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Council adopts permanent rule allowing off‑site laydown yards for public‑works and utility projects
Summary
The council adopted an amendment (Ordinance No. 649) that moves previously temporary rules allowing off‑site storage yards and job trailers into the regular zoning code, dropping a public‑hearing notice step for residential yards after staff said the heightened notice had not been requested in two years.
The Town Council unanimously approved Ordinance No. 649 to fold temporary rules for off‑site construction laydown yards into the regular temporary‑use rules in the municipal zoning code.
The change rescinds an urgency ordinance that allowed contractors on large public‑works projects (PG&E, PID, and town paving) to use off‑site storage yards in private rights of way, and instead places the same authority into the standard temporary use permit section. Council and staff said the urgency ordinance was originally written to address neighborhood concerns, which required a higher‑level permit and a 10‑day notice to adjacent residents for residential yards. Over the two years the urgency rule was active, staff said no residents requested a public hearing under that procedure.
Under the adopted change, off‑site storage yards for work in public or private rights of way remain permitted under temporary uses, but the special 10‑day public‑hearing notice requirement for residential neighborhoods was removed. Staff kept many of the existing conditions — signage, dust control, septic/line protection, restricted placement near leach fields — and said the town will perform field inspections to verify compliance.
Council members expressed support but noted continuing enforcement challenges: several said they still see yards without required signage or protection and asked for better field inspection and enforcement schedules.
Motion: adopt Ordinance No. 649 to move urgency‑ordnance provisions into the permanent temporary‑use zoning rules; motion by Council member Bullen, seconded by Council member Cullerton; vote: unanimous.
Why it matters: the change standardizes permitting for laydown yards used by utilities and public‑works contractors, while retaining conditions to reduce neighborhood impacts. Council asked staff to step up field inspections to enforce the conditions.
