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Trenton council advances temporary-dwelling rules after public hearing, approves permit-language change
Summary
After a public hearing, the Trenton Town Council approved a change to the temporary-dwelling ordinance to replace a blanket removal requirement with a requirement to 'cease use' and set a $50 six-month permit fee; council and residents pushed for a 30-day posting and a March effective date with progress-report flexibility.
The Trenton Town Council, at a planning and zoning public hearing, approved revised language to the town's temporary-dwelling ordinance and discussed fees, permit logistics and an implementation timeline. The motion to approve the specific change passed by voice vote.
Council members said the primary edit clarifies that temporary-dwelling occupants must stop using a temporary structure as a residence when their project is complete rather than immediately remove the structure. Planning lead (Unidentified Speaker (S3)) proposed changing the line that originally read 'shall remove the temporary dwelling immediately' to 'shall cease to use the temporary dwelling as the dwelling unit' to avoid forcing residents to discard campers or other movable units.
Residents attending the hearing pressed the council on several practical questions: how and when the ordinance would be posted, whether existing occupants would receive a grace period, and what documentation the town would require. One resident (Unidentified Speaker (S5)) asked whether the town would give people 30 days or set a future effective date so that those living in temporary dwellings would have time to comply.
Planning and town staff said state posting rules require notification in three municipal locations and on the Utah Public Notice website; staff recommended a 30-day posting period before enforcement. Staff also explained that sanitary approvals for any new septic work would come from the Bear River Health Department. Regarding timing, council members discussed making the ordinance effective March 15 to allow residents time through the winter and suggested adding an administrative progress-report mechanism so applicants who make a documented, good-faith effort can request extensions.
The council also debated the permit fee. Planning staff explained that a $50 permit intended to cover clerical processing and limited staff time was proposed for a six-month permit. Staff and council acknowledged that if administrative costs proved higher, the fee could be raised later administratively rather than reopening the ordinance.
On the question of adjacent-owner permission, council members explained the ordinance includes two contours: a 500-foot rule for separation in rural areas and an adjacent-owner signature requirement in closer built-up contexts. Members noted that rural property boundaries can complicate permission gathering and said staff would advise applicants on how to document attempts to obtain signatures.
The motion to approve the revised permit language was moved and seconded and carried with an affirmative voice vote; the planning staff will bring the full ordinance forward for final approval at the next council meeting so formal adoption — and the 30-day statutory posting period — can be scheduled.
Next steps: staff will place the complete ordinance on next month's agenda for final approval, publish the required notices, and prepare an administrative process (including permit application forms and guidance on adjacent-owner signatures and septic approvals).
