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Pleasant Grove council amends rural-residential rules to shrink accessory-structure setback from 20 to 6 feet
Summary
After a unanimous planning commission recommendation, the Pleasant Grove City Council approved an amendment to reduce the minimum distance between a house and accessory structures in the rural residential zone from 20 feet to 6 feet except where the structure will house animals or agricultural uses.
The Pleasant Grove City Council on June 24 approved Kotek’s amendment to change yard requirements in the rural residential zone, reducing the minimum distance between a main dwelling and accessory structures from 20 feet to 6 feet for most uses.
The change applies in the rural residential zone for accessory buildings intended for human occupancy or typical accessory uses such as garages, shops and pool houses; accessory structures intended for animal or agricultural occupancy — for example, kennels or corrals — will retain the 20-foot setback.
Planning Director Carcinis presented aerial maps showing how rural-residential lots resemble single-family lots and explained the historical reason for the 20-foot setback: a blanket rule created when animal-related uses were allowed in the zone. "The proposal is just to change the distance between the accessory building and the main dwelling…to go from 20 to 6," Carcinis said during the public hearing presentation. He said staff had denied multiple accessory-structure applications over the past months because they did not meet the 20-foot standard and that the planning staff and the planning commission supported the amendment.
Councilmember Limon moved to approve the amendment; Councilmember Anderson seconded. A roll-call vote recorded Lamone, Anderson, Jensen, Jansen, Williams and Rogers voting in favor. The motion carried unanimously.
Planning staff noted the change affects only the distance between the house and the accessory structure; other setbacks from property lines remain unchanged. The city will continue to enforce larger setbacks for accessory structures intended for animal-related uses.
No members of the public spoke during the hearing. The council closed the public hearing after the staff presentation and proceeded to vote on the ordinance amendment.
The amendment will be effective as provided by the city’s ordinance-adoption rules and will be reflected in the city code sections referenced in the proposal.
Councilmembers and staff said the change is intended to reduce the number of denied accessory-structure applications in the rural residential zone while preserving protections where animals are involved.
