Woodland Park revises residential use table and definitions; commissioners push to keep duplexes subject to council review in multifamily zones

Planners presented a revised residential use table and new definitions for dwelling types at a Woodland Park Planning Commission work session on March 27, asking commissioners to review how duplexes, townhomes, modular dwellings and manufactured/tiny‑home types are classified and where they can be sited.

The packet reorganizes existing categories into a consistent taxonomy — using terms such as “dwelling, single household detached,” “dwelling, single household attached,” “dwelling, duplex,” and “dwelling, multi‑household” — and pulls several model definitions from the state model code to reduce ambiguity between modular, manufactured and park‑model/tiny‑home structures.

Why it matters

The definitions and the use table determine which residential building types require a conditional use permit, which are permitted by right, and where specific units may be located. That affects whether projects undergo discretionary public review and how housing types such as accessory dwelling units (ADUs), townhomes and manufactured-home communities are regulated.

Key changes and debates

Definitions and cross‑references

- The draft adopts a more uniform set of terms and moves shared technical concepts (for example, sight triangle language that previously lived in the sign chapter) into a centralized definitions chapter so multiple sections can reference the same definition. - Planners proposed adopting the state model code wording for manufactured homes, modular dwellings and tiny homes so the local code aligns with established state definitions and relevant Colorado statutes referenced in that model.

Modular vs. manufactured; park models and tiny homes

Planners explained that modular dwellings (built to the International Residential Code and installed on a permanent engineered foundation) should be allowed where single‑household detached homes are permitted. Manufactured homes (built to HUD code) and park models/tiny homes would be regulated as manufactured‑home types and placed in a manufactured‑home community (mobile‑home park) zoning district. The draft explicitly excludes travel trailers, camper trailers, self‑contained motor homes and similar recreational vehicles from the manufactured‑home definition.

Commissioner Larry Larson questioned whether park models and tiny homes need separate categories, noting enforcement and definitional edge cases (for example, a small structure without a HUD plate). He encouraged clear, consistent definitions so owners and planners can determine zoning compliance.

Duplexes, townhomes and multifamily

A focus of the session was duplex treatment across zones. The draft consolidates duplexes and single‑household attached units into clearer categories. Planners noted an existing anomaly: duplexes are permitted by right in some commercial zone districts but require a conditional use permit in multifamily zone districts. Larson called that “insanity” and argued the inconsistency made little sense; several commissioners, however, recommended retaining the status quo for multifamily zones because the City Council had previously made that policy choice.

Result: planners agreed to revert the proposed change and retain conditional‑use (C) status for duplexes in multifamily zones (so the commission would still see them), while leaving duplexes as permitted (P) in the commercial zones where they are currently allowed.

Subdivision, plats and timing

Commissioners also discussed how townhome/condominium final plats interact with permitting. Staff explained that if land is already platted, a conditional use permit for multi‑unit development could be processed before an administrative final plat; if not, concurrent processing during subdivision review is an option. The underlying intent is to avoid allowing multi‑unit development to bypass required discretionary review when appropriate.

Accessory dwelling units and small‑scale units

Accessory dwelling units remain regulated by standards referenced in the use table; staff suggested keeping ADU standards where they already exist and avoiding moving ADU rules into unrelated definitions. Commissioners asked staff to streamline repeating language describing minimum amenities (heat, sanitation and cooking) so definitions are consistent across dwelling types.

Mobile home park / manufactured-home community naming

Commissioners discussed whether the MHP zone should be relabeled “manufactured‑home community.” Planners noted most existing mobile‑home parks in Woodland Park are legally nonconforming; nonetheless the draft retains a zone for manufactured/mobile home communities, with standards and accessory uses (common laundry, meeting spaces, recreational facilities).

Next steps

Staff will: - Put duplexes back to conditional use in multifamily zones per the commission’s direction while keeping permitted status in commercial zones. - Harmonize definitions so that single‑household, attached units, multi‑household units and manufactured/modular distinctions are clear and mutually exclusive where intended (for example, excluding tiny/park models from single‑household detached where appropriate). - Move common technical definitions (sight triangle, "attached") into the central definitions chapter and confirm cross‑references in the use table. - Clarify subdivision/plat timing and the path for townhome final plats so required discretionary review is not inadvertently avoided.

Commissioners and staff agreed to continue refining the draft and present a consolidated version for commission review before legal review and any eventual Council consideration.