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Bicknell planning commission moves commercial zone to Highway 24, weighs revising short‑term rental rules
Summary
At its Aug. 5 meeting the Bicknell Planning and Zoning Commission approved changing the written description of the town's commercial zone to refer to Highway 24 rather than Main Street and discussed whether to reopen the town's seven-year-old short‑term rental ordinance after two recent permit applications and public comments.
BICKNELL, Aug. 5, 2025 — The Bicknell Planning and Zoning Commission voted Tuesday to change the written description of the town's commercial zone to identify Highway 24 as the primary corridor, and spent the remainder of a short meeting discussing whether to revisit the town's short‑term rental ordinance after recent permit activity involving the downtown theater.
Commissioners approved the wording change by voice vote after a motion to replace “Main Street” with “Highway 24” in the commercial‑zone description. The change was described by commissioners as a technical clarification of the map and text the commission previously recommended to the town council.
The commission also reviewed the status of a recent building‑permit application to remodel the upstairs of the downtown theater into a rental unit. Commissioners said the commission's approval and the town council's separate authority over short‑term rental (STR) licenses are distinct steps: the building permit covers construction elements while a separate town process and town council action are required to license or approve short‑term rentals.
Commissioners discussed whether the town should reopen the STR ordinance, adopted about seven years ago, after comments from applicants and members of the public at a recent town council meeting. Members noted that the current STR ordinance contains requirements that include a separate septic system and a separate water meter for a short‑term rental unit; commissioners questioned whether those requirements remain appropriate, given examples such as accessory dwelling units that may be built without a separate septic line.
Several commissioners said the original ordinance was the product of a lengthy public process and a town survey that showed a large majority favored limits on STRs when it was adopted. At the same time, commissioners acknowledged that housing and rental markets have changed since the ordinance was written and that revising an ordinance typically requires multiple meetings, public hearings and time to move through the commission and town council.
The commission did not authorize any immediate ordinance changes. Commissioners said they would provide advice to the town council about whether the commission should move STR revisions up the work queue or address them as part of its regular ordinance review schedule. Members cautioned that any revision would not be quick and that property owners should not rely on a pending revision when making loan or sale decisions.
The meeting began with approval of minutes from a prior meeting and ended shortly after the commercial‑zone motion. Commissioners noted one applicant mentioned a loan deadline in mid‑August; the commission emphasized the separate steps for permits and STR licensing and said applicants may pursue alternative pathways, such as seeking motel classification, if the property meets those definitions and other regulatory requirements such as fire marshal inspection.
Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes: motion moved and seconded; voice vote in favor; at least one member noted they had not read the minutes and said they would not vote; outcome: approved. - Motion to change commercial zone description to Highway 24 (from Main Street): motion moved and seconded; voice vote in favor; outcome: approved.
