Huntington planning commission reviews options to allow smaller lots, container and modular homes

Huntington’s Planning and Zoning Commission discussed a package of possible zoning changes Tuesday that would let the city accommodate smaller lots and alternative housing types — including container homes, prefab/modular units, mother-in-law suites and limited RV-style rental lots — by adding an exception/variance review route to the city code.

The discussion centered on amending Title 9, specifically the section describing the commission’s powers and duties (referred to in the meeting as “9-4”), to allow the commission to review variance requests or conditional-use proposals and forward recommendations to the City Council for final action. "In the last little while, it's been interesting the housing requests that have been in in Huntington," said Gary Arrington, Huntington’s zoning administrator, who briefed the commission on recent inquiries.

The change under consideration would not automatically alter development standards such as minimum lot width; instead it would create a predictable process for applicants to request exceptions. Commission members described examples that have come to staff: a property owner asking about container homes, a developer seeking 50-to-60-foot lot frontages for duplexes or fourplexes rather than the current 85-foot minimum, owners proposing mother-in-law units, and a landowner exploring a small RV-style cluster of rentable spaces. Arrington said the mayor’s preference on narrower lots is pragmatic: “as long as it's a new subdivision, he doesn't have a problem,” he told the commission.

Commissioners and staff discussed what technical limits would be needed if the city opened an exceptions route. Current minimum lot width in parts of Huntington is 85 feet; requests described in the meeting ranged from about 50 to 60 feet. Arrington and staff said single-wide mobile homes would have to meet new-home standards if permitted — "they would need to be new. They would need to have a pitched shingled roof, sided," Arrington said. Commission members also described potential 20–25-foot-wide component (modular/prefab) homes that could be built as duplexes or paired units on narrower lots.

Utility connections and site constraints were a recurring concern. The meeting recorded that applicants must meet Huntington’s water/sewer connection rules; staff said applicants are typically required to show water shares (one commissioner noted three shares are normally needed) and that connection fees for culinary, secondary and sewer service were described in the meeting as "between 13 and $15" (units not specified in the discussion). The commission discussed topography and sewer-line limits near Greens Grove and other areas; commissioners noted some parcels outside current city limits would also require costly infrastructure if annexed.

On process, commissioners favored adding language to Title 9-4 that would let the Planning and Zoning Commission review exceptions or conditional-use applications and recommend approval or denial to City Council, rather than forcing each property owner to pursue a full code amendment. Several commissioners said such a step would streamline review while preserving council oversight: the commission’s recommendation would be advisory and City Council would have final authority and hold required public hearings.

Members asked staff to draft proposed language for the commission to review at the next meeting. The commission also said staff should consult with the city attorney and bring comparisons from nearby cities (members mentioned Price and Castle Valley/Heber-area approaches) and invite another staffer, Todd Thorne, to answer technical questions about utilities in the follow-up meeting.

Votes at a glance: the commission approved the May 8, 2025, minutes by voice vote after a motion and second; the meeting concluded after a motion to adjourn was made and seconded and approved by voice vote.

Why it matters: Commissioners framed the proposed change as a way to give Huntington tools to respond to local housing pressure without wholesale code rewrites. They said it would allow case-by-case review for developers and residents proposing narrower lots or nonstandard housing while maintaining public hearings and council decision-making.

Next steps: staff will draft proposed text amending Title 9 (beginning with section 9-4) to create a formal exception/variance or conditional-use review workflow, circulate comparisons from neighboring cities, and return language for commission review at the next meeting. The commission indicated public outreach and council ratification would be part of any final change.