Perry council adopts new specific‑use permit process, adds agriculture to alternative‑housing pathways
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Summary
Council approved an ordinance creating a specific‑use permit process to allow the city to review and possibly allow alternative housing types such as tiny homes, container units and accessory dwelling units through a formal hearing process; council added agricultural zoning to the list of districts that may be considered under the ordinance.
The City Council adopted Ordinance 2025‑O5 to add a new division establishing a specific‑use permit process in the city’s planning and zoning code. The new rules create a path for applicants to request council‑level review of uses that are not allowed by right — including alternative housing types the city has discussed in recent years.
What the ordinance does: The new division (12‑2‑96 through 12‑2‑300, as listed in the agenda summary) defines the purpose, approval conditions, a specific‑use list and administrative procedures. The ordinance formalizes public‑notice steps (publication, 300‑foot mailings, public hearings) and gives the city a process to analyze proposals — for example tiny homes, accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and container homes — without amending the base zoning code for every unique proposal.
Council action: Planning‑commission staff told the council the planning commission had reviewed the draft and recommended unanimous support. Council amended the ordinance to include agricultural (AG) zoning among the districts eligible for consideration under the specific‑use process and approved the ordinance and its emergency clause by roll call.
Why it matters: Staff said the ordinance provides an orderly way for property owners and developers to propose alternative housing options — including ADUs and other small‑footprint housing — while preserving the city’s notice and review protections for neighbors. The council and staff repeatedly described the measure as an initial step and noted the ordinance is intended to be a “living document” that the council can update as issues arise.
What it does not do: The ordinance does not automatically permit multiple tiny homes on a single lot; it creates a pathway for an applicant to seek permission, subject to the city’s notice and any additional zoning changes council may direct. Staff estimated the public‑notice and review timeline would typically take several weeks to more than a month (the existing notice requirements were discussed as a 20–45 day window depending on publication and mailing schedules).
Next steps: Council asked staff to return with amendments and related zoning code clarifications to cover density, accessory vs. primary dwelling distinctions, and whether multiple small dwellings could be permitted on single lots through subsequent ordinance changes or by using planned‑unit development (PUD) tools.