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Planning commission to revisit zoning ordinances after broad discussion on ADUs, trailers, vehicles and horses
Summary
Commissioners scheduled a follow-up meeting for the week of Oct. 27 to review proposed changes to accessory dwelling rules, enforcement of trailers hooked to utilities, vehicle-registration limits, junk-abatement rules and the town’s horse setbacks after an extended discussion; no ordinance changes were adopted at this meeting.
The Mayfield Town Planning Commission spent the bulk of its Sept. 29 meeting opening a review of several zoning ordinances and agreed to a follow-up meeting to draft potential changes.
Staff and commissioners identified four primary areas for review: accessory dwelling units (ADUs), trailers and illegal hookups to water or septic systems, limits on visible/unregistered vehicles on a property, and nuisance/junk enforcement. One commissioner summarized the scope: the commission needs "to go back and really look at this, accessory dwelling" and "stipulate some guidelines," and staff will distribute current ordinance language and example language from other towns prior to the next meeting.
Commissioners discussed enforcement and legal constraints. Staff noted the town’s current ordinance limits unregistered vehicles visible on private property to three and that trailers connected to town water or septic without permits are illegal, prompting letters from the town’s lawyer in some cases. One participant said the existing ordinance dates from the 1980s and suggested the commission evaluate whether the numerical limit still fits contemporary use (side-by-sides, travel trailers, personal vehicles). On ADUs, commissioners said they want clear definitions and standards for lot area, septic feasibility, setbacks and parking, and to compare local practices with neighboring towns.
The horse ordinance drew detailed attention: commissioners said corrals must currently be set back 75 feet from neighboring houses while pasture use is less restrictive, and that the town’s 29,000-square-foot requirement effectively prevents horses on most town lots. Commissioners discussed whether changes could be phased in or whether grandfathering would be required for existing, nonconforming uses.
The commission agreed to meet again the week of Oct. 27 (proposed: Monday at 7 p.m.) to review written proposals and sample ordinances. Staff pledged to circulate the existing ordinance text and comparison examples so commissioners could prepare a draft that would be generated by the commission rather than imposed by the town council.
No formal ordinance amendments were adopted at the Sept. 29 meeting; the commission tabled detailed action until the follow-up meeting.
