Planning commission recommends denial of zoning text amendment to permit moving-truck rentals in C1 zones

The Ivins City Planning Commission on March 18 voted to recommend that the City Council deny a proposed zoning-text amendment that would add moving-truck and trailer rentals as an accessory use in the city’s C1 commercial zone.

The proposal, prompted by the owner of an existing self-storage facility who sought to add truck rentals at his site, drew a lengthy public hearing and discussion. Ben Godfordsen (applicant) and David Lewis (representing U-Haul Corporation of Southern Utah) said local truck rentals would save trips to St. George, reduce vehicle emissions and provide a convenience for residents. Godfordsen told the commission the site has spaces where trucks could be parked and that staff could provide site-specific instructions to renters to avoid street parking.

Staff and the Technical Review Committee (TRC) warned that the proposed use does not fit the character of Ivins’ C1 commercial zones as currently defined in the zoning code and that allowing the use across all C1 zones could permit vehicle- or rental-based operations in areas adjacent to residences. Planning staff and TRC recommended denial, citing parking management, screening, fire-access and compatibility concerns. Staff noted that adding the use to the table of uses would apply citywide to every C1 zone unless the ordinance explicitly limited it.

Commissioners discussed options including making the activity a conditional use with developed supplemental standards, limiting the use to be accessory to self-storage facilities only, or finding a more industrial/edge zone (CLM) for such services. Several commissioners said they could consider a conditional, site-specific approach but also expressed skepticism that small existing sites could meet buffering, parking and fire-access requirements without significant changes.

After discussion, a motion to recommend denial of the zoning-text change was moved and seconded. The recorded vote was: Commissioner White — aye; Commissioner Robinson — nay; Commissioner Brown — aye; Commissioner Clifford — nay; and the chair voted aye. The commission forwarded a negative recommendation to the City Council. Staff noted that if the council wished to pursue the use citywide, the code would require a more developed set of standards addressing parking, screening and conditional-use review.