Boise City Council approves large zoning-code cleanup and allows tiny homes on wheels with conditions

The Boise City Council on a 4-0 vote approved ZOA/COA 25-3, a city-initiated zoning ordinance amendment that implements 140-plus “continuous improvement” edits to the city’s new zoning code and adds tiny homes on wheels as a permitted accessory dwelling-type in many residential zones.

The amendment package, presented by city planning staff, updates code terminology and structure, refines dimensional and design standards, clarifies process procedures and use tables, and — by council direction — allows tiny homes on wheels as accessory dwellings where ADUs are permitted. The council accepted staff’s recommended edits but excluded proposed changes to the airport influence overlay and one small-multifamily figure for further review.

City planner Diana Dupuy and colleague Andrea Tuning told the council the continuous-improvement approach is an iterative fix to questions and application issues that emerged after the city adopted a new zoning code effective Dec. 1, 2023. Dupuy said staff compiled the changes from thousands of customer interactions, nearly 1,000 applications and 61 public hearings in the code’s first year.

“We permit 1 per site. Each of them will be less than 400 square feet. They’ll need permanent utility connections and will be, subject to the base zone dimensional standards,” Dupuy said of the proposed tiny-home-on-wheels rules. The amendment as…