amendment in abeyance

The City of Lorain Planning Commission on Sept. 3 voted to hold in abeyance an ordinance that would amend the zoning code provisions for manufactured homes and certain single-family dwellings so a public hearing can be scheduled and council-recommended changes can be reviewed. The measure, described at the meeting as amendments to Ordinance 106-25 and Ordinance 4-21 and to City of Lorain Zoning Code sections (including 1141.17 and 1141.32 and tables in 1123.02), was withdrawn from council and sent back for planning commission review at the request of the law department. Commissioners voted to defer action so a public hearing can be scheduled for the commission’s October meeting. Why it matters: The proposed language would distinguish between factory-built/manufactured homes and permanently sited manufactured homes, and would also address single-family homes in a high-density residential district. Commissioners and counsel said the distinction is intended to prevent individual trailers associated with manufactured-home communities from being placed on single lots without meeting standards. City counsel advised that council had recommended changes and asked the planning commission to review those edits. The law department and staff told the commission it wants to retain the existing manufactured-home rules while adding separate language to regulate permanently sited manufactured homes. Discussion and next steps: Commissioners asked staff and counsel to ensure the code clearly differentiates “manufactured homes” from “permanently sited manufactured homes” and to confirm that any new language would not allow mobile trailers to be placed on lots without meeting the permanent siting requirements. The commission formally voted to hold the matter in abeyance; the ordinance will be placed on the commission’s October agenda with a public hearing. No substantive change to the code was adopted at the Sept. 3 meeting.