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Ferron planning commission debates ADU limits, setbacks, parking and tiny-home rules
Summary
Commissioners reviewed a draft accessory dwelling unit (ADU) ordinance, discussing lot-size thresholds, a 1,000-square-foot cap, setbacks, parking and whether tiny homes may qualify. Commissioners directed staff to pull parcel examples and tabled several ordinance line items for further work.
The Ferron City Planning and Zoning Commission spent the bulk of its July 1 meeting reviewing a draft ordinance to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and debating size limits, setbacks, parking and utility connections.
The draft shared by staff would allow ADUs only on lots of 10,000 square feet or larger, limit ADUs to one per parcel and set a 1,000-square-foot maximum for an ADU, excluding any attached garage. Commissioner Behling said he "kinda like[d] the idea of 1,000 flat," while other commissioners pushed for exceptions tied to larger lots or a tiered cap — for example, 1,500 square feet on half-acre parcels.
Commissioners framed three reasons the ordinance needs refinement. First, state rules allow internal ADUs (IADUs) such as basement or attached units; the commission noted it cannot prohibit those and must clarify whether an internal ADU requires a separate address. Commissioner Claussen asked for a clearer statement on addressing for emergency services and postal purposes. Second, commissioners questioned whether the 1,000-square-foot limit refers to footprint or conditioned living area; the draft did not definitively say. Third, the draft applies accessory-structure setback standards (which in some zones allow a 5-foot side/rear setback) to ADUs. Multiple commissioners called 5 feet "too close" for a residential unit and proposed applying the same setbacks used for main dwellings or adopting a compromise setback larger than 5 feet but smaller than full dwelling setbacks.
Other provisions drew debate. The draft says ADUs must provide one off-street parking space per bedroom, with tandem parking on existing driveways allowed; commissioners agreed tandem parking should be permitted but noted on-street parking is already a local issue. The draft sets a zone-based minimum ADU size (for many residential zones, 840 square feet). Commissioners flagged a conflict between that minimum and the definition of tiny homes: "Utah state ordinance is 400 square foot for a tiny home," a staff member noted. Several commissioners said tiny homes could be a suitable ADU option, but that would require a deliberate exception to the zone minimum.
On utilities, commissioners generally favored shared connections (one culinary water and one electrical service tied to the primary dwelling) rather than requiring separate meters or new water-share purchases in every case, but they asked staff to confirm how secondary water or water-share rules apply in Ferron.
No ordinance was adopted. The commission voted to table portions of the ordinance (items 5b, 5c, 5e, 5f and 5g) to the next meeting so staff can prepare parcel maps and draft revisions that clarify: whether an IADU needs a separate address; whether the 1,000-square-foot limit is footprint or conditioned living area; a revised setback approach; and how tiny homes should be treated.
Commissioners asked staff to pull representative parcel maps for the next meeting to illustrate how setbacks and lot shapes would affect potential ADU placement. They also asked staff to coordinate with Todd Thorn (the staff member who circulated the draft) to collect examples and suggested language for maximum size tied to lot size.
The commission’s discussion will be continued at a future work session; no final ordinance language or effective dates were adopted at the July 1 meeting.
