Huntington planning commission hears public concerns over proposed mobile-home age and occupancy standards

HUNTINGTON — Huntington’s Planning and Zoning Commission opened a public hearing Monday evening to gather feedback on proposed standards for replacement and newly installed mobile homes and RV units in residential and mobile-home park zones.

City staff said the proposals under consideration include setting an age limit for units being placed or replaced and requiring that units arrive “occupancy-ready” with permitted utility connections so they can be used without extended rehabilitation. The goal, staff said, is to add housing that can be occupied quickly to help with local shortages.

“Do we want to put an age limit on the new units or replacement units being placed?” an unidentified staff member asked, summarizing options under discussion. The staff described possible thresholds such as a numeric age (for example, newer than 20 years) or a specific model-year cutoff, and reiterated a desire for permitted utility hookups and immediate occupancy.

Park owner Randy Earl, who identified himself as the owner of two local parks, told the commission that state and federal rules constrain municipal authority. Citing recent state statutory and administrative updates, Earl said manufactured homes built on or after June 15, 1976, fall under HUD and Utah code standards while older units are treated differently. “An older home…can be remodeled,” Earl said, arguing that Huntington should avoid a blanket ban on older units because “municipalities do not have the authority to make those type of changes” in conflict with state law.

Earl also described practical permitting steps for moving a home across counties — VIN and title checks, BIN inspections and bill-of-sale requirements — and noted utilities often are not extended until a home is already placed on a lot, a constraint that can complicate bringing units into a park.

Residents and small park operators voiced both support for maintaining safety standards and concern about affordability. “There’s no problem with bringing newer stuff in, but it’s just gonna increase rent,” one attendee who later identified himself as Ethan Hertzmann said, urging the commission to consider the impact on lower-income households. He said rents have risen sharply in recent years and warned stricter age requirements could push some residents out of the local market.

Michelle Ward, who said she operates a few RV spots and has renovated older units, described spending on interior upgrades and sometimes keeping rents low for long-term tenants as an example of balancing habitability and affordability.

Commission procedure: commissioners moved and seconded routine business and the public hearing motions. The commission voted unanimously to accept the minutes from November, to open the public hearing and later to close it after public comment. The commission directed staff to take public feedback, prepare a written proposal and post it before the next meeting for referral to city council consideration.

The commission did not adopt any regulatory change at the meeting; instead staff will draft ordinance language reflecting the feedback and present it at a future meeting for further consideration.