Commission discusses general-plan update, code cleanups and travel-trailer rules; no formal action taken

Commissioners and staff discussed potential updates to the City of Green River general plan, several code cleanup items and a proposed amendment to allow travel trailers in manufactured-home parks during the Jan. 21 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. No formal action or votes were taken on those policy items.

City staff and commissioners said the city’s general plan dates to 2013 (adopted 2014 in materials discussed) and may be out of date for grant and lending purposes. Commissioners noted that some action items from the 2013 plan remain incomplete and that lenders and grant reviewers have sometimes treated the plan as expired or in need of updating.

Commissioners and staff discussed options for updating the plan: using an external consultant or firm that would review code and planning documents and run community outreach, or updating the plan internally, which commissioners said would be time-consuming and could reflect the commissioners’ own views if not paired with broad public engagement. One commissioner suggested coordinating with Kenny at Epicenter, who has been compiling housing-related input, and with regional partners.

Staff also said the city is working with FEMA on updated flood mapping; the commission was told FEMA will conduct lidar surveys and narrow the existing, broader flood zone delineations to more precise channels and features, which could change which parcels fall inside the regulatory floodplain. Staff noted this has implications for permitting and insurance for properties in the current flood zone.

The commission briefly mentioned a proposed code change to allow travel trailers in manufactured-home parks while homes are being built; staff said they would speak with stakeholders before bringing a draft amendment back for formal consideration. Staff said some code provisions were miscodified during previous updates (for example, accessory dwelling unit language placed in a residential nightly-rental section) and recommended a cleanup effort to correct chapter placement and cross-references.

Commissioners asked staff to share periodic updates about prospective industry and grant activity from Ryan England/Better City and to coordinate with Epicenter and other partners on housing elements and community engagement if the commission pursues a general-plan update. No budget appropriation or consultant contract was approved at the meeting; commissioners discussed the option of requesting budget authority for external resources in a future budget submission to city council.

The items were discussion-only and will return to the commission for future agenda consideration if staff or commissioners prepare formal proposals or code amendments.