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County staff proposes zoning text change to allow owner‑occupied enclosed storage on larger lots
Summary
County planning staff presented a draft amendment to remove 'warehousing' from a wholesale distribution definition and create a new category permitting owner‑occupied enclosed storage (barns, RVs, boats, equipment) in specified zones with minimum lot sizes and administrative zone‑certificates; the board directed staff to post the draft for public comment.
Sabrina, county planning staff, presented a proposed text amendment to section 4.08.0.14 of the county zoning resolution to remove 'warehousing' from a wholesale distribution use and add a new definition allowing enclosed storage of personal property (for the property owner, not for rent). Sabrina said the change is intended to let property owners build barns or similar structures to store recreational vehicles, boats or equipment without having to construct a dwelling unit.
Under the draft, the use would be permitted in several zones including rural residential, suburban residential, general agricultural and some commercial and industrial zones. The proposal includes minimum lot‑size thresholds (a two‑acre minimum was discussed for certain zones, and staff noted different minimums in mountain‑range and UMR zones) and would require a zone certificate in specified areas—an administrative review already described in the zoning resolution rather than a conditional‑use process that goes through PNZ.
Commissioners asked whether suburban residential should require a zone certificate or conditional use permit because of higher density and potential neighbor impacts; Sabrina said the zone‑certificate process is an administrative approval with set criteria already in the zoning code and that the office can use that mechanism to avoid a separate PNZ process while ensuring standards are met. Commissioners also discussed lot coverage limits in residential zones and how the amendments would prevent small lots from hosting large accessory warehouses that could affect neighboring property values.
Sabrina said staff plans to post the draft for a 45‑day public comment period, bring it to PNZ in March and, if applicable, return with a text‑amendment package in April. The board supported moving the draft forward to public comment.
