Commission opens lengthy public hearing on tiny homes-on-wheels ordinance, asks staff to reexamine ownership in residential zones

The Mount Shasta Planning Commission held an extended public hearing on June 17 on a proposed "tiny homes on wheels" ordinance that would allow tiny-home villages and set design, spacing, and building-code requirements. Planning staff described site diagrams and density calculations and told commissioners the city would use a baseline cap of nine units for tiny-home developments, with density bonuses and site-area limits applying in some cases.

Planning staff said, "we're using the max density of 9 units for any tiny home development," and cautioned that building-code requirements and unit separation standards can cap the number of units that will actually fit on a site, even where zoning density appears higher. Staff also explained that certified builders and state Housing and Community Development (HCD) standards apply to tiny homes on wheels when those homes are built to be roadworthy.

Why it matters: the ordinance seeks to treat tiny homes on wheels as an affordable-by-design housing option while layering local objective design standards to avoid the look and operation of low-quality mobile-home parks. The proposal would allow tiny-home villages in several zones, set unit spacing (staff cited a typical 10-foot separation), parking/surface standards (two inches of asphalt or equivalent for pads and drive aisles), site circulation requirements to permit moving units in and out, and mandatory homeowners association (HOA)/covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs) to manage ongoing appearance and maintenance.

Public commenters expressed mixed views. Julie DeCarlo, who introduced herself as leading a team proposing a phased, intergenerational community for the Eugene Street parcel, described a plan for about a 1.3-acre micro-community and said she is "ready to purchase the Eugene Street land" and wants to coordinate with the city. Johanna Altore, who spoke during the public hearing, said she "likes the idea of tiny homes, but I think I agree with many or all of the things David is questioning" and urged the commission to limit new villages to commercial and industrial areas initially.

Commissioner concerns focused on long-term aesthetics, enforcement and ownership models. Several commissioners, including Commissioner David and Commissioner Dusan, worried that allowing developer-operated sites that rent pads to multiple private tiny-home owners could produce the operational dynamics of mobile-home parks and lead to long-term appearance problems. Commissioner David asked whether the city could require ownership or cooperative ownership models in residential zones; several commissioners supported more restrictive ownership rules in R2 and R3 to promote permanence. Staff noted CC&Rs, HOA governance and permit conditions would be required at the time of project approval and that the city could add annual reviews or permit inspections for new occupants.

After extended discussion, the commission asked staff to return with options limiting rental-pad/developer-operated models in R2 and R3 and to clarify inspection and HOA/CC&R enforcement mechanisms. The commission voted by consensus to reexamine ownership restrictions for residential zones and continue the item to the next meeting so staff can prepare language or alternatives.

Staff also reminded commissioners that the ordinance references the 2022 California Residential Code (Appendix Q) as the relevant building standard for tiny homes on wheels and noted the city will still require compliance with all applicable provisions of the Mount Shasta Municipal Code and building code. Planning staff said other permit elements (stormwater, circulation, landscape, and utility hookups) would be reviewed under existing municipal standards.

Ending: The commission did not adopt the ordinance on June 17. It directed staff to return next month with recommended language revising ownership treatment in R2 and R3 and with clarifications on inspections, HOA/CC&R requirements and enforcement.