The City Commission unanimously approved ordinance changes to the City of Hays Unified Development Code (UDC) on June 26 that relax rules for small accessory structures.

The amendments remove the five‑foot side/rear setback for accessory buildings 120 square feet or smaller, eliminate the numerical cap on the total number of accessory buildings, and remove the restriction that an accessory building in the agricultural zoning district may not exceed 50% of the principal dwelling’s footprint.

Jesse Rohrer, Director of Public Works, said the rules created enforcement challenges because small accessory structures under 120 square feet did not require a building permit and owners often did not know placement rules. “Why not just write it into regulation so it's allowed?” Rohrer asked, noting the changes reflect common practice and the planning commission approved the amendments 7‑0.

Under the revisions, only accessory buildings larger than 120 square feet will require building permits and the associated setback requirements. Rohrer said the changes would reduce the need for variances to the board of zoning appeals and simplify code enforcement.

The ordinance (No. 4075) was adopted 3‑0. Commissioners praised staff for updating the UDC to remove unnecessary regulations and to reflect real‑world development practices.